A fully autonomous glider that detaches at altitude and flies your payload back to the launch point — making meteorological probes and stratospheric experiments reusable instead of disposable.
Weather services worldwide launch meteorological probes daily, and nearly all of them are lost where they land. The Straton Glider brings them home — same-day reuse, lower cost per sounding, less litter in the landscape.
Returns from over 30 km with no human input — to the launch point or a chosen landing zone.
Lower cost, faster turnaround and less waste, flight after flight.
Stays under 250 g all-up weight, easing flight permissions across jurisdictions.
Parachute at low altitude for a soft landing in tight areas.
Five steps from launch to the next flight — the loop that turns a disposable sounding into a reusable system.
Rises under a balloon with the payload aboard.
Releases at operational altitude when the mission calls for it.
Autonomous navigation back toward the launch point.
Parachute deploys for a soft landing in a tight zone.
Refurbish, reattach, and fly again the same day when possible.
The first prototype flew 8 missions in its first year, proving reliability and precision in real-world conditions — including a fully autonomous return from 32 km altitude.
Development now focuses on the next generation:
Onboard footage from a Straton Glider test flight — autonomous return after release from altitude.