AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc. (AgEagle), through its wholly owned subsidiaries, is actively engaged in designing and delivering drones, sensors and software that solve important problems for its customers.
The company is earning distinction as a globally respected market leader offering customer-centric, advanced, autonomous unmanned aerial systems (‘UAS’) which drive revenue at the intersection of flight hardware, sensors and software for industries that include agriculture, military/defense, pu...
AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc. (AgEagle), through its wholly owned subsidiaries, is actively engaged in designing and delivering drones, sensors and software that solve important problems for its customers.
The company is earning distinction as a globally respected market leader offering customer-centric, advanced, autonomous unmanned aerial systems (‘UAS’) which drive revenue at the intersection of flight hardware, sensors and software for industries that include agriculture, military/defense, public safety, surveying/mapping and utilities/engineering, among others. AgEagle has also achieved numerous regulatory firsts, including earning governmental approvals for its commercial and tactical drones to fly Beyond Visual Line of Sight (‘BVLOS’) and/or Operations Over People (‘OOP’) in the United States, Canada, Brazil and the European Union and being awarded Blue UAS certification from the Defense Innovation Unit of the U.S. Department of Defense.
AgEagle’s shift and expansion from solely manufacturing fixed-wing farm drones in 2018, to offering what the company believes is one of the industry’s best fixed-wing, full-stack drone solutions, culminated in 2021 when the company acquired three market-leading companies engaged in producing UAS airframes, sensors and software for commercial and government use. In addition to a robust portfolio of proprietary, connected hardware and software products; an established global network of over 200 UAS resellers; and enterprise customers worldwide; these acquisitions also brought AgEagle a highly valuable workforce comprised largely of experienced engineers and technologists with deep expertise in the fields of robotics, automation, manufacturing and data science. In 2022, the company successfully integrated all three acquired companies with AgEagle to form one global company focused on taking autonomous flight performance to a higher level.
The company’s core technological capabilities include robotics and robotics systems autonomy; advanced thermal and multispectral sensor design and development; embedded software and firmware; secure wireless digital communications and networks; lightweight airframes; small UAS (‘sUAS’) design, integration and operations; power electronics and propulsion systems; controls and systems integration; fixed wing flight; flight management software; data capture and analytics; human-machine interface development and integrated mission solutions.
As the company pursues its strategy to pursue new initiatives, the company is also expanding and improving its information technologies, resulting in a larger technological presence, utilization of ‘cloud’ computing services, and corresponding exposure to cybersecurity risk. Certain technologies, such as use of autonomous vehicles, remote-controlled equipment, virtual reality, automation and artificial intelligence, present new and significant cybersecurity safety risks that must be analyzed and addressed before implementation. If the company fails to assess and identify cybersecurity risks associated with new initiatives, the company may become increasingly vulnerable to such risks. As such, the company is developing and securing technology that aims to secure against hacking and malicious attacks. As the software that drives the company’s drones and cameras become more autonomous and interconnected, they become potential targets for cyber threats. Ensuring the security of data transmission and control systems has been and continue to be critical in preventing unauthorized access and misuse.
The company houses its sensor manufacturing operations. The company operates its business and drone manufacturing in Raleigh, North Carolina and Lausanne, Switzerland which supports the company’s international business activities.
Branded Line of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
eBee Line of Professional Drones
Sold worldwide through AgEagle’s direct sales team and global network of trusted resellers, the company’s eBee line of commercial and government/military UAS have logged more than 500,000 flight hours on more than one million successful missions over the past decade. Moreover, according to AgEagle’s analysis of official FAA Part 107 commercial drone registration data supplied to the company pursuant to a Freedom of Information Act Request submission, from 2016 through 2021, the eBee was the commercial sUAS of choice for the U.S. commercial drone operators, outnumbering all other fixed wing drones registered, including Vertical Take-Off and Landing (‘VTOL’) aircraft, accounting for 41% of all commercial fixed-wing drone registrations in the United States.
