When most people think of drone delivery, they imagine a futuristic landscape filled with buzzing devices dropping off packages from global online retailers. But for Beth Flippo, CEO of Drone Express, the future of drone delivery is about going back to the basics.

She believes drone delivery can empower local businesses, and provide a service that brings us closer to the way things used to be: shopping local, supporting our neighborhood stores, and getting back to the kitchen table with fresher, higher-quality goods.

At The Drone Girl, we had the chance to sit down with Beth Flippo to talk about Drone Express, the future of drone delivery, and what it’s like being a CEO in a male-dominated field. 

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Caroline Dobrez: Can you tell our readers a little bit about yourself and what led you to drones? 

Beth Flippo: I’m an engineer by trade—an embedded software developer. My background is in electronics and computer science, which is where embedded systems come into play. I’ve always loved working with mobile platforms and building custom operating systems for small circuit boards. I like to think of myself as a bit of a modern-day Frankenstein, bringing these little boards to life.

I actually got into drones almost by accident. My family’s business was in defense contracting, and we developed a wireless mesh network to help drones communicate with each other in the sky. We initially thought the military would be interested, but instead, drone delivery companies started reaching out. They needed a more affordable solution, and we realized we could fill that gap in the market.

Caroline Dobrez: I imagine this is how Drone Express came to be.

Beth Flippo: Absolutely. After we saw the interest in our mesh network, I started focusing on grocery chains as potential customers. Kroger stood out to me because their stores are right in the heart of neighborhoods—perfect for drone delivery. After about a year of persistence, we secured a contract with them. From there, things moved quickly. We went straight to the FAA to get the necessary certifications, which was a bold move at the time. Now, we’re one of only six companies in the U.S. with a Part 135 air carrier license, which allows us to legally fly drones for delivery.

We’ve also been growing our team, which is still small but mighty—23 people who each do the job of ten. After Kroger, we easily attracted other big names like Papa John’s. Retailers are really excited about drone delivery because it gives them a competitive edge over online retailers.

CD:  That’s impressive. So, where are you currently operating, and what’s next for Drone Express?

BF: We’re about to go live in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. We’ve built a new marketplace app where consumers can shop from local merchants, similar to Instacart or DoorDash, but with drones delivering the goods. What’s amazing about drone delivery is how much cheaper and faster it is compared to traditional delivery methods. We’re offering unlimited deliveries for $5.99 a month with no minimum order quantity, which is a game-changer for local businesses.

CD: What else sets Drone Express apart from other drone delivery services?

BF: Our FAA certification definitely sets us apart, but what really makes us unique is our flexibility. Unlike Amazon or Google, we’re small and nimble. We can pivot quickly to meet demand, and our marketplace model is unique in the industry. We’re not just lining up behind big names like Walmart; we’re creating something new that’s driven by consumer demand.

CD: Looking ahead, what do you see as the biggest opportunities and challenges for the drone delivery industry?

BF: The biggest opportunity is the shift in consumer behavior. The demand for drone delivery is there, especially after the pandemic. The biggest challenge, though, is overcoming safety concerns. People are still nervous about drones flying overhead, but our goal is to demonstrate that drones can be just as safe, if not safer, than traditional aviation.

But what excites me most about drone delivery is how it can bring us back to a simpler, more localized way of shopping. Imagine being able to order fresh meat from your local butcher, cheese from the neighborhood dairy shop, or bread from the bakery down the street—and have it delivered within minutes. It’s about hyper-local commerce, something we’ve lost with the rise of online shopping giants like Amazon. 

Drone delivery can help revive Main Street by giving small businesses a cost-effective way to compete, offering faster delivery times without the massive infrastructure of big warehouses and fleets of trucks. This is about more than convenience; it’s about strengthening communities and keeping our money where it matters—supporting local jobs, local economies, and local traditions.

CD: It’s clear you’re passionate about supporting local businesses. Can you talk a little about the technology behind Drone Express?

BF: Our technology is pretty advanced. We’ve developed a mesh network that allows our drones to communicate and coordinate with each other in real-time, without needing to connect back to a central hub. We’re also using AI, in partnership with Microsoft, to make our drones smarter. They can analyze their surroundings and determine the safest place to drop a package, which is a huge leap forward in terms of safety and efficiency.

