# Windlift, Inc

Tethered Drone Technology Without Traditional Limits. Built with DOW & DOE.

- Canonical URL: https://wefunder.com/windlift
- Entity ID: wefunder:company:181476
- Last updated: 2026-06-05T05:01:16Z
- Generated at: 2026-06-06T01:04:14Z

## Quick facts
- Step change in tethered UAV technology that thrives in conditions where current technology fails.
- Poised to disrupt $200B+ in global defense & commercial markets
- Foundational technology built with $24M+ in DOE & DOD contract revenue to date - $7.39M in 2024
- Technical oversight and continuous validation from the Naval Research Lab.
- Secured SBIR III + sole source: a rare combo awarded to 0.6% of federally backed companies.
- Built by experts in defense, aerospace, and autonomy with a team from NASA, Battelle, Caterpillar +
- Integrates valuable technology (sensors/cameras/SAR) - partnerships in process with major DOD primes
- MOUs with Sandia National Labs and Rhoshield for national defense applications

## Active fundraises
- wefunder:fundraise:141691: 4(a)(6) successful (USD)
- wefunder:fundraise:141690: 4(a)(6) successful (USD)

## Story
Redefining Persistent Autonomous Tethered Flight for Defense, Security, Energy and Communications.Persistent airborne presence is more important than ever. Autonomous tethered drones (UAVs) are valuable because they provide long endurance with continuous power from the base, secure and signature free communications, and an infrastructure free, quickly deployable and reliable way to carry sensors and communications equipment for extended periods. They are the only practical solution for true persistence without the cost and manpower demands of expensive aircraft, helicopters, and rotating free-flying drones.But today's tethered systems all share one critical weakness. They must be grounded when wind intensifies and cannot be used under tow from vessels and vehicles reliably and at speeds necessary in the field. Those are the moments when ports, borders, shipping lanes, offshore platforms, agricultural operations, and large public gatherings need continuous visibility and secure communications the most. The world needs an airborne platform that stays up when others cannot.Windlift delivers that capability. What began as a Department of Defense initiative to harness power from tethered flight led our team to develop AI-powered, proprietary flight control software and a new system architecture that addresses some of the most challenging aspects of autonomous tethered operations. Our flight controls were designed through years of development for complicated flight patterns in high winds taking into account shifts, turbulence, and other intricacies of flight while connected to a tether that generally ground similar systems. This foundational technology treats wind as an advantage instead of a limitation, allowing our systems to operate safely and efficiently in conditions and at elevations that shut down the best tethered drones available today.Windlift offers a new class of software-driven, cost-effective, high-endurance platforms across two complementary product lines:G-Series: delivers a stable, resilient, persistent airborne presence with an operating window far beyond existing tethered drone technology.Airborne Power Generator (APG): extends those capabilities with the added advantage of generating power through flightTogether, these systems enable persistent overwatch, secure communications, real-time intelligence, and distributed power through a single tether.Our systems are operational: flying autonomously, generating power (APG), and preparing for mission-specific pilots to meet urgent needs.Government contract-funded development allowed us to develop and validate our technology without diluting the cap table. Now, a mix of contracts, private capital, and system sales will fuel deployment, commercialization, and scale.The team and technology behind our system came from decades of experience driving breakthrough technologies, with backgrounds in organizations at the forefront of innovation.Turning the impossible into reality fuels our drive to push boundaries and create advanced systems that solve complex, high-stakes problems.The problem we initially set out to solve was delivering autonomous, persistent power and elevated C5ISR in areas where fuel logistics and fixed infrastructure are dangerous, costly, or impossible.Our requirements were complex: this system had to be compact, mobile, and cost-effective because if compromised, a backup system must be available and operational immediately to fill the gap and avoid interruption.This is necessary for defense because:Fuel resupply is dangerous, costly, and logistically complex:Especially in contested or remote environments, where the fully burdened cost can exceed $600 per gallon. Eliminating that dependency isn’t just efficient, it’s transformative.2. Fixed grid infrastructure is costly, slow to deploy, and vulnerable to disruption:For defense operations at the edge, whether in conflict zones, forward operating bases, or disaster relief missions, access to stable power is often limited or nonexistent. Extending the grid into these environments is not only expensive and time-consuming, but also creates static, high-value targets for adversaries.3. Today's available solutions for situational data and domain