Lucid Bots, the Charlotte, North Carolina based manufacturer of the Sherpa Drone, has announced its official sponsorship of Vets to Drones, a veteran-led nonprofit focused on moving military service members into careers in the commercial drone industry. The partnership, announced on July 7, 2026, connects Vets to Drones members with a proven route to business ownership built on the Sherpa Drone platform, which Lucid Bots describes as one of the most accessible entry points into the drone cleaning market.
Vets to Drones, often shortened to V2D, was founded in 2023 and is led by Marine Corps Veteran Chris Lewis. The nonprofit provides free FAA Part 107 certification training along with advanced instruction in mapping, public safety, infrastructure inspection, and agriculture. Members also receive NIST-standard flight education, mentorship, and job placement support. The organization has served thousands of veterans nationwide, and members who complete the program can enter the workforce with their FAA Part 107 license if they choose, prepared for deployment across a wide range of industries.
How Vets to Drones Members Can Launch Cleaning Businesses
For veterans who choose the exterior services sector, the equipment barrier is much lower than it once was. The Sherpa Drone eliminates the need for ladders, lifts, ropes, and scaffolding on exterior window cleaning, facade washing, solar panel maintenance, and building wash-down work. According to Lucid Bots, a Vets to Drones member who holds a Part 107 certification and operates a Sherpa Drone has the foundation needed to launch a profitable business quickly.
The earning potential behind that path comes from the company’s existing operator base. Lucid Bots operators across the country have collectively earned more than $75 million in revenue, and many operators target $100,000 or more within their first 120 days of operation. Matt Lowen, Senior Alliance Manager at Lucid Bots, framed the partnership around the qualities veterans bring to commercial drone operations.
“Veterans bring discipline, precision, and mission focus. Exactly what it takes to run a successful drone cleaning operation. Vets to Drones is building an exceptional pipeline of certified pilots, and we’re proud to be part of the infrastructure that helps them build real businesses when they come home.” Matt Lowen, Sr. Alliance Manager, Lucid Bots
Chris Lewis, the Marine Corps Veteran who founded Vets to Drones, offered a similar view from the nonprofit side. He said the sponsorship speaks to one of the hardest parts of leaving the military.
“The transition out of service is hard, and the hardest part is often just finding direction. Partnering with Lucid Bots gives our members a concrete path forward into an in-demand field where the drive they built in uniform carries straight into commercial work.” Chris Lewis, Founder & CEO, Vets to Drones
Sherpa Drone Manufacturing and Market Reach
According to the announcement, the sponsorship reflects a broader effort by Lucid Bots to widen access to the commercial drone cleaning industry. The Sherpa Drone is manufactured in Charlotte, North Carolina, and is available in an NDAA-compliant version, which has helped make it a trusted tool for operators in more than 40 states and on three continents. Lucid Bots, which is backed by Y Combinator and more than $20 million in funding, supports a network of more than 400 operators with hardware made in the USA. The platform has logged over 6,500 jobs since its introduction and has cleaned more than 22 million square feet of surface area in a single year.
Veterans interested in the Vets to Drones program can find details and sign up through the organization’s website, vetstodrones.org, where membership and training are free to all veterans. Operators and businesses that want to explore the Sherpa Drone platform can find information at lucidbots.com. For service members planning their next move, the two organizations are positioning drone cleaning as an in-demand field where the discipline built in uniform can carry directly into commercial work.
