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vRotors
Techstars '20Hacienda Heights, US · Founded 2018 · 3 employees on LinkedIn · 1 known investors
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vRotors develops a software-as-a-service platform that enables users to remotely operate cameras and robotic devices to provide immersive presence and multi-sensory experiences at distant locations. The platform combines AI, robotics, and cloud infrastructure to create an alternative to physical travel and traditional video streaming.
Also known as vRotors Inc.
Investors · 1
How we know: the Techstars portfolio · open dataset · Top 3000 Accelerator Startups (no YC) 2026-08 · Not right? Tell us
Company profile
researched Sep 2026vRotors Inc. operates a live-streaming software platform that lets people connect from a mobile device, PC, Mac or VR headset to remotely located cameras, drones, gimbals and robotic devices, adding sensor data and device controls on top of conventional video streaming. The company frames its purpose as extending human perception through AI-enabled remote sensors and robotics, positioning the service as an alternative to air travel and to two-dimensional video streaming.
The consumer-facing flow pairs two application families: a ControlM device app that opens a user's mobile phone camera to remote participants, and a Remote client app that friends or colleagues download to join a session using unique access codes. Additional device apps, ControlD and ControlD5, connect older and newer DJI drones and gimbals. Client applications are published for Windows, Mac (Silicon and Intel), Android, iOS, Oculus Quest, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and the web.
An enterprise product supports collaborative drone operations: a drone is connected through a phone's 4G/5G data link and colleagues join the live flight with graduated permissions spanning passive observer, camera control and direct piloting, plus voice channels, screen pointers, map annotations and augmented-reality markers. A separate racing product lets players qualify in a virtual simulator and then fly real drones on remote outdoor courses, with stream audiences joining virtual-cockpit ride-alongs and interactive features on Twitch and Mixer.
Founding story
The founding team comes from aerospace, digital media and video game industry backgrounds.
Business model
vRotors licenses a cloud software platform rather than selling hardware, distributing free-to-download client and device applications and offering enterprise deployments and custom platform configurations via direct contact. Drone and robotics operators can use the platform for internal team projects and customer work, or host public and private sessions open to users worldwide.
Traction
Client and device applications are actively maintained, with releases dated across 2025 including Oculus Rift and HTC Vive builds on 11 November 2025, a web client on 6 November 2025 and an Android Remote client on 27 October 2025. A startup database lists the company at 1-10 employees with Techstars, Yunity and MassChallenge among associated investors, and records press mentions tied to the 2020 Techstars Starburst Space Accelerator cohort.
Latest developments
Application releases continued through the second half of 2025 across desktop, mobile, web and VR clients, and the company lists a top-three pitch selection at the Space Tourism Conference 2024 among its recognitions.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography
Market position
The company positions its platform against conventional air travel and 2D video streaming, arguing that flying reaches only about 20% of the global population and that streaming experiences have changed little in roughly two decades. It has been recognized in several competitions, including a top-three pitch selection at the Space Tourism Conference 2024, wins in Stages 1 and 2.1 of the NIST First Responder 2022 challenge, fourth place in the 2022 XPRIZE Avatar finals, MassChallenge Boston 2021 finalist status, the 2020 Techstars Starburst Space Accelerator, a 2020 NSIN Navy/Marines 5G Pitch Day win, a top-10 placement in the 2020 World Cup Los Angeles regionals, second place at Burbank Tech Talks 2019 and participation in the 2019 AeroInnovate accelerator.
Technology
The platform provides cloud infrastructure linking users to remote devices, combining network communications, robotics, AI and immersive human-machine interfaces. It supports DJI drones directly and other hardware through industry-standard interfaces including MAVLink, Raspberry Pi and Arduino. The company cites its own video processing technology for low-latency high-quality streaming, and features include remote camera tilt and optical zoom, handover of piloting control between pilot and co-pilot, 3D augmented-reality annotations in the real-world view, and cross-platform clients for PC/Mac, mobile, web and VR headsets.
Go-to-market
Self-service downloads of the Remote client and ControlM/ControlD device applications drive consumer and community adoption, while enterprise and drone/robotics customers are engaged through a contact-sales path. Visibility has also come from accelerator programs, pitch competitions and technology prize events, and from livestreamed drone racing on platforms such as Twitch.
Consumers and families seeking remote presence (for example visiting distant relatives or monuments), drone and robotics operators, and enterprise and public-sector teams including law enforcement, fire departments, search and rescue, security and special operations, plus remote inspection work in construction, oil and gas, mining, insurance and energy such as wind farm inspection.
Geography
vRotors Inc. is associated with Los Angeles, California in the United States, and the platform is designed to host sessions and drone courses in locations around the world.
Compiled by commissioned research from 8 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Timeline · 9
launches, deals, and filingsvRotors was part of the second Techstars Starburst Space Accelerator class in Los Angeles, a 10-company cohort that presented at a demo day on 9 September 2020.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
▸Research sources · 8
primary sources listed
- vRotorsvrotors.com · web
8 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does vRotors do?
- vRotors runs a live-streaming SaaS platform letting remote users view and control drones, gimbals, phone cameras and robots.
- Who are vRotors's investors?
- vRotors's investors include Techstars.
- Where is vRotors headquartered?
- vRotors is headquartered in Hacienda Heights, US.