awareness all have unique limitations:These limitations make it nearly impossible to maintain continuous situational awareness and collect accurate data at the edge, on the water, and below the surface.Windlift’s tethered systems are designed to outperform existing solutions in:EnduranceLevel of fuel dependenceWind resiliencePayload capacityCostSignature/Emission controlMost existing commercial solutions also overlook a critical layer of the atmosphere, specifically the low-to-mid altitudes where Windlift operates, resulting in a persistent gap in security, weather monitoring, atmospheric sensing, and real-time data collection that is essential for defense, forecasting, modeling, and operational planning.A major advantage of Windlift’s technology is the ability to elevate and sustain advanced payloads such as sensors, radar, cameras, RF detection, and secure communication systems at altitude for extended periods.This is exactly what is required as the United States moves toward a fully networked defense and homeland security architecture that depends on continuous sensing, secure communications, and rapid information sharing across agencies.Incoming drones have become one of the fastest-growing threats to military sites, ports, borders, offshore platforms, and large public gatherings. They are cheap, fast, and increasingly difficult to detect with ground and space-based radar alone.The current administration’s border protection initiative calls for a layered national sensor network that can see and understand everything in the sky in real time. Windlift was just awarded a contract for the Missile Defense Agency Scalable Homeland Innovative Enterprise Layered Defense (SHIELD) indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract with a ceiling of $151B. This contract encompasses a broad range of work areas that allows for the rapid delivery of innovative capabilities to the warfighter with increased speed and agility.Every Windlift unit creates a first layer of defense that enables early detection, faster classification, and rapid decision-making. This is especially urgent as low-flying drones and drone boats increasingly evade both ground-based radar and satellite detection.The same elevated sensor platform creates game-changing value for commercial markets.Industries like shipping security, agriculture, insurance, logistics, financial services, AI and modeling, disaster response, and offshore energy all rely on clean, persistent, high-resolution data to drive decisions and unlock new business models. Windlift makes that possible.We are partnering with leading companies in sensor, radar, lidar, onboard compute, and AI to integrate best-in-class technologies into our systems, unlocking the full value of data gathered in flight.Many companies are building powerful intelligence capabilities. Windlift systems make them better by expanding the operating window beyond what is possible with traditional tethered technology.Our platform provides the critical energy and elevation layer needed to enable next-gen defense capabilities. The partnerships we’re building rely on our system to unlock new mission profiles and deliver a strategic edge for their systems.By integrating their technology into our airborne systems, we prove interoperability, open new mission sets, and accelerate deployment.Windlift’s development to date is contracted through the Department of Defense’s Operational Energy Innovation program, with technical oversight and validation provided by the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory.Additionally, we are currently in an MOU with Sandia National Labs for the Development and Commercialization of Autonomous Airborne Power and Persistent Situational Awareness.Some of today’s most valuable tech companies, such as Anduril, Palantir, and Shield AI, followed a similar path: they began by solving urgent national security challenges, secured early contracts and validation through DOD programs like SBIR, and leveraged that traction to win sole-source contracts.With their technology proven and their first customer in place, they attracted private investment at pivotal moments, fueling their growth into multi-billion-dollar enterprises.Windlift is charting the same course with tethered UAVs for energy and security.We have already secured this decisive strategic procurement advantage, and extended this with the SHIELD program: shortening acquisition cycles, limiting competition, and unlocking opportunity for long-term access to contracts.$24M+ total contract revenue to date.We're not guessing. We're executing a playbook to bring breakthrough technology to market.Design and testing is conducted first in our AI-backed high-fidelity design and simulation environment, which informs real-world flight testing. This design-to-test process is built on years of flight data, research, and modeling.We run millions of simulated flights before a single live test—accelerating performance, reliability, and readiness timelines, while avoiding millions in hardware costs. Every live test then informs the system to become even more precise every time we fly.https://player.vimeo.com/video/1095050093/We also hold four strategic patents that protect Windlift’s core technology, with additional patents in the pipeline as the technology continues to advance.And they’re radically