SwitchBack Pro
Swap the payload, not the drone.
SwitchBack Pro is a modular multi-rotor drone with a payload bay at the front and another at the rear. Out of the box it's a camera drone. Slide in a different module and it becomes a thermal scanner, a mapping rig or a developer platform. It recognizes each module and sets itself up.
- Front and rear bays for plug-in modules
- Recognizes each module and configures itself at power-up
- Aiming for 4K/60 video, 30+ minute flights and 360° obstacle sensing
- Open to your own code through ROS 2 and MAVLink
What we're aiming for
We want the ease of a fold-and-go camera drone with the freedom of a drone you built yourself. These are the targets we're designing to.
Front and rear payload bays
Cameras and sensors go up front. Compute, safety sensors and extra power go in the back. Change jobs without changing drones.
Knows what's plugged in
Every module carries an ID chip. At power-up the drone reads it and sets power limits, flight settings and app controls to match.
Gimbal camera
A 3-axis gimbal with a 1/1.3-inch sensor and 48 MP stills. It turns 90° for vertical video.
Half an hour in the air
Low-power standard modules and a battery mounted at the center of gravity keep flight times up and the balance steady.
Obstacle sensing all around
Stereo cameras front and rear, plus downward sensors for steady hovering without GPS and soft automatic landings.
Room to tinker
Modding mode gives a Jetson or Raspberry Pi 5 module raw sensor feeds and flight control through ROS 2 and MAVLink.
Every figure on this page is a design goal. We're early in development and the numbers will change as we build and test.
Three layers, one airframe
The parts every flight needs stay in the middle. Everything mission-specific goes in a bay.
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Command module on top
The flight controller, redundant motion sensors, compass, GPS with RTK support and radio receiver, sealed in one module.
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Battery in the center
The main battery sits directly under the command module. Swap a heavy module for a light one and the drone stays balanced.
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Payload bays front and rear
Modules slide in under the battery. The front bay faces the world. The rear bay handles processing, safety sensors and extra power.
Slide it in. It sets itself up.
No wiring, no settings menus, no guessing which profile to load. Each module tells the drone what it is.
Slide a module into a bay
Modules ride on rails into the front or rear bay and lock in place.
The drone reads its ID
At power-up, before anything draws current, the drone checks which module is in each bay.
Power and flight settings load
It sets the right power allowance and loads flight settings tuned for that module's weight and job.
The app shows the right controls
Fly with a gimbal camera and you get camera controls. Fly with a release mechanism and you get the controls to drop a payload. Because it's modular, you can bring almost any hardware to the drone as a module.
One airframe, many jobs
SwitchBack Pro ships ready to fly with a camera up front and a positioning module in back. These are the modules we're planning after that.
Gimbal camera
3-axis gimbal, 1/1.3-inch sensor, 4K/60, 48 MP
Everyday aerial photos and video, landscapes, travel, real estate.
StandardPositioning and safety
Rear stereo cameras, optical flow, time-of-flight sensor, low-power AI chip
Rear obstacle sensing, steady hovering without GPS, gentle automatic landings, subject tracking.
StandardThermal camera
640 × 512 thermal plus low-light 4K, 2-axis gimbal
Search and rescue, roof and solar panel inspection, wildlife and night spotting.
PlannedMapping camera
20 to 45 MP global shutter, fixed downward mount, RTK
High-resolution maps, photogrammetry, site and topographic surveys.
PlannedLiDAR scanner
Lightweight solid-state LiDAR with its own motion sensor
Real-time 3D mapping and point clouds, even in tight or dense spaces.
PlannedFPV camera and searchlight
Low-latency FPV camera, adjustable high-output light
Fast FPV flying, tunnels and structures, indoor flights, dense brush.
PlannedEdge AI module
NVIDIA Jetson Orin Nano, microSD, USB-C, Ethernet
Run your own code: object detection, navigation without GPS, ROS 2 and OpenCV projects.
PlannedPayload release
Remote-triggered drop mechanism
Drop small payloads on command: rescue supplies, markers, fishing lines.
PlannedExtra battery
Supplemental power pack
Longer flights when you don't need a second sensor.
PlannedBuilt for whoever's flying
From people upgrading from their first camera drone to people printing frames in the garage, and everyone in between.
You fly a camera drone today
Open the box and fly. With the standard modules it should feel like the camera drones you already know. The difference shows up when you want it to do something else.
You build your own
If you print frames and tune flight controllers at home, SwitchBack Pro gives you a reliable airframe to build on. Modding mode opens up raw sensor feeds, custom Linux scripts and autonomous flight control.
You fly for work
Thermal, mapping and LiDAR modules turn one airframe into an inspection, survey or search-and-rescue tool. Carry one drone and a case of modules instead of a fleet.
Simple by default. Open when you want it.
The standard firmware is built for the app and just works. Switch to modding mode and a Jetson Orin or Raspberry Pi 5 module can read raw sensor feeds, run your own scripts and command the drone directly.
Target specs
These are design goals for SwitchBack Pro with its standard modules. None of them are final.
| Spec | Goal |
|---|---|
| Flight time | 30+ minutes |
| Video | 4K at 60 fps |
| Photo | 48 MP |
| Camera sensor | 1/1.3-inch CMOS |
| Gimbal | 3-axis mechanical, rotates 90° for vertical shooting |
| Obstacle sensing | 360°, stereo vision front and rear |
| Positioning | GPS with RTK support, downward optical flow, time-of-flight landing sensor |
| Onboard AI | Low-power processor (about 2 to 5 W) for tracking and avoidance |
| Payload bays | 2, front and rear, with automatic module detection |
| Developer access | ROS 2 and MAVLink through Jetson Orin Nano or Raspberry Pi 5 modules |
Where we are
We're early, and we'd rather show you that than pretend otherwise. Waitlist members get updates as we hit each step.
- Now
Designing the bays
Settling how modules connect, identify themselves and draw power.
- Next
Prototype modules
Building working modules and flying them on test airframes.
- Then
Flight testing
Tuning flight time, handling and safety, and locking the specs.
- Launch
Kickstarter
Backers get the first production run. Waitlist members hear first.
Questions
Something we didn't cover? Email info@swbkr.com.
When can I get one?
We'll launch on Kickstarter once prototypes are flying and tested. We don't have a date yet. Join the waitlist and you'll hear the moment we do.
How much will it cost?
Pricing isn't set. We'll share it with the waitlist before the Kickstarter goes live.
Are these specs final?
No. Everything on this page is a design goal. Some numbers will move as we build and test, and we'll post updates when they do.
Can I build my own modules?
That's part of the idea. Both bays use the same kind of connection, and modding mode gives your own hardware access to sensor feeds and flight control. We'll share more as the bay design settles.
What do I get for joining the waitlist?
An email when the Kickstarter goes live, plus occasional build updates. No spam, and you can unsubscribe anytime.
Who's behind SwitchBack?
SwitchBack Robotics is a small team of builders in Leesburg, Virginia. We're making the drone we always wanted: easy to fly on day one, and open to whatever you want it to do next.
Be first in line for SwitchBack Pro
Join the waitlist for an email when the Kickstarter goes live, plus updates as we build.