Published On: 11.16.23 | 

By: Alabama News Center Staff

Techstars Alabama EnergyTech Startup Spotlight: Pitch Aeronautics

Zach Adams of Pitch Aeronautics says his startup improves safety for lineworkers using drones capable of performing installation and maintenance. The technology also provides a way to increase transmission line capacity. (contributed)

The Techstars Alabama EnergyTech Accelerator is in its fourth year with 12 startups from Alabama, eight other states and even the nation of Latvia. Alabama News Center is putting a spotlight on the companies in the 2023 class.

In this Startup Spotlight, we look at Pitch Aeronautics.

Company: Pitch Aeronautics.

Company hometown: Boise, Idaho.

Leadership: Zach Adams, Ian Gibson.

Alabama News Center: What is your company’s overall focus and mission?

Zach Adams: Pitch Aero replaces dangerous helicopter and bucket truck installations with a unique drone capable of installations and maintenance.

ANC: What inspired you to start this company? How do you want to contribute to the future of energy and tech?

Adams: I started the company to commercialize my graduate research on cyclorotor propellers. This is a technology that helps keep our drone stable and more precise (enabling installation tasks) than other drones. We have subsequently run across numerous ways we can increase the reliability of the power grid and decrease carbon emissions. We’re motivated to help modernize transmission and distribution to enable a transition to a green economy.

ANC: What attracted you to the Techstars Alabama EnergyTech Accelerator?

Adams: We were attracted to be able to work with and learn from Alabama Power, who sponsors the program. It’s difficult to get this type of opportunity with a utility.

ANC: What is the No. 1 thing you’d like potential investors to understand about your company?

Adams: We’re solving an enormous problem. Today transmission lines are the central barrier to the growth of renewable energy. Today there are more than 2TW (~$2T) of renewable energy projects that are planned but cannot be built because of insufficient transmission capacity. We can help quickly unlock more transmission line capacity by installing sensors that allow safe operations at higher line current carrying capacity.

ANC: What takeaways do you hope to gain for your company by participating in the Techstars Alabama EnergyTech Accelerator?

Adams: We hope to learn as much we can from the experts at Alabama Power and get feedback on our drone installation capability in field testing.

ANC: What is your opinion of Birmingham so far?

Adams: The Techstars staff has shown us a great time. I got to visit the civil rights museum, which was quite moving.

Contact: https://www.pitchaero.com/, https://www.linkedin.com/company/pitch-aeronautics/

Alabama News Center is highlighting the 2023 Class of startups participating in the Techstars Alabama EnergyTech Accelerator. Learn more about Techstars here and read company profiles of Ai-Ops, Clever Offsets, EV Safe Charge, Grid Discovery, Maverick IQ, Scoutit, SplitEV, Infranergy and BlueTanks.