efficient.In a world facing soaring energy demand and constrained resources and logistics, that kind of efficiency isn’t just nice to have - it’s essential.While defense leads our mission, commercial applications are rapidly taking shape.As demand for security, data, and real-time intelligence accelerates, our airborne platform is built to adapt and scale to serve entirely new mission sets across defense and commercial markets.The timing couldn’t be better. We’re entering a decade defined by:An unsecured maritime environment looking for mobile, cost-effective security solutionsA defense ecosystem racing toward defending assets and borders through persistent awareness and fast response timeAgricultural operations seeking persistent real time data on livestock, crop health, insect infestations and securityA global shift toward resilient, autonomous, distributed infrastructureUnderserved rural, offshore, and contested areasAI data centers are tripling global energy demandWindlift sits at the intersection of these trends.Since our first test flight of G1 of the G-Series of systems, we’ve never had more traction and interest internationally for demos and information about our systems. We just completed a demo in Finland for Millog where we successfully demonstrated a wind envelope greater than 2x the capabilities of the nearest competitor.Turns out the wind advantage really does matter, and there is an immediate defense and commercial need for this technology.This raise is about activating the community to accelerate into that momentum and supercharge product development, defense deployment, and commercialization to fuel growth: executing the opportunities already on the table while positioning to own the markets emerging just behind them.It’s a strategic window to convert our hard-won advantage into durable market leadership. This capital isn’t about proving the idea. It’s about securing the business.We've grown deliberately, opting for contract revenue over private capital to de-risk the technology, preserve equity, and prove demand before scaling. That strategy won’t change. Our goal is to continue amplifying every investor dollar with leveraged contracts, procurement, and future sales revenue.We've become highly effective at operating within the U.S. innovation ecosystem. We have submitted proposals for future contracts and are a contract awardee for SHIELD so now is the ideal time to inject strategic private capital to develop the systems that will put us in a better position to win those larger contracts. We are excited for the opportunity to invite the community to participate.How could investors see a return?We see multiple possible paths to liquidity, driven by the scale of our projected revenues and product strength.Future projections and returns are not guaranteed and evolving as we progress.We're building a category-defining platform with strong government validation and dual-use applications. As we grow, one of our goals is to pursue the right strategic path to reward our earliest investors.This isn’t just a bet on the future. It’s a chance to build it.Join us.

## FAQ
1. **Hello, congrats on your success to date. This definitely seems interesting. I usually have questions on the business and economics, but your financial statements and business model are pretty clear. Q1# My question is on the technology itself. Is this like a drone "kite that's...**
   - Q1 - Yes, it uses the same principle as a kite. However a traditional kite is static. By autonomously flying the kite in a figure-8 pattern downwind of the anchor the wind accelerates the wing. We balance that acceleration with deceleration from the small turbines on the wing. This generates a current that can power onboard equipment like radar or radios, or we can use our advanced power electronics to increase the voltage and send the power down a conductive tether to charge a battery or ele...
2. **The wind is not very reliable. What happens to your system in if there is no wind for a long period of time?**
   - The aircraft is designed to stay light by keeping its battery on the ground. In strong winds it generates power and charges the battery. When winds dip, an AI controller seamlessly draws from that stored energy to keep flying. And if the battery ever runs low, the system lands itself safely and automatically.
3. **Hello Windlift Team, I’m Zac Stahlhut with D3VC, a venture fund that specializes in investment crowdfunding. Could you provide more detail on how much usable power your systems produce in practice, such as what scale of community or operation they can support? Of the applicati...**
   - Thanks, Zac, We enjoyed the conversation with the team. We look forward to the continued dialog.
4. **Congrats on all the fundraising! If one were to power even in remote areas, what are the FAA rules?**
   - Thanks, Sean, The FAA has been rapidly evolving its thinking on tethered UAS, mostly loosening regulations in comparison to untethered drones. As an example, they changed guidance in Dec 2022 to allowing a persistent tethered UAS to qualify to be regulated as an obstruction, like a radio tower. In the summer of 2024, they also pulled back substantially on the regulation of tethered drones. One of the best gut checks for our ability to operate freely is that we currently test at an active regi...
