LeVanta Tech Inc.
HALIA
Persistent rough sea float combined with high speed flight
Why it mattersLeVanta Tech is developing the HALIA, a first of its kind sea-launched aerial drone. The HALIA provides a persistent sea-air interface capable of high-speed flight with low detectability. We fill a gap in current technology. Aerial drones have limited flight time and cannot stably float on the water. Even helicopters and seaplanes cannot land on the ocean and float in rough seas. Subsea and surface vessel drones can have endurance but are slow. The HALIA conserves power while floating and can fly at high speed as needed. Float-and-fly presents a new capability. LeVanta Tech has been in several accelerators in 2024 including Gulf Blue Navigator, HUSTLE Defense accelerator, and the DOD summer 2024 National Security Innovation Network (NSIN) VECTOR accelerator. We have recently been awarded a Direct-to-Phase 2 SBIR with the U.S. Air Force. LeVanta Tech is raising a pre-seed round.
About
The Pacific is large. A need exists for real-time/near-real-time cross-domain maritime data. The HALIA float-and-fly drone is a persistent sea-air interface capable of high-speed flight with low detectability. Field testing is ongoing in the Gulf of America and Mississippi Sound. TRL 6: field trials - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2KA2-2oSIg (we have ongoing testing almost weekly - please contact us for the latest updates) Currently, the only real-time data solutions are buoys, gliders, boats, planes, and helicopters. Buoys are fixed in location, gliders and boats are slow, and planes and helicopters are too expensive for continuous data acquisition. Existing aerial drones either have limited endurance or cannot land and takeoff on the ocean in rough conditions. The HALIAs IP-protected wings, Hoverfoils, enable rough sea float. We have a Direct-to-Phase 2 SBIR with the Air Force and have won a Direct-to-Phase 2 SBIR with the Navy. Critical infrastructure protection, illegal fishing monitoring, and environmental monitoring Kelly Echols, Founder and CEO. Engineer and patent attorney. Johnny Doo, CTO - 40 years of experience designing aircraft. Jon Smith, Director of UAS - Test Program Manager for several U.S. Navy UAS test programs. Dave Markert, Military Advisor F-14 pilot, Top Gun Instructor, and former Head of ONR Global London. Tube-launched UAS from buoys and USVs are one attempt to solve the problem we are solving; however, tube-launched UAS cannot land on the ocean again post-launch. The HALIA can fly-float-fly. Tethered UAS can return to their original launch site (with wind limitations); however, the tethered UAS cannot rapidly relocate to new positions. That is one advantage the HALIA has over tube-launched and tethered UAS. NAVO, SOCOM, MDA The HALIA can provide a comms relay for submerged assets, avoiding their need to surface.
Problem
Persistent rough sea float combined with high speed flight