3D Robotics
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Drone software, UAV technology |
| Founded | 2009 |
| Founder | Chris Anderson, Jordi Muñoz |
| Headquarters | Berkeley, California , United States |
Area served | Construction, engineering, mining, government sectors |
| Products | Drone software solutions, data analytics |
3DR, also referred to as 3D Robotics,, is a U.S.-based enterprise located in Berkeley, California that specializes in software solutions for drones used by construction, engineering, mining sectors, and governmental organizations.
Prior to 2016, 3DR developed and sold both commercial and hobbyist unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), including consumer drones and fixed-wing models built upon the Ardupilot platform. Nevertheless, in September 2016, the company and the Ardupilot open source community ended their collaboration due to disagreements over licensing terms.
Established in 2009 by Chris Anderson and Jordi Muñoz, 3DR originated from the DIY Drones community, a group founded by Anderson to support enthusiasts of aerial vehicles.
Products of 3DR
The company’s range of products featured:
- The Solo Drone launched in May 2015, aimed at both consumer and professional markets for aerial photography. Equipped with dual processors, it was specifically designed to work seamlessly with the GoPro Hero camera, facilitating high-quality image and video capture.
- The IRIS+ Drone, introduced in September 2014, catered to recreational users and included a mounted GoPro camera. It could reach speeds up to 40 mph and operate within a range of approximately 3,280 feet.
- The X8 Quadcopter, released in November 2014, came in two variants: the X8+, which featured an integrated gimbal and GoPro for aerial photography and cinematography purposes; and the X8-M, tailored for mapping tasks. Both models incorporated waypoint navigation capabilities.
- The Aero-M Fixed Wing UAV, also debuted in November 2014, was a fully autonomous mapping drone capable of flying for up to 40 minutes and covering around 250 acres per mission. It was integrated with Pix4D software to produce geo-referenced photogrammetric mosaics, serving sectors such as agriculture, construction, and environmental conservation.
In March 2016, 3DR discontinued its drone manufacturing operations to concentrate solely on software development and data analytics related to drones. This strategic pivot followed financial difficulties associated with hardware production; a former staff member described the hardware initiative as a "$100 million blunder based on ineptitude."
Dronecode
As a founding participant of the Dronecode Consortium—a non-profit organization overseen by the Linux Foundation—3DR contributes to the development of cost-effective, dependable open source UAV software grounded in Linux. Established in 2014, this consortium includes prominent members such as Intel, Qualcomm, Parrot SA, and Walkera.
See also
- Articles with short description
- Electronics companies established in 2009
- Companies based in Berkeley, California
- Technology companies based in the San Francisco Bay Area
- Unmanned aerial vehicle manufacturers
- 2009 establishments in California
- American companies established in 2009
- Technology companies established in 2009
- Unmanned aerial vehicle manufacturers of the United States
- Companies of the United States by year of establishment
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