eBee Ag – a reliable, affordable drone solution to help farmers, agronomists and service providers map and monitor crops quickly and easily. The eBee Ag and its drone sensor deliver timely plant health insights with accuracy and efficiency that complements precision agriculture workflows. With its dual-purpose Duet M camera, eBee Ag captures accurate RGB and multispectral data from the sky to help users make better decisions on the ground. eBee Ag also features available Real-Time Kinematic (‘RTK’) functionality for greater mapping precision. With its available RTK, the agriculture drone can achieve absolute accuracy down to 2.5 cm (1.0 inch) with its RGB camera. Highly-accurate vegetative index maps allow users to understand every acre while managing problematic areas field-wide – before they impact profits. Equipped with its standard battery, eBee Ag is capable of up to 45-minutes of flight. An available endurance battery increases flight times up to 55 minutes — allowing the drone to cover more than 160 hectares (395 acres) in a single flight and save precious time and money when compared with conventional crop scouting. It was announced on February 14, 2024 that the eBee Ag was placed on end-of-life and unavailable for sale. Enhancements were made to the eBee X to use as a replacement for this product.
eBee Geo – an affordable fixed-wing mapping drone designed to meet the highest demands of surveyors, civil engineers and GIS professionals worldwide. Built upon more than 10 years of drone mapping experience, eBee Geo is rugged, intuitive to operate and makes surveying and mapping small to large areas faster and more efficient than using terrestrial surveying equipment alone. The data collected can quickly be processed into highly-accurate georeferenced orthomosaics, digital elevation models, digital surface models and high-density point clouds to bring additional value beyond common vectors. Designed to complement the user’s surveying toolkit, eBee Geo comes with everything needed to get started, including professional drone camera technology and eMotion, AgEagle’s flight planning software originally designed and developed by senseFly. With eBee Geo, a user can map up to 160 ha (395 ac) at 120 m (400 ft) with a maximum flight time of 45 minutes. eBee Geo is also available with RTK positioning. Combined with the company’s purpose-built Sensor Optimized for Drone Applications (‘S.O.D.A’), users are assured of sharp, accurate mapping outputs – even in the harshest conditions. It was announced on February 14, 2024 that the eBee Geo was placed on end-of-life and unavailable for sale. Enhancements were made to the eBee X to use as a replacement for this product.
eBee TAC– Designed specifically for government and military mapping and mission planning applications, the eBee TAC operates in disconnected environments, providing a higher accuracy mobile solution to map and locally share aerial imagery data on rapidly changing field conditions to analyze and provide near real-time situational awareness to ground forces. Weighing only 3.5 pounds and featuring a digital camouflage skin for increased stealth and up to 90 minutes flight time and silent mission mode, the eBee TAC can be rapidly deployed, from assembly to hand-launch, in three minutes by a single user to generate 3D modeling, terrain and thermal maps. Each system features National Defense Authorization Act (‘NDAA’) compliant drone, sensors and active components, secure extension, Endurance activation, two Endurance batteries, one Pitot Pro-kit, two micro-SD cards with adapters, AES256-bit encryption, pixel camouflage and an IP67 hard transport case with STANAG military standard certification that is lightweight, rugged and dust and water resistant. Camera options include RGB, multispectral and thermal payloads; and the system can also be upgraded to include additional features and payloads.
In March 2022, AgEagle’s eBee TAC Unmanned Aerial System was the first approved drone to be added to the U.S. Department of Defense’s (‘DoD’) Defense Innovation Unit’s (‘DIU’) Blue UAS Cleared List as part of Blue sUAS 2.0. The eBee TAC successfully completed a series of demonstrations in association with Blue sUAS 2.0 to provide the DIU with information and verification of the drone systems’ mission planning and launch capabilities, range and endurance, NDAA compliance, operational safety of flight procedures and cyber security, in addition to scripted and ad hoc flight profiles. Based on its evaluation, the DIU designated the eBee TAC as an approved light-weight, medium-range UAS available for immediate procurement by the DoD without a waiver to operate; and is also available for procurement by other Federal Government agencies. AgEagle’s success with Blue sUAS 2.0 follows eBee’s use as an integral asset for both conventional and unconventional Department of Defense units for over five years.
