Drone operators spend hundreds of dollars solving a problem caused by a $20 propeller. Mettle Labs makes it a $20 problem again — one hub that replaces your entire pitch inventory.
Every drone optimized for sea level underperforms at 9,000 ft (2,740 m). The $20 propeller forces operators to design around it — stocking multiple pitch SKUs (Stock Keeping Units), over-speccing motors, and accepting degraded efficiency on every mission that deviates from the design condition.
At scale — millions of attritable defense platforms — the logistics burden becomes a program manager's problem, not a pilot's complaint. Six propeller SKUs per base, forward-deployed, across every operating altitude.
Drone operators are spending hundreds of dollars to solve a problem caused by a $20 propeller.
One hub assembly. Pre-set before flight. Consistent detent positions across every motor on the aircraft. No in-flight risk. No proprietary blade lock-in. No inventory problem.
The 710 CoreMetal hub accepts 7", 8", 9", and 10" blade SKUs via a single blade mount standard. Set pitch on the ground. Not at the factory.
Designed from aerodynamic first principles for a broader angle-of-attack range — not backward from existing tooling constraints. Performs at sea level and at 14,000 ft (4,267 m) with the same hardware.
Gemfan and HQProp depend on consumable fixed-pitch volume. Offering adjustable pitch would cannibalize their core business model. That's a structural moat — not a feature comparison.
Operating altitude, payload, flight time target. Parameters that never changed — now you can act on them.
Discrete feedback positions ensure consistent pitch across all motors. No interpolation. No guesswork. Repeatable every time.
The blade sees the angle of attack it was designed for. Motor draws rated current. Efficiency holds.
Same hub. Different altitude. Different payload. Adjust again. One SKU across your entire operation.
Defense drone technology has consistently proven in the commercial market first. Cinematographer validation is the legitimate first step — not a consolation prize.
Global mobile operators flying across dramatic altitude variation. High feedback density, fast cycle testing, real operating conditions. The ICP (Ideal Customer Profile) that sharpens the problem statement before defense engagement.
At 1M+ attritable platforms per year, six propeller SKUs per forward operating base is a program manager's logistics problem. One adjustable hub is a procurement argument. Replicator initiative and Ukraine-Russia conflict have shifted DoD (Department of Defense) posture on attritable autonomous systems.
Survey fleets, agricultural operators, inspection services. Multi-geography operations with altitude-variable terrain. Manufacturing economics from defense volume unlock this market's price sensitivity.
Beta slots are limited to operators with genuine altitude-variable mission profiles. If that's you, let's talk.
METTLELABS.TECH — BOULDER, CO — ZACH@METTLELABS.TECH