redefining what’s possible in agriculture

3+ hour flight time. 4:1 weight-to-lift ratio.

Finally, an agriculture drone that keeps up.

Here are the specs

3+ Hour Flight Time

Stay in the air for 3+ hours, versus about 35 minutes as the industry standard. That means fewer stops, fewer swaps, and way more work done per session.
240-Mile Range

Get up to 240 miles of range, compared to roughly 30 miles in typical systems. It opens up larger coverage and fewer repositioning headaches.
Up to 400 MPH Speed

Top speed is up to 400 MPH (industry standard is around 50 MPH). Even if ag use cases do not always need max speed, it signals serious performance headroom.
4:1 Weight-to-Lift Ratio

The platform targets a 4:1 weight vs lift ratio (industry standard is listed as 1:1). In plain terms, it is built to carry more capability per pound of drone.
AI Terrain Modeling

Instead of basic modeling, the system uses AI terrain modeling. That helps the drone understand real-world terrain more intelligently for mapping and planning.
Precision Hovering and Pitch

The platform emphasizes low build cost through a modular design. Practically, that points to easier maintenance, simpler upgrades, and a clearer path to scaling.

our story

Cooperative DRONE started with something pretty personal. The name comes from our founder Trey’s son, Cooper, and it became a constant reminder of what we’re building for: turning real challenges into real capability. The “cooperative” part is just as intentional. We’re built to work alongside farmers, agronomists, and co-ops, not build in a vacuum and hope agriculture adapts later.

The platform itself was shaped by pressure, not hype. Trey’s time in Ukraine clarified what actually matters when performance is non-negotiable: range, speed, payload, and hover time. That mindset drove a clean, efficient design focused on doing the job, not looking flashy.

Our mission is simple: redefine what’s possible in agricultural operations with a drone that can keep up with modern farming. That means delivering performance that changes decisions, supporting more resilient and sustainable farm ecosystems through better data and smarter operations, and doing it with integrity and long-term commitment to agriculture.

Meet the Team

They Sharpe

FOUNDER
Trey is a founder and strategist with experience spanning military intelligence, federal contracting, and engineering innovation, with prior work supporting complex federal services and supply chain systems. He is building Cooperative DRONE around practical, purpose-built design, including an aerodynamic approach shaped by real-world constraints he witnessed firsthand (including time spent in Ukraine).
Julie Newton

PRESIDENT & CEO
Julie brings a life sciences and commercial leadership background, with experience across molecular imaging and business development, plus a track record of building trust and negotiating complex partnerships. As CEO, she is merging biological insight with aerospace innovation, leading with a sustainability-first mindset and hands-on, iterative execution.
Nate Barnhardt

SENIOR SYSTEMS ENGINEER
Nate is a systems thinker and mechanical innovator with nearly 24 years of licensed experience in wastewater treatment operations, including work as a senior operator at OWASA in Chapel Hill. He brings deep process control, automation, and hands-on troubleshooting experience, with an engineer’s instinct for improving how complex systems run.
Dick Pedersen

SENIOR SALES STRATEGY ARCHITECT
Dick has over four decades of experience building scalable, acquisition-ready organizations in healthcare practice management and EMR innovation. He is known for developing high-performing sales teams and driving transformative growth through multiple successful exits and leadership roles.
Jay PEDERSEN

VP OF SALES
Jay brings sales leadership and a builder mentality shaped by growing up around entrepreneurship, plus a hands-on, team-first approach rooted in discipline and execution. He is focused on early-stage growth and direct user engagement to uncover real use cases, training gaps, and ROI opportunities in the field.
RICKy WHITTAKER

SENIOR DIRECTOR OF CLIENT SERVICES
Ricky is a drone technology pro with experience across agriculture, energy, telecom, and logistics, focused on real deployments that improve safety and operational efficiency. He specializes in AI and sensor integration, autonomous operations, and regulatory adherence, and has collaborated with drone companies like Precision Hawk, VisieDrones, and Bees360.