{"id":"799b40c9-3736-4781-b28e-2f2278b920e5","name":"Buoyant Aero","slug":"buoyant-aero","description":"[Buoyant Aero](/companies/buoyant-aero) is a Y Combinator (S21)-backed hardware startup developing zero-emissions autonomous drone blimps. Originally conceived for middle-mile cargo logistics in remote areas, the company now operates a 'Blimps-as-a-Service' aerial advertising platform, flying custom-branded blimps for clients like [Amazon Prime Video](https://www.buoyant.aero/case-studies/amazon). Its hybrid electric airships generate ~70% of lift from helium and 30% from tilt-rotor aerodynamic lift, with a payload target of up to 650 lb (295 kg).","status":"private","founded":2020,"hq":"San Francisco, CA, USA","hqLat":37.7879363,"hqLng":-122.4075201,"hqGeocodedAt":"2026-08-05T14:23:15.598Z","hqAddress":null,"hqPrecision":null,"website":"buoyant.aero","fundingTotal":null,"type":"hardware","roles":["robot_maker","robot_operator"],"reviewStatus":"reviewed","heatIndex":52,"lifecycleState":"active","supersededByCompanyId":null,"sources":[{"url":"https://www.ycombinator.com/companies/buoyant-aero","title":"Buoyant Aero: Bringing back blimps","sourceName":"Y Combinator"},{"url":"https://techcrunch.com/2021/08/27/yc-grad-buoyant-wants-to-solve-middle-mile-delivery-with-cargo-airships/","date":"2021-08-27","title":"YC grad Buoyant wants to solve middle-mile delivery with cargo airships","sourceName":"TechCrunch"},{"url":"https://www.buoyant.aero/case-studies","title":"Buoyant Aero case studies","sourceName":"Buoyant Aero"},{"url":"https://www.buoyant.aero/","title":"Buoyant Aero","sourceName":"Buoyant Aero"},{"url":"https://www.buoyant.aero/press","title":"Press","sourceName":"Buoyant Aero"}],"keyFacts":[{"label":"YC S21 hybrid airship thesis (TechCrunch)","value":"TechCrunch (Aug 27 2021) covers Y Combinator S21 graduate Buoyant (founders Ben Claman and Joe Figura) building small unmanned hybrid airships for middle-mile depot-to-depot cargo, with about 70% lift from helium and the rest from tilt-rotor propulsion so payloads can be dropped without ballast. The piece says the team had flown four prototypes including a 20 ft ship at up to 35 mph with about 10 lb payload, aiming toward a larger ~60 ft vehicle for hundreds of pounds of cargo (reported claims) ([TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com/2021/08/27/yc-grad-buoyant-wants-to-solve-middle-mile-delivery-with-cargo-airships/))","sourceUrl":"https://techcrunch.com/2021/08/27/yc-grad-buoyant-wants-to-solve-middle-mile-delivery-with-cargo-airships/"},{"label":"Aerial brand campaign case studies (primary Buoyant)","value":"Buoyant's case-studies page describes zero-emission automated blimps used for brand activations, including an Amazon Prime Video Heads of State coastal campaign it says delivered 762,500+ impressions over three days along the LA coastline, and an Adni NTI 2025 nursing-conference activation with 45,000+ impressions. Treat impression counts as company-stated marketing metrics ([Buoyant Aero](https://www.buoyant.aero/case-studies))","sourceUrl":"https://www.buoyant.aero/case-studies"},{"label":"Automated blimp advertising platform","value":"Buoyant Aero describes zero-emissions automated blimps used for aerial brand advertising and experiential marketing flights ([Buoyant Aero](https://www.buoyant.aero/)).","sourceUrl":"https://www.buoyant.aero/"},{"label":"Press and company updates","value":"Buoyant Aero publishes company and program updates on its press page covering the automated blimp platform ([Buoyant Aero press](https://www.buoyant.aero/press)).","sourceUrl":"https://www.buoyant.aero/press"}],"aliases":[],"collisionRisk":"low","reviewNote":null,"atsProvider":null,"atsSlug":null,"factoryLocations":null,"manufacturingCapacity":null,"orgType":null,"burnSignal":null,"litigationEvents":null,"insurancePostureDisclosed":null,"unitEconomicsDisclosed":null,"tickerSymbol":null,"stockExchange":null,"secCik":null,"revenueUsd":null,"revenueBasis":null,"revenueAsOf":null,"employeeCount":null,"employeeCountBasis":null,"employeeCountAsOf":null,"marketCapUsd":null,"marketCapAsOf":null,"marketCapSource":null,"createdAt":"2026-07-06T06:35:05.870Z","updatedAt":"2026-09-29T20:28:17.871Z","jsonLd":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Organization","@id":"https://registry.deploy.report/companies/buoyant-aero","url":"https://registry.deploy.report/companies/buoyant-aero","name":"Buoyant Aero","description":"[Buoyant Aero](/companies/buoyant-aero) is a Y Combinator (S21)-backed hardware startup developing zero-emissions autonomous drone blimps. Originally conceived for middle-mile cargo logistics in remote areas, the company now operates a 'Blimps-as-a-Service' aerial advertising platform, flying custom-branded blimps for clients like [Amazon Prime Video](https://www.buoyant.aero/case-studies/amazon). Its hybrid electric airships generate ~70% of lift from helium and 30% from tilt-rotor aerodynamic lift, with a payload target of up to 650 lb (295 kg).","identifier":"799b40c9-3736-4781-b28e-2f2278b920e5","foundingDate":"2020","address":"San Francisco, CA, USA","publisher":{"@id":"https://deploy.report/#organization"}},"framework_metadata":{"framework_schema_version":"0.1.0","verification_status":"verified","maturity_stage":null,"lifecycle_state":null,"architectural_position":{"cohort":null,"sub_cohorts":[]},"within_cohort_verified_vs_claimed_pair":null,"cap_flags":[],"verification_depth":{"sources_count":5,"primary_source_types":["secondary-industry-publication"]}}}