Our Tech

Meet the Swift

The Swift is the backbone of Near Space Labs' technology platform, and represents a first in high-altitude data capture: autonomous, precise, and rapidly deployable at scale. In hours, our Swifts can survey an area as large as New York City.

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Side view of Near Space Labs' Swift robot showing modular landing gear system, carbon fiber airframe, payload bay with high resolution optics, and certified transponder.

Group of people in safety vests and orange shirts preparing a large white weather balloon next to a white pickup truck on a gravel road surrounded by trees.

Built for precision, scale, and flexibility

To make Earth observation scalable, Near Space Labs threw out the old playbooks. We designed the Swift from the ground-up to be modular, extensible, and easy to deploy. We integrate new payloads in weeks rather than years — whether that is incorporating thermal infrared for wildfire detection, or custom sensors for infrastructure monitoring.

Adaptive mission control, from launch to landing

Three people in orange shirts preparing a large white weather balloon on a dirt road near a parked truck and forested area.

Rapid and flexible launch

Swifts do not require an airfield, set schedule, or direct access to a survey area to operate. We need less than 20 minutes to launch a mission, and can do so from hundreds of miles away from a target area.

High-altitude white weather balloon with Near Space Labs' Swift robot floating over a green landscape with rivers and hills under a blue sky.

Autonomous fleet control

Flights are managed via StratoMap, our proprietary flight operations software. With fleet configurability, multiple Swifts can be coordinated in a single mission to cover hundreds of square miles.

Near Space Labs' Swift robot descending with a large white parachute against a clear sky.

Landing and recovery

Our precise landing systems allow for rapid recovery and redeployment. Minimal downtime allows us to make the most of our operations.

The stratospheric difference

At an altitude of 65,000 feet, our Swifts are above it all: ground weather conditions, air traffic, and restricted airspace. The stratosphere provides the ideal conditions to capture large amounts of data at high resolution — and to do so without disrupting people, wildlife, or the natural environment.

By commercializing stratospheric data capture, Near Space Labs has unlocked a new paradigm in Earth observation. For the first time, it is possible to have the wide-area view of a satellite combined with the high resolution of a drone or fixed-wing aircraft.

Comparison of fields of view from high-altitude balloon and airplane, showing 20 km (65,000 ft) and 2.4 km (6,500 ft) coverage areas respectively.

Aerial view of a residential neighborhood with curved streets and houses alongside open brown grassland and intersecting roads.

AI-powered data processing delivers quality at industry-leading speeds

Delivering data quickly and consistently to decision-makers is what makes the difference. Our AI-powered processing pipeline ensures that data collected from the stratosphere is georeferenced, orthorectified, normalized (and more) without the need for manual quality assurance.

By reducing the time between data capture and publishing, Near Space Labs puts analysis-ready information in the hands of users and OGC-compliant GIS applications within days or weeks — not the months-long timeframes typically seen in the geospatial industry.

Aerial view of an airplane flying low over a rural neighborhood with houses, green fields, and farm buildings, captured from above by Near Space Labs' Swift robot.

What our high-resolution imagery and data enables

7cm resolution reveals details that matter, whether you're assessing property conditions, monitoring vegetation, or tracking infrastructure in remote areas.

Our geospatial data captures structural features, surface conditions, vegetation health, and environmental changes at a level of granularity that satellite imagery simply cannot match.

This granularity drives sharper insights across a wide range of use cases, from risk modeling and underwriting to urban planning and construction monitoring —without costly manual surveys or inspections.

Detailed aerial view of a baseball complex with multiple baseball fields, blue tarps seen around the central fields, and parking lots with numerous cars.

Near Space Labs: Captured 2025

Blurry aerial view of several baseball fields arranged in a complex with paths and small buildings between them.

Competitor: Captured 2024

Near Space Labs' Swift robot suspended by a white parachute descending against a blue sky with scattered clouds.

Safe practices in the sky

Since day one, saftey has been a top priority for Near Space Labs. Every Swift is equipped with ADS-B transponders so that it can broadcast position data to aircraft and air traffic control systems in real time.

In addition, every Near Space Labs' mission is coordinated directly with local air traffic control and the Federal Aviation Administration to ensure safe and compliant operations from launch to recovery.

Accurate data. Consistent delivery. No exceptions.