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Robot maker · registered

Near Earth Autonomy

Corporate marketinspectionCurated record
nearearth.aero

CAPTAIN proprietary autonomy stack combines LiDAR, IMU, and computer vision for GPS-denied, communications-degraded flight; Topaz fs enables fully autonomous underground tunnel mapping and inspection without GPS, operating in confined construction environments; Firefly compact autonomy system integrates on small UAS (e.g., BAE Systems TRV-150) for defense applications in GPS-denied environments; 10,000+ autonomous flights and 4,000+ hours of autonomous flight accumulated across commercial and defense programs.

HeadquartersPittsburgh, US
Founded2012
Corporate funding$19M
Team51-200
Deployments9
Open roles0
01

Company overview

Identity and operating footprint

Company typeRobot maker
Market segmentCorporate
StageSeries B
FoundersSanjiv Singh (CEO & Co-Founder), Marcel Bergerman (COO & Co-Founder), Lyle Chamberlain (Co-Founder & Board Member), Sebastian Scherer (Co-Founder)
Regions servedNorth America, Asia Pacific
Countries deployedUS, JP
Service footprintHQ in Pittsburgh, PA; commercial operations in US and Japan (Kajima tunnel projects); defense programs via US NAVAIR
Last reviewed2026-07-05
MX

Robot models

Specifications remain vendor-claimed

Machineinspection

Firefly

  • Operates in GPS-denied, communications-degraded environments; integrated on BAE Systems TRV-150 for US Marine Corps logistics

    vendor-stated operational capability confirmed via US Navy NAVAIR contract

    Claim source
Machinelogistics

RUC-60

  • Optionally piloted Black Hawk helicopter platform with autonomous flight capability for responsive uncrewed cargo and logistics missions

    Vendor-described capability

    Claim source
Machineinspection

Topaz fs

  • Fully autonomous GPS-denied flight in confined underground environments

    vendor-stated operational capability for tunnel and construction site inspection without GPS or external infrastructure

    Claim source
DP

Deployment log

Announced and cited only

AnnouncedCustomerSiteCountryCountEvidence
2026-04-30U.S. Marine Corps / NAVAIR PMA (MARV-EL Increment 2)military logisticsUSNot disclosedAnnouncement
2026-03-27U.S. Navy (NAVAIR)maritime autonomous drone operations (defense contract)USNot disclosedAnnouncement
2025-11-01BETA Technologiescommercial/defense eVTOL autonomous developmentUSNot disclosedAnnouncement
2025-04-29U.S. Army / Honeywellmilitary autonomous helicopter logistics, UH-60L Black Hawk retrofit programUSNot disclosedAnnouncement
2025-04-24U.S. Marine Corps / SURVICE Engineeringmilitary tactical resupply UAS program (TRV-150 TRUAS)USNot disclosedAnnouncement
2024-07-12NAVAIR / USMCaerial logistics connector programUSNot disclosedAnnouncement
2024-07-12Leonardomilitary autonomous aerial logistics (USMC ALC)USNot disclosedAnnouncement
2020-11-01Kajima Corp.underground tunnel construction inspectionJPNot disclosedAnnouncement
2017-10-19Boeingautonomous aerial vehicle developmentUSNot disclosedAnnouncement
CA

Funding history

Publicly announced rounds

Investors on recordBoeingKamanAE VenturesStarburst
TL

Company timeline

Milestones and announcements

2026-04-28NAVAIR awarded MARV-EL Increment 2 program: Near Earth leads team including Bell Textron (Bell 505), Moog/Genesys avionics, and XP Services to prototype autonomous logistics aircraft for USMCNear Earth Autonomy
2026-03-27NAVAIR awarded contract for uncrewed ship-to-shore logistics in contested maritime environments; aircraft-agnostic solution for GPS-denied cargo delivery via OTA under Naval Aviation Systems ConsortiumAviation International News
2025-06-17Achieved first autonomous flight of Leonardo AW139 helicopter under USMC Aerial Logistics Connector (ALC) programNear Earth Autonomy
2025-04-29U.S. Army selected Near Earth Autonomy and Honeywell to lead $15M program to deliver autonomous Black Hawk (UH-60L) logistics retrofit kits for uncrewed high-tempo operationsHoneywell Aerospace
2025-04-24Awarded $790K contract via SURVICE Engineering (prime $4.6M TRUAS program) to deliver miniaturized CAPTAIN autonomy systems for USMC Tactical Resupply UAS (TRV-150, 120 lb payload, 9 km radius)DroneLife
2024-07-12NAVAIR selected Near Earth Autonomy for USMC Aerial Logistics Connector (ALC) program: team includes Leonardo and Honeywell; contract to develop autonomous logistics helicopter via OTA/NASCInside Unmanned Systems
2022-05-02Raised $10M Series B; cumulative funding reaches $18M across 3 rounds with investors Boeing, Kaman, AE Ventures, and StarburstCrunchbase
2012-01-01Founded in Pittsburgh, PA by Sanjiv Singh, Marcel Bergerman, Lyle Chamberlain, and Sebastian Scherer; spun out of Carnegie Mellon University robotics researchNear Earth Autonomy
SC

Source ledger

16 unique public sources

01
Kaman Announces $10 Million Investment in Near Earth Autonomy to Accelerate the Deployment of Autonomous SystemsKaman Corporation · retrieved 2026-07-05
02
SEC Form D: $1,000,000 sold of $1,000,000 offeringSEC EDGAR · retrieved 2026-07-05
03
Boeing HorizonX Invests in Unmanned Systems Technology Leader Near Earth AutonomyBoeing · retrieved 2026-07-05
04
Near Earth Autonomy Wins U.S. Navy Contract for Maritime Drone OperationsAviation International News · retrieved 2026-07-05
05
Near Earth Autonomy – VehiclesNear Earth Autonomy · retrieved 2026-07-05
06
Near Earth Autonomy: Aerial Autonomy SystemsNear Earth Autonomy · retrieved 2026-07-05
07
Near Earth Autonomy Wins MARV-EL Contract for Marine Corps Logistics DroneDroneLife · retrieved 2026-07-05
08
BETA Technologies Builds Out Autonomous CapabilitiesBETA Technologies · retrieved 2026-07-05
09
U.S. Army Selects Near Earth Autonomy and Honeywell to Deliver Autonomous Black Hawk Logistics SolutionHoneywell Aerospace · retrieved 2026-07-05
10
Near Earth Autonomy to Deliver Miniaturized Autonomous Flight Systems for U.S. Marine Corps Resupply DronesDroneLife · retrieved 2026-07-05
11
NAVAIR Selects Near Earth Autonomy for USMC Aerial Logistics Connector ProgramSeapower Magazine · retrieved 2026-07-05
12
Near Earth Autonomy, Kajima Partner for Drone Inspections of GPS-Denied Construction SitesRobotics 24/7 · retrieved 2026-07-05
13
Near Earth Autonomy: Crunchbase Company ProfileCrunchbase · retrieved 2026-07-05
14
Near Earth Autonomy Press Releases: MARV-EL Increment 2Near Earth Autonomy · retrieved 2026-07-05
15
NAVAIR Selects Near Earth Autonomy for USMC Aerial Logistics Connector ProgramInside Unmanned Systems · retrieved 2026-07-05
16
About Near Earth AutonomyNear Earth Autonomy · retrieved 2026-07-05