CD: It’s exciting to think about how this technology could reshape our everyday lives. I also want to touch on your experience as a female CEO in a male-dominated industry. How do you lead, and what’s important to you in this space?

BF: Being a female CEO in both tech and aviation is unique. Early in my career, I felt the pressure to blend in and act like one of the guys. But when I started Drone Express, I decided to embrace my femininity. Our office even has a pink couch! I’ve made it a point to promote women within the company and create a supportive environment. I believe the future is female, and I’m proud to lead a company that reflects that.

CD: I love that. Finally, what advice would you give to young women who are looking to enter the drone, tech, or aviation industries?

BF: Don’t be afraid to be the only woman in the room. It can be intimidating, but it’s worth it. My career path started with a programming class in high school that I initially didn’t want to take, but a teacher encouraged me to try it out. That one decision changed my life. So, lean into those uncomfortable spaces and know that you’re something special if you can thrive in them.

You can connect with Beth Flippo on Linkedin. Do you know an awesome drone girl I should profile? Contact me here.

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The Drone Girl recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Bronwyn Morgan, an inspiring entrepreneur and influential leader in the drone industry. 

Bronwyn Morgan is the driving force behind Xeo Air, Airversity Drone Pilot Academy + Consulting, and CEO of MOUV UAM. She is also the recipient of the prestigious Iris Automation Entrepreneurship Award. 

With over 30 years of experience in the tech industry, including 16 years at P&G and The Coca-Cola Company, Bronwyn has emerged as a serial entrepreneur dedicated to innovation and the empowerment of women in STEM.

Do you know an awesome drone girl I should profile? Contact me here.

Caroline Dobrez: How did you get into the drone industry?

Bronwyn Morgan: I always wanted to work in aviation and aerospace since I was a kid. However, I ended up going into business instead and worked for some Fortune 500 companies, including P&G and Coca-Cola, focusing on strategy, sales, and innovation. I then became an innovation consultant, and when the Part 107 certification came to be, I got certified and started my companies. Now, I run Xeo Air and Airversity.

CD: How has your background at P&G and Coca-Cola influenced your work at Xeo Air and Airversity?

BM: The solid business foundation has been critical. You can have great ideas, but understanding how to manage, engage, and create protocols and processes is essential. My experience at P&G and Coca-Cola instilled a commitment to excellence and taught me how to make things unique and appealing to customers. This foundation helps me today in running my companies.

CD: Being from New Orleans, Xeo Air’s disaster response work particularly piqued my interest. Can you share a memorable operation that Xeo Air has done in disaster response?

BM: One memorable operation was during Hurricane Florence in South Carolina. We were called in to gather data on critical locations post-hurricane. Roads were washed out, and we had to work collaboratively with other aircraft and military enforcement. It was challenging, especially with no electricity and the need to upload data. My pilot had to drive far to get a Wi-Fi signal, and at one point, he was almost carjacked. Despite the challenges, we successfully gathered and delivered the requested data.

CD: That’s incredible, and such important work. You and your companies remain at the forefront of AI. How are you incorporating AI in your drone operations?

BM: We’re working on machine learning in our data modeling to provide better, more accurate assessments of customers’ assets and the impacts of weather. There are also some other innovative uses of AI that we’re exploring. The goal is to deliver predictive, prescriptive, or descriptive data to help customers understand what’s happening on-site and what they need to do to improve and reduce costs.

CD: What excites you most about AI in the drone industry?

BM: AI is exciting because it’s so new, and everyone is a novice to some extent. Building models and data sets is a long, expensive process, but it holds great potential for improving outcomes for customers. The challenge is to demonstrate that AI adds enough value for customers to be willing to pay a premium for it.

CD: There’s a lot of scary rhetoric about AI in the news lately. Are there any concerns or hesitations you have about AI?

BM: Like many, I’m cautious about the warnings from experts like Stephen Hawking and Neil deGrasse Tyson regarding AI’s potential risks. We’re still a long way from general AI, but incidents, where models create their languages, are concerning. It’s important to manage these technologies carefully to avoid unintended consequences.

CD: Shifting gears a little, along with the many companies you’ve started, you also began Black Women in STEAM, can you tell us about this?