eBee X – the eBee X has been recognized as the fixed-wing drone that revolutionized the unmanned aerial vehicle sector with its ease-of-use and multiple, state-of-the-art sensors designed to suit a wide range of mapping jobs. At just 1.6 kg (3.5 lbs.), eBee X is a lightweight, ultra-portable solution that is easy for a single person to operate. With a unique Endurance Extension option enabling a flight time of up to 90 minutes and single-flight coverage of up to 500 ha at 122m (1,236 acres at 400 ft.), the eBee X is a premium drone that offers users the high-precision of on-demand RTK/PPK for achieving absolute accuracy of down to 1.5 cm (0.6 in) – without ground control points. This capability makes the eBee X ideal for BVLOS operations, such as long corridor mapping missions for utility companies, expansive crop scouting in agriculture and by enterprise customers who desire a robust and professional drone fleet.
The eBee X has proven that it meets the highest possible quality and ground risk safety standards, and due to its lightweight design, the effects of ground impact are reduced. Consequently, the eBee X has been granted BVLOS operations permission in Brazil and has been approved to run OOP and BVLOS operations in Canada.
On June 21, 2022, the company announced that the eBee X was the first drone in its class to receive design verification essential for BVLOS and OOP from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, enabling drone operations to seek Specific Operations Risk Assessment (‘SORA’) authorization to fly BVLOS and OOP with eBee X in 27 European Union member states, as well as Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
In October 2022, the eBee X series of fixed wing unmanned aircraft systems, including the eBee X, eBee Geo and eBee TAC, were the first and only drones on the market to comply with Category 3 of the Operations of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Over People rules published in the Federal Registry by the FAA in March 2021. Securing a Part 107 certificate of waiver from the FAA is a long and arduous process for sUAS users. Now that the eBee has proven compliant with Category 3 of the rules, eBee drone operators no longer need an FAA waiver for OOP or Operations Over Moving Vehicles. This major milestone was achieved by AgEagle following months of work, historic reliability review and extensive testing conducted by Virginia Tech Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership (‘MAAP’). Becoming the first and only UAS approved for OOP and over moving vehicles in the U.S. is expected to have material impact on AgEagle’s growth and standing as a recognized leader in the industry in the years to come.
eBee VISION – in December 2022, AgEagle announced its latest innovation in commercial and tactical drone technology with the unveiling of its new eBee VISION Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (‘ISR’) UAS. Scheduled for global commercial release during the first quarter of 2024, the eBee VISION delivers high resolution, medium-range video imagery made possible by its 32x zoom and powerful thermal observation capabilities. Its sensor payloads are capable of detecting, tracking and geo-locating objects in both day and night conditions. Offering up to 90 minutes of flight time and the same ease-of-use that has earned AgEagle’s eBee line of drones industry distinction, the eBee VISION can be deployed and operated by a single person. Designed, developed and manufactured by AgEagle’s research and development team in Switzerland, the eBee VISION is NDAA compliant, weighs less than 3.5 pounds/1.6 kilograms and can be carried in a backpack.
In December 2022, eBee VISION prototypes were successfully tested by European Armed Forces. According to an official from a UAV experimentation unit of a European military force present at the testing, ‘eBee VISION’s specifications fill the gap between low endurance quadcopters and large military fixed-wing drones. The small size, lightweight, ease-of-use, autonomy, range and sensor capabilities make it a promising drone for tactical ISR missions’.
As a result of the tests, European military units have ordered multiple eBee VISION prototypes, with delivery having occurred in late 2023. Commercial production of eBee VISION is planned for worldwide availability in early-2024 worldwide. Additional demonstrations with other military forces in the United States and NATO countries are being scheduled for the first quarter of 2024.
