Modovolo

We spent a few days in Captiva with the Captiva Fire District, and it reinforced something we believe strongly at Modovolo: What matters in the field is not just flight performance. It is affordability, repairability, and operational adaptability. Teams need systems that can perform in real environments, support different missions, and stay in service without becoming too expensive or too difficult to maintain. That is what we are building. A platform that can operate where other drones cannot. A platform that can be repaired quickly and put back to work. A platform built for real operations, not just ideal conditions. Captiva gave us the chance to test, learn, listen, and keep improving alongside people who live these missions every day. Thank you to Captiva Fire District for an incredible week, and thank you to our partners at OMADA Group. Special thanks to Arcady Shteynberg for bringing the RESTUBE 180, RESTUBE 75, and drone-deployable trauma kit to our demos. #Modovolo #PublicSafety #DroneInnovation #UAS #EmergencyResponse #SAR #DFR

What if one of the most interesting startups in New York is being built quietly in a barn in Vernon? In this episode of Rust Belt Startup, I sit down with Justin Call, co-founder and CEO of Modovolo, a company designing a new kind of drone — and doing it far from the typical startup scene. Instead of chasing hype or venture capital headlines, Justin and his team have been focused on something much harder: patiently building a real company, solving real problems, and learning what it takes to bring a complex idea to life. In our conversation, Justin shares the story behind Modovolo — how the company got started, why they chose a very different approach to designing drones, and what it’s like to build a startup in a small community in Upstate New York. We also talk about some of the lessons entrepreneurs can take from his journey, including: • Why staying focused matters more than trying to grow too fast • What it’s really like to build a product that has to work in the real world • The importance of patience when you’re building something new • Why great companies can be built outside Silicon Valley • And how small teams can quietly do big things This episode is a behind-the-scenes look at how startups actually get built — not just the highlight reel. If you’re interested in entrepreneurship, building things from scratch, or the future of innovation in places like Upstate New York, this conversation is for you. Check it out at https://lnkd.in/dCDH59-W or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts (yes, even YouTube).

Get your tickets to Innovation Night featuring GENIUS NY Pitch Finals on May 7 at the Marriot Syracuse Downtown Ballroom! Who will walk away with the grand prize of $1M? Featured finalists presenting: Lamarr.AI | Lighthouse Avionics | Flox Intelligence | Modovolo | Skyfire | AI