Birdstop, Inc.
Full-stack drone-in-a-perch system integrator and fleet-autonomy software vendor: builds the aircraft and self-charging perch, owns the BVLOS airspace deconfliction stack and Mission Control software, and assembles in Detroit from NDAA-compliant automotive-grade components. · United States
Detroit-built Fealty autonomous security drone: a weatherproof drone-in-a-perch that launches in under 3 seconds and streams AI-detected aerial video to remote operators 24/7.
Fealty system: a weatherproof quadcopter (45 min endurance, ~45 mph cruise, 4K 240x zoom plus radiometric thermal, RTK + 5G, IP54, -4F to 113F) housed in a combined charging dock, shelter and acoustic/optical sensor mast that launches in under 3 seconds and charges on contact. Mission Control software handles on-board detection/classification, alarm-triggered dispatch, patrol scheduling, multi-site operation from one console and audit logging, with API hooks into SCADA, CAD, VMS and access control. Sold or leased as an integrated system; Detroit Free Press reported roughly $20,000-$25,000 per unit depending on payload/configuration.
Research mapping
Physical AI / Autonomy Software, Fleet Platforms & End Markets (L10) / Full-stack drone-in-a-perch system integrator and fleet-autonomy software vendor: builds the aircraft and self-charging perch, owns the BVLOS airspace deconfliction stack and Mission Control software, and assembles in Detroit from NDAA-compliant automotive-grade components.
Evidence boundary
Original analysis and independent corroboration remain under development. Commercial scale and durable technical advantage remain under review.
What makes it defensible
Domestic drone supply sovereignty is the binding constraint: the U.S. produces less than 1% of the world's drones, NDAA-compliant aerospace/defense components are scarce and roughly 10x the cost of automotive-grade equivalents, and high-volume compliant manufacturing (not autonomy software) is what gates U.S. procurement after the Dec-2025 federal ban on foreign drones. Birdstop's second gate is its stack of FAA BVLOS / multi-aircraft / controlled-airspace approvals, which lets one remote operator run many perches with no on-site pilot.
Position in the stack: Downstream systems integrator and service operator: sources commodity and automotive-grade components, adds airframe integration, autonomy, detect-and-avoid/airspace deconfliction and fleet software, then sells or leases turnkey persistent aerial surveillance to critical-infrastructure owners, utilities and public-safety/government buyers.
Who buys it
Named customers: TSPS, Inc. (Oasis Parking sites, Detroit)
Founding team
Keith Miao — Founder & CEO (also described as co-founder) — Former data science lead at Google; prior satellite-imagery/GIS analyst at Columbia University's Earth Institute and in Washington, D.C.
SourceFinancing detail
- Last round
- $4.6M Seed (Aug 2025)
Investors: Lerer Hippeau, Anorak Ventures, Correlation Ventures, Data Tech Fund, Graph Ventures, Techstars, Timberline Holdings, Talon Aerolytics, Detroit Venture Partners, Alabama Power
Mapped funds and investors
Direct relationships supported by published evidence.
Reported holdings as-of
No sourced relationships mapped yet.
Disclosed investment history
No sourced relationships mapped yet.
Showing up to four relationships in each group. ETF weights describe the fund’s portfolio, not ownership of this company. Private investment history does not establish current ownership.
Evidence & media
-
From Cars to Drones: Birdstop Taps Detroit's Auto Supply Chain to Scale U.S. Manufacturing
What this source supports: Fealty is in production in Detroit; 45-min/60 mph class aircraft; 10x annual growth ambition.
What it does not establish: Production numbers are management projections, not audited shipments.
Source -
Detroit Trucking Hub Adds Birdstop Drone Monitoring with TSPS
What this source supports: First named commercial deployment: two Oasis Parking sites with TSPS, state-funded pilot.
What it does not establish: Pilot scale only; no pricing, contract value or performance metrics.
Source -
This Detroit company is tapping the auto industry to build all-American drones
What this source supports: 80% automotive-sourced parts, ~40 employees, hand-built in the former UAW building.
What it does not establish: Supplier names, unit economics and customer contracts not disclosed; founding year stated as 2019.
Source -
Why a hot drone start-up ditched California for Detroit
What this source supports: Fealty priced ~$20k-$25k, 51-min flight time, 20 Detroit employees by mid-January 2026; HQ at 200 Walker St.
What it does not establish: Full article paywalled/truncated on retrieval; price and headcount are single-source press figures.
Source
Timeline
-
Product
Management targets one order-of-magnitude production growth per year
Source -
Media
Fast Company: 80% of Fealty parts come from auto suppliers
Source -
Deployment
Fealty deployed at two Detroit truck-parking sites with TSPS
Source -
Financing
$4.6M seed closed (SEC Form D)
Source -
Facility
New R&D facility in Alabama; production of airspace beacon begins
Source -
Financing
$2.3M seed led by Lerer Hippeau
Source