KORTHOS / ECOSYSTEM / PRODUCT

Freefly Astro

About

About Freefly Astro

Astro is a US-manufactured commercial multirotor with RTK positioning, LTE connectivity, an onboard mission computer and AuterionOS. Its payload mount supports professional cameras and sensors, including the Sony ILX-LR1 full-frame camera for high-resolution mapping and inspection.

Pilot Pro provides field control and mission management, while cloud connectivity supports fleet and data workflows. Doodle Labs radios and application-specific payload integrations extend the system into government and industrial programmes. Freefly supports Astro through dealers, integrators and a commercial-flight service organisation.

Capabilities

Source-backed capabilities

  • Capability areas: Autonomous navigation
  • Workflows: Industrial inspection
  • Operating environments: Outdoor field environment
  • Target markets: Enterprise, Infrastructure, Public Safety
  • Control modes: Px4 Autonomous Mission
  • Deployment model: Operator Flown Platform
  • Mapping and photogrammetry

    Claimed - Capture overlapping high-resolution images for map and 3D-model production. - environment: Commercial surveying and infrastructure sites

    Source
  • Robotic inspection

    Claimed - Capture close aerial imagery of infrastructure for inspection. - environment: Commercial surveying and infrastructure sites

    Source
  • Aerial LiDAR surveying

    Claimed - Collect airborne laser-scan data over a survey site. - environment: Commercial surveying and infrastructure sites

    Source

Observed use

Exact-product configurations are shown without inferring supply, purchase, customer status, standard fit, deployment or partnership.

  • Mini Mesh Rider Radio

    2024-09-12 - Physical Demo - Embedded - Physical - Doodle Labs visits Freefly Fest 2024 to see new Astro Prime UAS in action

    Source

Supply

Supply / Components

  • Freefly Astro

    Enterprise Px4 Stack For Freefly Astro - control - Auterion - Freefly Astro integrates Auterion Enterprise PX4, Mission Control and Suite - source: docs.freeflysystems.com

    Source
  • Freefly Astro

    Thermal Camera Payload - sensors - Workswell - Freefly's Astro Wiris Pro payload integrates a Workswell Wiris Pro camera in a Freefly gimbal - source: docs.freeflysystems.com

    Source
  • Freefly Astro

    RTK GNSS Receiver - Positioning & navigation - u-blox - Freefly Astro uses u-blox RTK GNSS receiver - source: freeflysystems.com

    Source
  • Freefly Astro

    Optical Gas Imaging Camera Core - sensors - Sierra-Olympia Technologies - Sierra-Olympia's Ventus OGI core is integrated into Freefly's optional Astro gas-imaging payload - source: store.freeflysystems.com

    Source
  • Freefly Astro

    Mapping Camera Payload - Perception - Sony - Freefly Astro uses Sony mapping camera payload - source: freeflysystems.com

    Source

Research

  • Astro / Astro Max Technical and Developer Documentation

    Research Publication - Freefly's official Astro / Astro Max documentation covers the professional multirotor aircraft, Auterion Enterprise PX4 and MAVSDK compatibility, onboard Docker application support, payload and electrical interfaces, battery architecture, motor differences, CAD resources, and model-specific dimensions for Astro legacy and Astro Max.

    Source

Timeline

  • Freefly issues Astro FPV live video latency service bulletin

    2025-11-24 - Capability - Freefly issued a service bulletin for FPV live video latency affecting Astro FPV accessories and Alta X Gen2. The bulletin instructed operators not to record FPV video feed until a corrective firmware update was installed. This is operationally relevant to drone fleet reliability and payload workflow integrity.

    Source
  • Freefly documents Astro Blue UAS approval and compliant Astro configurations

    2025-11-10 - Regulatory - Freefly documented that Astro had been approved by DIU and added to the Blue sUAS List. The compliance matrix identifies Astro NDAA/Blue, Astro Prime NDAA/Blue, and Astro Max NDAA/Blue configurations using Pilot Pro and Doodle radios. Not every Astro or Astro Max configuration is Blue compliant; radio and controller configuration is critical for procurement.

    Source
  • Esri adds Freefly Astro Max to secure ArcGIS drone workflow

    2025-02-20 - Partnership - Esri announced secure drone workflows using Freefly Systems' Astro Max with ArcGIS Flight. Esri described Astro Max as an American-made drone meeting NDAA and DIU Blue UAS security and performance standards. The integration supports government and enterprise users for ArcGIS-based mapping and inspection workflows.

    Source
  • Freefly Astro selected in DIU Blue UAS Refresh

    2025-02-14 - Regulatory - The Defense Innovation Unit selected Freefly Astro in the 2025 Blue UAS Refresh list. DIU described Blue UAS as a pathway for DoD-approved drones that meet NDAA, American Security Drone Act, and cyber-security requirements. The selection supports Astro's role in government and public-sector drone procurement.

    Source
  • Freefly releases Astro Prime and Blue configuration support through Astro v1.6

    2024-07-01 - Product Launch - Freefly's Astro v1.6 release added support for Astro Prime, Blue configurations, and the LR1 Payload. The release added integration with Freefly's Doodle radio modules, described as an NDAA and Blue-approved radio module. The update created a clearer compliant Astro configuration path for government and enterprise users.

    Source
  • Freefly and Auterion expand Astro around open standards and Auterion Suite

    2022-11-11 - Partnership - Auterion highlighted Freefly's Astro as a ruggedized drone enabling enterprise workflows through standardized interfaces and real-time connectivity. The update positioned Auterion Suite as the software layer for Freefly customers using Astro and Alta aircraft. The event strengthens Astro's role as an open, software-defined enterprise drone.

    Source
  • Freefly and Auterion launch Astro enterprise drone solution

    2020-09-30 - Product Launch - Freefly Systems and Auterion announced Astro, an enterprise drone for mapping, inspection, first responders, and infrastructure workflows. Astro combined Freefly's airframe and payload experience with Auterion's enterprise-ready software platform. The launch positioned Astro as a U.S.-made enterprise UAS platform.

    Source

Context

Market context

Freefly Astro is a compact U.S.-built enterprise multirotor for mapping, inspection, public safety and industrial aerial data collection.

  • Target environment: Outdoor industrial sites, infrastructure assets and enterprise aerial work environments.
  • Workflow context: Aerial mapping, inspection, surveying and industrial data collection using a trusted-drone platform.
  • Customer context: Enterprise operators, inspection teams and public safety agencies needing NDAA-compliant UAVs.
  • Deployment model: Commercial UAV from a U.S.-based manufacturer.
  • Commercial maturity: Commercially available trusted-drone platform with enterprise adoption.
  • Adoption constraints: Multirotor flight time limits coverage area per mission.
  • Market position: One of the cleaner trusted-drone platforms in the U.S. enterprise UAV market.
  • Adjacent products: Freefly Astro Max, Dragonfish, enterprise UAVs

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