UAV Project Funding

[SoCalGliderFlyr]

Looking for private funding of a UAV project. I will consider technical development/work in exchange for a percentage of possible incorporation and future revenue.

All serious inquiries must sign a notarized nondisclosure/competition statement.

Note that the market for this UAV is the DOD as well as some commercial applications.

PM's please.

[CenTexFlyer]

Wow! When you find someone like that, see if they have a brother or something too! They're out there, but be prepared to give up a majority of the company......

[SoCalGliderFlyr]

Company stays 51% mine.

[CenTexFlyer]

Good luck my friend...... those guys didn't get the "big bucks" by not leveraging those big bucks into BIGGER bucks. Startups and Venture Caps generally want to control their money. We've had a proven airframe for 4 years and it took that long to find the right partners.

[SoCalGliderFlyr]

Don't want/need Big Bucks to do proof of principle. Once the concept can be demonstrated reliably then it's time to negotiate the Big Bucks.

[Godseykj]

You need to go to the UAV 5th Annual West Coast Conference. Oct. 24-25 in Las Vagas, NV. It would be a good chance for you to get your project known and seen. All the big boys will be there. Plus, usaully have really good speakers. The conference is focusing on Platforms, Payloads, and Opportunities. I'll be there as an Army Employee, but once it's over, I'll report back on this site what was dicussed and tabled. I don't think you have to have a clearance..but you might want to check. If you go, let me know....I'll make sure I find you.

KJG

[SoCalGliderFlyr]

Thanks for the heads up.

[Unterhausen]

Somebody here linked to a discussion of startup funding by Paul Graham, one of the guys that was involved in writing the software that is used by Yahoo stores.

http://www.paulgraham.com/articles.html

Read his articles about startups, there are some good ideas. Basically, what he said was at the stage you're at, you don't really want VC's. Have you looked to see if your state offers some sort of incubator program? I think Pennsylvania will even provide some funding, or at least in-kind support if they like your idea.

[XJet]

Unterhausen is right -- our UAV project (which *is* different to anything else you've probably seen out there) has been developed entirely with our own money so we own it 100% and owe nobody anything.

This means that when we go to market, we'll still be in full control and the profits will go in our own pockets.

Over the past 30 years I've made a decent living by turning my ideas into practical implementations then commercializing them and selling the IP or the company. One thing I learned *very* early on is that the sooner you take on external funding, the more it's going to cost you in the long run.

The reality is that time and effort (your labor) are the most expensive elements of any development project and, if you've still got your day job, that costs you nothing. If you can develop your stuff on a self-funded shoe-string budget then do it -- unless there's some kind of limited window of opportunity that you have to shoot for in order to be profitable.

[Myron]

Xjet,

Do you feel that there is going to be a glutten of these things in use over the next few years? We do and that is what were worried about.. Were talking to the big money guys and were affraid that if we dont get it done quick we will miss our window.. We have proven airframes with proven results.. I guess when that ship sails in we want to be ready to get on and go for the ride!

Myron

[Unterhausen]

One thing I learned *very* early on is that the sooner you take on external funding, the more it's going to cost you in the long run.
There was one story on Paul Graham's site about a company that was taken over by non-technical VC types and driven into the ground very quickly, from $20 million in sales to nothing. And the people who started it basically got nothing out of it other than a few year's salary. They got $38 million in funding from the VC, but that didn't go into their pockets.

I suspect that the market will be flooded with low cost UAV's, but it seems like the applications are endless, so that may not matter. So the platforms themselves may not be the best place to put your efforts.

[SoCalGliderFlyr]

Grahams web site is a must read for almost everyone. I thought his name sounded familiar to me. His articles/writings on LISP programming is where I saw his name years ago. Learned Autodesk's LISP in the late 80's to get Acad to do what I wanted it to in one click rather than ten.

I agree on the limits of just the airframe. I see a total package of hardware, software and integration into existing weapons systems. Possibly some of the weapons systems themselves.

[XJet]

Xjet,
Do you feel that there is going to be a glutten of these things in use over the next few years?

I think there will be a rise in the number of UAVs and manufacturers -- but The Economist has forecast that the market will grow to be worth US$10 billion within the next 10 years -- so there's also going to be plenty of demand.

The secret to making good money however, is not to produce "just another low-cost UAV" but to come up with something which has unique points of distinction that give it an edge in chosen sectors of the market.

My most successful ventures have been those where, instead of simply trying to compete for a share of an existing market, I've innovated to create new markets then moved quickly to "own" them.

Since we came up with our concept and started implementing it, we're finding that new applications for it are appearing on an almost daily basis. So far, nobody else has appeared to have twigged to this gap in the market -- so if we look set to become the sole-supplier, which means everyone else will have to compete for a share of *our* sales :-)

[SoCalGliderFlyr]

XJet, Ah, you couldn't give us just a little hint as to what you are up too????

:)

[kd7ost]

XJet, Ah, you couldn't give us just a little hint as to what you are up too????

:)

SoCalGliderFlyr,

Thats what we would like to ask you!

Dan

[SoCalGliderFlyr]

SoCalGliderFlyr,

Thats what we would like to ask you!

Dan


What do you have to offer in return?

[kd7ost]

What do you have to offer in return?

You're asking for investors and want to know what I have to offer you for that?

Nuff said here I think.

Dan

[SoCalGliderFlyr]

Equity in exchange for technical contributions. I'm not a non-profit so I don't ask for donations.

[kd7ost]

Hey, I changed the word "Donation" to "investors" so fast that RCgroups didn't even call it an edit. You musta been sitting on this or just got in within a few seconds of free fix time.

No big deal I know, just never seen that before.

Dan

[SoCalGliderFlyr]

Got the e-mail with "Donations". It's all in the timing!

Other sites I habit don't have the free edit time. Different software.

[XJet]

XJet, Ah, you couldn't give us just a little hint as to what you are up too???? :)

Another lesson worth learning is that secrets are only valuable so long as they remain secrets :-)

If you're looking to create/own new markets you really have to make sure you stay well "under the radar" of your potential competitors until you're ready to start shipping products. Never let your enthusiasm for your product overcome your commercial commonsense.

[SoCalGliderFlyr]

So you would say it's larger or smaller than a breadbox????

[ImaBiggles]

Equity in exchange for technical contributions. I'm not a non-profit so I don't ask for donations.

Well then why don’t you pony up some cash and buy a domain and host it - then do some advertising for your 'technical contributions' that you want people to pay for. Better yet, have your own infomercial or go on QVC.

I’d sooner send money to a Nigerian 416 scam than to invest in your technical prowess. I would think that with 2000 posts you could figure out that these forums are for folks to freely exchange knowledge to advance our hobby skills – not to propose or fund raise to start your own business.

It is rather obvious that your lack of professionalism and decision to try pseudo-extort information in exchange for the knowledge of what you are attempting to do will doom your 'business adventure'. Real businesses attempt to start-up with a prospective packet, trips to the bank, hand pressing meetings with potential investors - not through a semi-arrogant post on a public forum.

EDIT: And generally business folks dont boast 'gainfully unemployed' on a personal profile.

All that aside, I wish you luck. :rolleyes:

[SoCalGliderFlyr]

I take it then that you are not interested.