Sensor Solutions
Setting entirely new standards of excellence for high resolution aerial imaging solutions, the company’s proprietary thermal and multispectral sensors are broadly recognized as the cameras of choice worldwide for advanced applications in agriculture, plant research, land management and forestry management.
Altum-PT – an optimized three-in-one solution for advanced remote sensing and agricultural research. It seamlessly integrates an ultra-high resolution panchromatic imager, a built-in 320X256 radiometric thermal imager and five discrete spectral bands to produce synchronized outputs, such as RGB color, crop vigor, heat maps and high resolution panchromatic in just one flight. Offering twice the spatial resolution of the prior Altum sensor, Altum-PT, introduced in early 2022 the sensor that empowers users with deeper analytical capabilities and broader, more diverse applications; enable them to discern issues at the plant level, even in the early growth stages; and conduct early stage stand counting, as well as season-long soil monitoring, among other critical uses. Altum-PT also features a global shutter for distortion-free results, open APIs and a new storage device allowing for two captures per second.
RedEdge-P – Offering three times the capture speed and twice the spatial resolution of the RedEdge-MX, the all new RedEdge-P, launched in early 2022, the sensor that builds on the legacy of the rugged, high-quality, multispectral sensor that the industry has come to trust and adds the power of a higher resolution, panchromatic band to double the output data resolution. A single camera solution which is compatible with a wide array of drone aircraft ranging from large fixed wing to small multirotor, RedEdge-P captures calibrated high-resolution multispectral and RGB imagery with an optimized field of view and capture rate for efficient flights. This solution seamlessly integrates a high resolution, all-color imager with synchronized multispectral imagers to enable pixel-aligned outputs at previously unattainable resolutions, while maintaining the efficiency and reliability of its RedEdge legacy. Processing of data outputs is enabled through industry standard software platforms, including AgEagle’s Ground Control flight management software. With RedEdge-P, agricultural professionals benefit from a sensor that can enable effective plant counting and spectral analysis of small plants. Likewise, federal, state and local government and commercial forestry enterprises will also benefit from precise, efficient data collection and tree-level analysis as opposed to being limited to analyzing large swaths of land to make critical forestry management decisions.
AgEagle also offers a wide range of drone cameras to suit every mapping job, from land surveying and topographic mapping to urban planning, crop mapping, thermal mapping and more.
Aeria X – a compact drone photogrammetry sensor that offers the ideal blend of size, weight and DSLR-like image quality. It produces stunning image detail and clarity in virtually all light conditions, allowing users to map for more hours per day.
Duet M – a high resolution RGB and multispectral mapping camera rig used to create geo-accurate multispectral maps and high resolution digital surface models quickly and easily. This sensor is ideal for water management, such as mapping field drains and areas of compaction; spotting malfunctioning irrigation lines; and evaluating the consistency of plant vigor across a field.
Duet T – a rugged dual RGB/thermal mapping camera rig used to create geo-accurate thermal maps and digital surface models quickly and easily. The Duet T includes a high resolution thermal infrared (640 x 512 px) camera and a S.O.D.A. RGB camera.
S.O.D.A. – the first photogrammetry camera built for professional use which quickly became an industry standard for drone operators worldwide upon being introduced in 2016. It captures sharp aerial images, across light conditions, with which to produce detailed, vivid orthomosaics and ultra-accurate 3D digital surface models.
S.O.D.A. 3D – a professional drone photogrammetry camera that changes orientation during flight to capture three images (two oblique and one nadir) instead of just one, providing for a much wider field of view. It is optimized for quick, robust image processing with Pix4DMapper. Designed specifically for use with the eBee X aircraft, the S.O.D.A. 3D can achieve coverage of vast areas of flat, homogenous terrain (up to 500 ac / 1,235 ac per 122m / 400ft flight). The unique ability of the S.O.D.A. 3D to capture images in two orientations and the resulting wider field of view translates to stunning digital 3D reconstructions in vertically-focused environments, such as urban areas or open-pit mines - anywhere with walls or steep sides. This system of data recording means that less image overlap is needed, resulting in more efficient flights and greater flight coverage, not to mention quicker image processing for results.