BM: Black Women in STEAM was created to provide a network for Black women across various disciplines in science and technology. It was a place to learn, grow, network, and mentor together. Although the group has since disbanded in Atlanta, our LinkedIn page has over 15,000 members, including women and major corporations looking to recruit Black women. I hope to build this into a global platform.

CD: You are such an inspiration to many young women in STEAM, what advice do you have for women looking to join the drone industry or STEAM fields?

BM: Do your research and find mentors in the space. Volunteer or do freelance work to gain experience. Create a path for yourself, whether that involves going back to school, changing your route, or gaining additional certifications. Network with like-minded people and join organizations and clubs that support your interests. Stay persistent and never stop learning.

CD: What’s next for you and your companies? Where can people find you?

BM: You can follow me at airversity.com and zioair.com, as well as on LinkedIn. My company pages are also on Instagram and X. We have a lot of projects in the pipeline and are busy working on expanding our services and capabilities.

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Joanna Steidle, an acclaimed drone aerial photographer, has earned numerous awards for her work. Her love for the ocean and drone photography has become a powerful tool in the fight for ocean conservation.

The team at Drone Girl recently connected with Joanna Steidle, a professional drone pilot based in the Hamptons, Long Island, New York. She shared how she got into drones, continues to break barriers, and how her drone photography supports ocean conservation efforts on the East Coast.

Using drone photography to protect the ocean

Joanna Steidle grew up going to the beach, and since she started flying drones, the ocean has been her favorite place to fly. “It’s like a second home to me. There’s such a huge amount of marine life; you never know what you’re going to see,” said Steidle. 

She enjoys the unpredictability of marine life, saying, “They can move out of frame in a heartbeat. I find it challenging and really enjoy that aspect.”

Joanna has turned her love for capturing the ocean into conservation efforts. She uses her drone to track whales and sends her photography to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). 

She also uses her platform to spread the word on how conservation efforts can improve marine life, explaining how something as simple as putting a catch limit on certain fish can cause their populations to explode.

 “Now, the populations of sharks, whales, and rays have really rebounded,” said Steidle. 

Joanna loves to take budding drone pilots out on the beach, where she not only teaches drone techniques, but shares the importance of protecting the ocean and marine life. 

Beyond ocean photography

Joanna’s curiosity about drones goes beyond ocean photography. She first got into flight at a young age, thanks to her grandfather.

 “My grandfather flew model aircraft when I was little, and my first flight lesson was on my 18th birthday,” said Steidle. However, it wasn’t until she was 42 that she began flying drones.

Her first drone was a Hubsan, and she spent an entire winter flying it around her house.

“I just loved it, and once I had a camera drone, it was game over,” Steidle said.“I fell in love.” 

When Joanna isn’t shooting marine life, she enjoys flying FPV (First Person View) drones. “FPV gives me a thrill because I always want to fly as fast as I can,” said Steidle.

Joanna Steidle’s top gear

For FPV flying, Joanna flies DJI Avata. DJI Avata is the Chinese drone-maker’s FPV drone, capable of flying outdoors but particularly well-suited for indoor flying. And while she has flown many different brands of drones, DJI remains her number one.

“DJI is pretty much all I fly,” she said. “DJI drones are the ones I can rely on.”

Being a female drone pilot

Joanna Steidle continues to break barriers in the drone industry, a field predominantly male. She was recently honored as a Global Woman to Watch by Women and Drones and became the first woman in the United States to be invited as a DJI creator.

As a DJI creator Steidle is able to give DJI recommendations and her work is featured across DJI’s platforms.

“It’s really flattering because I don’t always know if something is good,” said Steidle, adding that she’s previously been hesitant to share her photography because she didn’t know how it would be received.

“I have this one photo, of a surfer and people loved it,” Steidle said. “It’s strange to me and it took me a long time to put my work out there.”

Steidle continues to break barriers as a female drone creator. For women looking to enter the world of drones, she recommends finding a mentor.

“I have mentees that have grown out of me, and it’s really a wonderful sight,” Steidle said. “There are tons of us in the drone community, and we’re all very willing to help each other.”

Lastly, she advises women to ignore the voice in their head that says they can’t.

“I know a lot of women have that voice in their head. Get out there and fly.”

If you know any great drone girls like Joanna Steidle who deserve to be profiled (including you!) contact us here.

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