5. **Dear, I hope this message finds you well. I came across your business listing and I’m very interested in learning more about the opportunity. I would appreciate the chance to discuss further details with you. Would you be available for a quick call or Zoom meeting? You can rea...**
   - Thanks, Adam, we will have someone reach out.

## Team
- Robert Creighton (Founder & CEO)
- Andy Stough (Chief Technology Officer)
- Mark Aull (Chief Science Officer)
- Ben Leape (Chief Strategy Officer)
- Sean Meyer (Chief Operating Officer)

## Q&A
- Q: Are you able to share 2025/forecast 2026 revenues?
  - A: Hi Adam, we are working on finalizing audited financial reports that meet the Reg CF rules. We'll post publicly as soon as they are ready. -Rob
- Q: Dear, I hope this message finds you well. I came across your business listing and I’m very interested in learning more about the opportunity. I would appreciate the chance to discuss further details with you. Would you be available for a quick call or Zoom meeting? You can reach me directly at +41 766 501 494, or feel free to book a time that suits you via my Calendly link: https://calendly.com/adam-zhusupov/30min Looking forward to speaking with you soon. Best regards, Adam Zhusupov
  - A: Thanks, Adam, we will have someone reach out.
- Q: $8.20 per share at 34m valuation??? Am I missing something here?
- Q: when will windlift reach the break even?
  - A: Windlift has been incredibly successful at landing non-dilutive government R&D dollars. We should be taking early purchase orders in Q4. But while we were developing our product, we still achieved profitability in 2024. We were not profitable in 2025 as congress did not pass a budget. We had additional research dollars in that budget. With the 2026 budget actually passed with additional funding for us, we expect to break even this year.
- Q: What is the exit plan (acquisition, IPO, merger, etc.) in which investors will be able to see a ROI?
  - A: The most likely scenario is an acquisition, but if we can increase revenue quickly in the next 12 months will raise a larger round at a much higher valuation and aim for an IPO.
- Q: Hi there. Congrats on your success so far. I have a few questions: 1. Apologies if I missed it somewhere, but can you speak more to your business model? Do you charge customers per drone system? Do customers lease the systems for a period of time? Per mission? 2. Can you go into detail about your COGS? How much does it cost to develop and manufacture each system? What are your customer acquisition costs and projected customer lifetime values? 3. You mention that your peers trade at a range of 8x to 12x as of May 2025. I assume this means their value is as much as 12x their revenues. Can you list the peer companies you're referring to here? Thanks very much! Brian
  - A: Hi Brian, (questions repeated inline) Can you speak more to your business model? Do you charge customers per drone system? Do customers lease the systems for a period of time? ------- Yes, our current business model is focused on selling hardware and technical support contracts. We are talking to leasing companies that would underwrite leases for customers, but we don't have the working capital to finance leases internally. For advanced systems, US government contracts almost always include lifecycle support elements: CLS (Contractor Logistics Support) - You handle maintenance, spares, and tech updates under a service contract. T&M or Cost-Plus Service Tasks Time-and-Materials or Cost-Plus - task orders for field support, integration, and data analysis. Training Services - Curriculum, simulators, and operator/maintainer training. Software Maintenance - Updates, cybersecurity patches, algorithm improvements. Data Rights Clauses - Specify whether the government receives “Unlimited,” “Government Purpose,” or “Limited” rights. Warranty / Availability Metrics -Often structured as uptime guarantees or readiness metrics. For dual-use systems like Windlift’s APG, you’d often see a hybrid contract: a firm fixed price line item for hardware and CPFF or T&M line items for integration, field testing, and support. We are partnering with companies in Europe to pursue opportunities there as well. ----- Can you go into detail about your COGS? How much does it cost to develop and manufacture each system? What are your customer acquisition costs and projected customer lifetime values? ----- Our COGS are highly dependent on the volume we produce and the specific sensor platforms from our partners that are required by customers. Our customers are government defense departments, security companies, and shipping fleets. We are investing in building relationships with these organizations, and it's impossible to pull out CACs and project CLVs for a hardware business like this vs. a SaaS model. We focus on making sure our gross margins are high, we get non-dilutive funding to support product development ($25 million so far from DoD and Doe). and that we have a plan to reduce our COGS and increase margins as production volume increases. We don't share the specific details of these plans publicly unless potential investors are willing to sign an NDA.