Branded Software Solutions
Ground Control
A cloud-based, plug-and-play operating system, Ground Control provides individual pilots and large enterprises with everything they need to completely automate and scale their drone operations workflows. Offered as Software-as-a-Service, Ground Control continues to earn the trust and fidelity of its blue chip, industry-diverse customers by providing a single platform to automate flight management systems safely and securely; easily manage drone programs of any scope and scale; and process, analyze and share drone-captured image data and visualization necessary for assessing risks, improving workflow processes and achieving time and cost efficiencies across enterprises of virtually any size. With the aim of empowering AgEagle’s customers to readily extend their reach and human capability through adoption of scalable autonomous drone programs, Ground Control users can:
Plan missions via Keyhole Markup Language (‘KML’) files or build a grid or waypoint flight; check airspace for Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (‘LAANC’) authorization and confirm local weather conditions are favorable.
Fly with GPS-aided manual control or automated grid and waypoint patterns, and push web-based flight plans to mobile devices for ground-based in-field control – all with a simple, easy-to-use flight interface.
Capture raw data and live streaming field images with multispectral cameras, like AgEagle’s RedEdge-P and Altum-PT, and automatically convert into organized map indices and composites; or fly an RTK-enabled drone for improved post-flight processing.
Process captured imagery into high-quality data products and photogrammetry, and create orthomosaics, digital surface models and contour maps; or upload ground control points (‘GCPs’) with user’s maps for increased accuracy.
Analyze drone data or view orthomosaics and other 2D data files on an interactive, account-wide map.
Collaborate and support operations with detailed information about missions, including flight logs with screen shots, playbacks and incident flagging; and efficiently manage equipment and workflows with automatic usage tracking capabilities.
Benefit from Ground Control’s obsession to deliver industry-leading, customer-centric support and service.
Ground Control has been integrated with several other industry leading UAS technologies, including AgEagle’s own line of proprietary sensors and airframes. In addition, Ground Control’s industry partnerships include integrations with:
DJI drone platforms, which work seamlessly with Ground Control’s flight app and permits users to sync flights flown with the DJI Go app and use DJI Geo Unlock;
Parrot’s ANAFI, ANAFI USA and ANAFI Thermal drone platforms, which pair ANAFI’s rapid deployment and ease of operation with Ground Control’s standard flight tools, as well as enable users to tailor and expand their use through selection of additional program management and data processing capabilities;
Pix4D software, which makes it easy to create high quality orthomosaics, digital surface models and control maps in the Ground Control platform; and
Wing’s OpenSky airspace access app, which empowers drone flyers to abide by airspace rules and regulations and request authorization to fly in controlled airspace in near real-time wherever OpenSky is available.
eMotion
AgEagle also offers eMotion, a drone flight and data management solution created specifically for aerial mapping use. With eMotion, flights are built using intuitive mission blocks and flight modes. Users simply need to choose a block (aerial mapping, corridor, etc.), highlight the region they want to map, define key settings, and eMotion auto-generates the drone’s flight plan. Multi-flight missions are supported, and the software’s full 3D environment adds a new dimension to drone flight management, helping users to plan, simulate and control the drone’s trajectory for safer flights, more consistent performance and improved data quality. Moreover, eMotion’s built-in Flight Data Manager automatically handles the georeferencing and preparation of images required for post-processing in software, such as Pix4Dmapper. Connecting wirelessly to a user’s drone, to industry cloud solutions, to survey-grade base stations and to airspace and live weather data, eMotion is advanced, scalable drone software that anyone can use.
HempOverview
As one of the agriculture industry’s leading pioneers of advanced aerial-image-based data collection and analytics solutions, AgEagle leveraged the company’s expertise to champion the use of proven, advanced web- and map-based technologies as the means to streamline and ultimately standardize hemp cultivation in the United States. Growers need to be registered/permitted; crops need to be monitored and inspected; and enforcement operations must be established to ensure compliance with state and federal mandates. Through HempOverview, AgEagle represents the first agriculture technology company to bring to market an advanced agtech solution that is designed to meet the unique complexities and vigorous oversight, compliance and enforcement demands of the emerging American hemp industry and the unique needs and demands of its key stakeholders.
