[SHOT 2026] Caldwell ClayCopter Surface-to-Air & Rip Launcher

Caldwell dropped the biggest piece of the ClayCopter puzzle at SHOT Show 2026 with the Surface-to-Air launcher. If you caught the  original ClayCopter handheld unit last year, this is the next step up. It’s a ground-based, hands-free launcher that turns your backyard into a sporting clays course. It's not a traditional clay thrower. The ClayCopter targets are biodegradable spinning disc-style targets that fly differently than standard clays, and they only break when you hit them, not when they drop.

The Surface-to-Air is a column-style launcher that weighs under 10 pounds and runs on a Caldwell 12-volt Li-Ion battery pack capable of over 300 launches per charge. It holds 50 targets and can throw them in singles or pairs with adjustable wobble and oscillation settings, so you're getting incoming, crossing, and variable presentations all from one unit. The whole thing is controlled wirelessly through the free Caldwell Clays app via Bluetooth from up to 100 yards out. Voice launch is built in for hands-free operation.

The app is where this gets interesting for anyone who wants to replicate actual sporting clays without paying range fees. You can link up to 10 Caldwell smart launchers together and build custom courses with preset pairs, patterns, and flurries. That includes mixing the Surface-to-Air with the Claymore Connect, which is Caldwell's new traditional clay thrower that also runs on Bluetooth and the same battery system.

Caldwell ClayCopter New for 2026:

• ClayCopter Surface-to-Air Launcher: hands-free, Bluetooth, 300+ launches per charge, 50-target hopper - $549.99
• ClayCopter Surface-to-Air Pro Kit (launcher + case + extras) - $649.99
• Claymore Connect traditional clay thrower: Bluetooth, Li-Ion battery, 350+ clays per charge, 35 lbs - $649.99
• ClayCopter Rip-Launcher: pullcord-powered, battery-free - $99.99
• UFO Glow Targets (200 pack) - $71.99
• Stealth Drone Targets (200 pack) - $59.99
• XV Targets (200 pack) - $59.99
• Caldwell Clays App: free on iOS and Android

The entry point here is the Rip-Launcher at $99.99 if you just want to try the ClayCopter targets without committing to the full setup. But if you're serious about running a backyard course with multiple launchers and app control, you're looking at $550+ for the Surface-to-Air alone, plus targets and accessories. It's a different category than most of what you see at SHOT.