XCraft Shark Tank Update – Shark Tank Season 7
JD Claridge and Charles Manning pitched XCraft on Shark Tank Season 7. They secured a $1.5 million deal split among all five Sharks, though it never closed. The company now focuses on drones for defense, mapping, and public safety, with estimated annual sales of $6 million.
JD Claridge and Charles Manning bring the future of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with their company, XCraft, to the Shark Tank Season 7 Episode 5.
Claridge is an aerospace engineer who formerly worked at Quest Aircraft and is the inventor of the X PlusOne XCraft. Manning is the CEO of mobile analytics technology company Kochava; he came on board because of the innovative design and technology in X PlusOne products.
Together, they raised over $140,000 on Kickstarter in late 2014 to get the project “off the ground.”
The XCraft is part drone, part remote control airplane. It hovers like a drone, once in the air, on-board sensors tilt it 90 degrees, and it flies forward like a plane.
The high speeds and GoPro Camera mount make for super-fast fly-by videos. An automatic stabilizer built into the XCraft lets users flip a switch to immediately put it back into hover mode. The flight time is 12-22 minutes; the faster you go, the quicker the battery drains, but they’re easily swapped out.
The company, based in Sandpoint, Idaho, hopes to keep all manufacturing right here in the USA. They’re hiring and they’re selling on a “pre-order” basis right now.
A do-it-yourself kit will set you back $1,549, and a fully tricked-out, ready-to-fly model with all the bells and whistles costs $2,199. They also sell accessories like camera mounts, extra batteries, flight control boards, and spare propellers.
The founders sought investment to expand manufacturing capabilities and bring the XCraft to market. Will a Shark take flight with XCraft?
XCraft Shark Tank Pitch
JD and Charles entered the Tank, flying the XCraft Drone in “drone mode” and sought $500K for 20% equity in the business. They said they were witnessing a new dawn of aviation with the drone redefined.
The XCraft could soar to 60 MPH and 10,000 feet. They showed the Sharks the wing and how it rotated. The founders also explained the benefits of speed in capturing fast-moving objects on film. It could run autonomously if the user builds a flight plan.
They reminded the Sharks (and the public) that recreational flyers must keep the drone in the line of sight, lower than 400 feet, and away from airports.
They did $173K in pre-sales on Kickstarter and sold them for $1899 retail. The drones only cost $400 to make.
After the pitch, they introduced the Phone drone. It lets a smartphone fly, leveraging the sensors that already exist in smartphones. It was still in development, but it cost less than $100 to make. They planned to sell it for around $300. Their “secret sauce” is their IT, and they wanted to license it out.
Did XCraft Get a Deal on Shark Tank?
Daymond John wanted to know why they were in. They explained they needed $250K for inventory for the XCraft and $250K for making the Phone Drone. Kevin immediately offered $750K for 25% equity.
Daymond smelled a nasty Shark fight and offered $1 million for 25%. Kevin immediately matched the offer. Lori Greiner then offered $1 million for 20%, which Kevin quickly matched.
Upon seeing the Sharks fight, JD and Charles asked if all 5 sharks would go in at a $10 million valuation. Daymond said, “I smell greedy people!”
After a break, the announcer explained that the company went from a $2.5 million valuation to $10 million. Daymond told a story about a baby crab who wouldn’t share his food because he was SHELLFISH.
JD and Charles asked which Sharks were not interested. At Kevin’s request, they stepped into the hallway, during which Mark remained silent.
Robert Herjavec said each Shark could do $300K for 5%. When JD and Charles came back in, the Sharks proposed what Robert had said, which made the total figure $1.5 million for 25%, with all Sharks in for 5% each. All Sharks were in, except Mark.
Mark Cuban wanted to know who else had offered them money, and Charles explained they’ve had many offers from institutional investors that want to shape the company.
Charles and JD valued the Sharks’ investment more because venture capitalists don’t want to get their hands dirty. Mark liked that answer and said he was in too!
Finally, they secured a deal with $1.5 million for a 25% equity split equally among all five Sharks.
XCraft Shark Tank Update
The Shark Tank Blog constantly provides updates and follow-ups about entrepreneurs who have appeared on the Shark Tank TV show. Immediately following the East Coast airing of this segment, the X PlusOne website experienced a temporary outage due to high traffic. But it came back online the next day.
The Phone Drone Kickstarter project raised over $170K in the days following the show, blowing right through their $100K goal. The five Shark deal never closed, and the company went on to raise $1,068,687.08 on StartEngine in 2018.
Following the Shark Tank appearance, XCraft shifted focus from consumer drones to B2B applications in public safety, mapping, and defense industries.
They had introduced new models. The Panadrone operated with a tethered power cord for unlimited flight time in a confined area. The Maverick Cinema has a high-resolution camera. The Maverick Mapper can autonomously map up to 40 acres in one 25-minute flight.
As of May 2021, the company is reportedly in negotiations to provide drones to the Department of Defence. They also partnered with T-Mobile to provide the carrier with drones.
In July 2022, they no longer sell the phone drone. The company doesn’t sell directly to consumers anymore, either. They’re focused on selling to the public safety, mapping, defence, construction, and mining industries. The company also plans to develop flying cars in the future.
Also in July 2022, the company raised over $130,000 on StartEngine. In January 2023, they estimated annual sales of $6 million.
XCraft continues to innovate in the UAV industry, offering advanced drone solutions for various commercial and defense applications. Their commitment to quality and innovation positions them as a notable player in the evolving drone market.
As of 2025, XCraft’s net worth has risen to approximately $34 million, reflecting its expansion into the enterprise and defense sectors.
Posts About XCraft on Shark Tank Blog
Check out more details about the XCraft Drone.
Where Can You Buy It?
You can check out more information on XCraft drones on their official website. Visit their social media pages for recent updates: Facebook and Twitter.
Quick Summary
- JD Claridge and Charles Manning pitched XCraft, a high-speed drone, on Shark Tank.
- They showcased the drone’s innovative design, which is capable of flying up to 60 MPH and 10,000 feet.
- The pitch concluded with all five Sharks investing in the company after intense negotiations.
Check out other products that appeared in the Shark Tank Season 7 episodes.
Interested in knowing about other businesses that appeared on the same episode? Check out their business updates!