HempOverview comprises four modules:
Registration: secure, scalable software to handle all farmer and processer application and licensing matters.
Best Management Practices: iterative, intelligent data collection and analysis utilizing satellite imagery and advanced, proprietary algorithms to help farmers reduce input costs, avoid missteps, detect pest impacts and monitor water usage.
Oversight and Enforcement: integration of data management and satellite imagery to provide continuous monitoring of all hemp fields in the state, predict and respond to issues and assist in proper crop testing.
Reporting: generation of actionable reports for USDA requirements, legislative oversight and support of research institutions.
In November 2019, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) licensed the HempOverview solution to manage its online application submission and registration process for hemp growers and their farms and hemp fields in the State of Florida for the years 2020, 2021 and 2022. In June 2021, the State of Florida expanded its licensing of the HempOverview platform to provide for access to all four of the modules. FDACS also tasked AgEagle with developing a custom registration software platform to enhance communications, licensing and general compliance relating to the oversight and protection of more than 500 endangered and commercially exploited wild plants native to Florida. For instance, in an effort to curb exploitation of saw palmetto, a plant whose extract is used in herbal supplements often marketed for its urinary tract and prostate health benefits, FDACS requires harvesters and sellers of saw palmetto berries to obtain a Native Plant Harvesting Permit. According to a related FDACS notice, ‘Widespread gathering of these berries is depleting a wildlife food source and threatening the stability of some ecosystems.’
In January 2021, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship also licensed the HempOverview platform to manage the state’s online registration, payment processing, comprehensive data collection and compliance oversight for the 2021, 2022 and 2023 planting seasons.
Key Growth Strategies
The company intends to materially grow its business by leveraging its proprietary, best-in-class, full-stack drone solutions, industry influence and deep pool of talent with specialized expertise in robotics, automation, custom manufacturing and data science to achieve greater penetration of the global UAS industry – with near-term emphasis on capturing larger market share of the agriculture, energy/utilities, infrastructure and government/military verticals.
The key components of the company’s growth strategy are to establish three centers of excellence with respective expertise in UAS software, sensors and airframes; deliver new and innovative solutions; effectively manage the company’s growth portfolio for long-term value creation; and growth through acquisition.
Government Regulation
AgEagle is subject to industry-specific regulations due to the nature of the products the company sells to its customers. For example, certain aspects of the company’s U.S. business are subject to regulation by the Federal Aviation Administration (‘FAA’), which regulates airspace for all air vehicles in the U.S. National Airspace System.
On October 27, 2022, AgEagle announced that the company’s eBee X series of fixed wing UAS were the first and only drones on the market at that time to comply with Category 3 (as defined below) of the Operations of Small Unmanned Aerial Systems Over People rules published by the FAA. Now that the eBee has proven compliant with Category 3 (as defined below) of the rules, eBee drone operators no longer need an FAA waiver for OOP or Operations Over Moving Vehicles. Category 3 eligible sUAS must not cause injury to a human being that is equivalent to or greater than the severity of injury caused by a transfer of 25 foot-pounds of kinetic energy upon impact from a rigid object, does not contain any exposed rotating parts that could lacerate human skin upon impact with a human being, and does not contain any safety defects. Category 3 aircraft also require FAA-accepted means of compliance and FAA-accepted declaration of compliance.
Intellectual Property
The company has registered trademarks, several patents or pending patents for the company’s proprietary drone, sensor and software technologies filed in the United States and certain jurisdictions abroad. As of December 31, 2023, the company’s trademark portfolio included 63 registered and/or pending in various countries and 21 patents in various stages of the patent granting process.
Research and Development
For the twelve months ended December 31, 2023, the company’s research and development expenses were $5.5 million.
History
AgEagle Aerial Systems, Inc. was founded in 2010.
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