Fotokite

Fotokite makes actively tethered drones for firefighters, police and other public safety teams. The company is headquartered in Switzerland and has offices in Zurich, Syracuse and Boulder.

Its main product is the Fotokite Sigma. A tether links the drone to a vehicle or case on the ground. The drone launches, flies and lands at the push of a button, so no pilot is needed. Fotokite says aviation authorities recognize it as a safer choice than drones that are not actively tethered. It also says the system is exempt from Part 107 and COA rules in the USA.

The Sigma has a radiometric thermal camera, a wide-angle color camera and a zoom color camera on a three-axis gimbal. The zoom runs from 0.5x to 16x. The frame is carbon fiber and the unit is rated IP55. It can climb to 150 feet, or 45 meters. When it is wired into a vehicle's power supply, it can fly for 24 hours or more.

It comes in two setups. The Transport Case can move between vehicles and be deployed at the scene of an incident. The Rooftop Box fits SUVs and heavy apparatus such as fire engines and launches hands-free. Fotokite Live is the operating software, and it runs on a rugged tablet. Live color and thermal video can stream to as many as 50 remote viewers in 1080p over Wi-Fi or mobile networks. The system works with Axon Evidence.com and Axon Respond. A new API lets customers build their own automations.

Fire departments, police and rescue teams use the drones in rain, snow and wind, from live fires to search and rescue. Named users include the Los Angeles, New York and Chicago fire departments, the Paris Fire Brigade and Zurich Fire and Rescue.

The company began as a spin-off from ETH Zurich in 2014 and started its work on public safety products after 2016. In 2019 it launched its first public safety product in the US fire and rescue market alongside Pierce Manufacturing. It won the IF Gold Design Award and the Swiss Design Prize in 2021. Nearly all system parts are designed in-house, and manufacturing takes place in the USA.

Services

• Actively tethered drones
• Fotokite Sigma
• Rooftop Box configuration
• Transport Case configuration
• Fotokite Live software
• Fotokite API
• Livestream to remote viewers
• Customer support