- Q: Congrats on all the fundraising! If one were to power even in remote areas, what are the FAA rules?
  - A: Thanks, Sean, The FAA has been rapidly evolving its thinking on tethered UAS, mostly loosening regulations in comparison to untethered drones. As an example, they changed guidance in Dec 2022 to allowing a persistent tethered UAS to qualify to be regulated as an obstruction, like a radio tower. In the summer of 2024, they also pulled back substantially on the regulation of tethered drones. One of the best gut checks for our ability to operate freely is that we currently test at an active regional jetport without issue.
- Q: Hello Windlift Team, I’m Zac Stahlhut with D3VC, a venture fund that specializes in investment crowdfunding. Could you provide more detail on how much usable power your systems produce in practice, such as what scale of community or operation they can support? Of the applications mentioned, which use case do you see as the most immediate driver of adoption, and how is the current design optimized for that? How do you mitigate risks related to tether reliability and potential interference in increasingly crowded airspace? You also briefly note that quadcopter drones are unreliable in high winds, though could you expand on how your systems compare in terms of performance, cost, and overall resilience? Lastly, with federal support for clean tech shifting, do you anticipate challenges in securing future contracts or grants, given your primary focus on defense applications? Our team would like to set up a call to go deeper on these topics, and I can be reached at zstahlhut@d3vc.ai to coordinate. Thanks!
  - A: Thanks, Zac, We enjoyed the conversation with the team. We look forward to the continued dialog.
- Q: The wind is not very reliable. What happens to your system in if there is no wind for a long period of time?
  - A: The aircraft is designed to stay light by keeping its battery on the ground. In strong winds it generates power and charges the battery. When winds dip, an AI controller seamlessly draws from that stored energy to keep flying. And if the battery ever runs low, the system lands itself safely and automatically.
- Q: Hello, congrats on your success to date. This definitely seems interesting. I usually have questions on the business and economics, but your financial statements and business model are pretty clear. Q1# My question is on the technology itself. Is this like a drone "kite that's tethered to transfer energy back to a generator? So you get power and combine that with an self-flying drone that can collect data on its surroundings, now you have intelligence too. Is that accurate or is there video that better explains the technology. The videos on the launch page don't quite explain how it's generating and transferring power back to the ground. Q2# With the technology, are there any patents? Or what's your advantages from others copying? Also, who do you consider your competitors and what's your advantage? Q3# The max raise says $250k. Is that correct? If so, it seems low. Is this a "bridge" raise. Either way, what's the next phase in the company's growth?
  - A: Q1 - Yes, it uses the same principle as a kite. However a traditional kite is static. By autonomously flying the kite in a figure-8 pattern downwind of the anchor the wind accelerates the wing. We balance that acceleration with deceleration from the small turbines on the wing. This generates a current that can power onboard equipment like radar or radios, or we can use our advanced power electronics to increase the voltage and send the power down a conductive tether to charge a battery or electrical grid on the ground. Q2 - Yes, we have 4 patents and patents pending. Our main competitors in Airborne Power Generation are in Europe - Kitepower, Skysails, Kitemill, and Enerkite. We are focused on the defense business for now, and infact we don't even need to generate power to be useful in many applications there. Our autonomous gliding controllers will allow us to fly behind ships (commercial and military) and provide a platform for elevated overwatch extending their sensor range out to 40+ miles. Q3 - We may choose to oversubscribe the round, but we believe that amount will get us to our next large military contracts and commercial partnerships. We are also raising money through other channels. If the Wefunder is successful we may choose to raise more money to fund our first factory.