Partnerships

Berkeley Drone Technologies partners with organizations that are building drone capabilities in the public interest. Our work is grounded in long-term collaboration, shared governance, and a commitment to developing durable systems that serve national, institutional, and societal goals.

Who We Partner With

BDT works with a broad range of organizations responsible for building and stewarding large-scale capabilities, including:

// Governments and Sovereign Entities

National, regional, and municipal governments seeking to establish drone infrastructure, training programs, and applied research capacity in support of public safety, environmental monitoring, infrastructure resilience, and strategic development.

// Defense and National Security Organizations

Military and defense-aligned institutions focused on advanced training, validation environments, autonomous systems, and mission-critical drone applications, operating within defined regulatory and security frameworks.

// National Investment and Development Funds

Sovereign wealth funds, national investment vehicles, and development agencies supporting long-term economic growth, advanced manufacturing, workforce development, and technology ecosystems.

// Public-Sector and Non-Governmental Organizations

Organizations engaged in humanitarian response, environmental protection, disaster preparedness, and other missions in the public interest where drone-enabled systems can deliver measurable impact.

// Workforce and Economic Development Organizations

Entities responsible for national or regional workforce training, business development, and innovation infrastructure, including programs that bridge education, industry, and applied research.

// Universities and Research Institutions

Academic partners seeking to establish or expand drone parks, applied research programs, and advanced training environments, often in collaboration with government or industry stakeholders.

// Industry and Technology Partners

Companies entering or expanding within the drone, sensing, intelligence, and autonomous systems space, particularly where integration with public infrastructure, regulation, or research ecosystems is required.

How We Partner

BDT structures partnerships to match the scale, complexity, and objectives of each engagement. Our model is designed to support both large, multi-year initiatives and focused advisory efforts, always aligned with long-term capability building. Engagements begin with joint scoping and design, ensuring that infrastructure, training, research, and governance models reflect local priorities, regulatory conditions, and strategic goals.

Scaled Delivery and Expertise

Projects are staffed with teams sized appropriately to the work required, ranging from comprehensive, end-to-end delivery of national drone ecosystems to targeted consultative support in areas such as standards, systems architecture, or advanced education.

Build, Operate, and Transfer

BDT’s default operating assumption is capability transfer. We design and operate systems to the highest available standards, while ensuring that partner organizations retain the right—and are fully prepared—to assume operational control over time. Local ownership and sustainability are built into every engagement from the outset.

Upfront Development and Ongoing Support

Our business model typically combines:

Upfront investment for the design and construction of facilities, programs, and systems
Ongoing support for operations, quality assurance, standards enforcement, and knowledge transfer

This approach ensures continuity while allowing partners to determine the appropriate long-term operational model.

A Partnership, Not a Product

Every partnership with BDT provides access to a broader ecosystem of expertise, research, and facilities through active collaboration with the Center for Applied Drone Research (CADR). Partners benefit from continuous cross-pollination between applied research and real-world deployment, ensuring that drone capabilities remain adaptable as technology and policy evolve.

Start a Conversation

If your organization is exploring how to build or scale drone capabilities, we welcome the opportunity to discuss potential collaboration.