About Us
Every company has a beginning.
In 2014, when drones were still considered a novelty, two forward thinking brothers from West Bloomfield Michigan, Zach and Merrick Wolfe, decided to buy a drone. “Merrick started talking about drones and wanted to buy one to have around the house, but they were too expensive, so I suggested we come up with a way to make our money back,” explained Zach, then a University of Michigan science major. “I thought we could sell our services; but we never really imagined what it has turned into.”
Fast forward twelve years…
Drone Brothers, now overseen by co-founder and Chief Pilot, Andy Wolfe (you guessed it –Zach and Merrick’s dad) is the leading provider of nationwide drone services to many of the largest and most respected construction firms in the industry. Our suite of GC specific services includes aerial photos, videos, mapping, a wide range of analytics and detailed inspection analysis. We also provide our clients with video content for multiple social media and marketing platforms. In short, we help national construction firms save time, money and maintain a safer work environment by providing a nationwide, single-source drone solution.
Our Vision
To be the Nationwide Leader of drone services executed by the largest network of trained, certified pilots providing aerial data, analytics, education, and marketing services to the Construction, Engineering and Architecture industries.
Our MISSION
To proactively educate, demonstrate, and flawlessly execute drone services in support of the Construction, Engineering and Architecture industries.
Our purpose
To build an engaging work environment that challenges, empowers, and rewards the best, creative, people-first, focused team members through mentoring, while creating a positive life-work balance.
Our Core Values
Family First – Bring to focus our priorities outside of work first.
Integrity – Strong principles, trust to get the job done, and honesty with feedback
Empathy – Understanding our team’s situations and clients’ problem areas, while working to solve problems inclusively.
Transparency – No closed doors; all information on the table, and a clear understanding of the business, policies, and practices.
Innovation – Freedom of idea sharing, encouragement to try something new, and always looking forward.
OUR TEAM
Andy Wolfe
Pilot in Command
Also known as the “Drone Father”, Andrew has 40+ years experience in the start up world. Initially, Andrew was brought onboard to advise and coach the Brothers and help get their business off the ground. Roll forward to today, and the boys now have him onboard full time. Andrews primary role is to continue coaching the team and helping to grow sales and building long tern relationships with our Construction and Real Estate clients.
Merrick Wolfe
Co-Founder, CTO
A recent graduate from The Eli Broad College of Business at Michigan State University, Merrick joined the team full-time as of Aug. 2018. What started off as a local, summer time gig to keep Merrick busy and out of trouble, has turned in to a nationwide, year-round business! Today he is tasked with setting up the processes for all our departments, growing and training our pilot network and building a team of the best video editors and map makers in the industry.
Zach Wolfe
Co-Founder, CFO
Sales and Marketing are Zach’s strengths. Having a degree from the University of Michigan was also pretty cool. Go Blue! From his first days walking up and down Woodward Ave calling on residential real estate agents with his drone under his arm, to helping our team secure relationships with some of the most progressive commercial real estate agencies, Zach has helped our business grow from a small local provider to a national leader in drone services.
Julie Gentile
Director of Projects
With so many drones in the air and projects in the pipeline, Julie is our go to person to literally keep everything moving in the right direction. From the time a new order lands until our final product is delivered, Julie and her team handle every detail of your order. From juggling the schedule of hundreds of pilots to constantly checking the weather for clearance to fly, managing our talented editors and map makers, Julies team is crucial in seeing that all of clients orders are done right and on time.
Tony Vomfell
Chief Pilot
After serving 8+ years in the US Navy, Tony started his career in Design Engineering. With over 30 years experience working in the automotive industry designing key components for cars. Through his love of aviation, he started building his own RC airplanes and helicopters, then began building and flying drones. With experience in construction, real estate, inspection and a certification in thermal photography, Tony is responsible for hiring and training our pilots and educating our clients to help them take full advantage of our drone technology services.
Rosalinda Knop
Operations Manager
With over 20 years of experience in financial sales and IT industries, Rosalinda has a proven track record of senior-level executive support, project management, and training. She has a strong ability to streamline processes, maximize efficiency and foster great working cross-departmental relationships within organizations. Committed to excellent representation of the organization, Rosalinda practices personal accountability in the workplace and have a strong sense of ownership.
Larry Smith
Director of Brand and Content Strategy
During the last 25 years Larry has been a respected entrepreneur and mentor, instrumental in creating and fueling the online and real-world strategies and growth of several brands such as BioGreen Solutions & BioProtection Solutions, Red Phone Creative Group, Blindart USA, The Mountaineering Company and many others. In July of 2019, Smitty completed a 20-month, 50,000-mile solo exploration of all 49 National Parks in the lower 48 – hiking over 1,500 miles.
Rob Watson
Creative Director
Rob Watson has over 27 years of experience designing, maintaining, and coordinating websites. He is the CEO of Webidextrous.com, a digital agency dedicated to ensuring exceptional online experiences for small and medium businesses, enterprises, and non-profit organizations. He enjoys attending rocket launches at Cape Canaveral and biking along the West Orange Trail near Orlando, FL as well as playing piano and following various science and political topics.
Dario Lirio
Director of Video Production
After working as a professional drone pilot for 7 years, Dario is now focusing on the post production process for the company. Heading up a team of video editors, Latari Studios, he seeks to continue building a robust editing service to support the company’s growth. Latari Studios brings speed and accuracy to the post production process. In his spare time, Dario enjoys traveling and hiking within the US and beyond.
Joseph Ryan, PHR
HR / OPs Director
With over 9 years of Human Resource experience, “Joey” works as a consultant providing Human Resource services. With his degrees in Psychology and Computer Science, he has built tools and processes to optimize the operations of multiple small businesses and is an expert at training, mentoring, and coaching employees and business leaders alike. When he is not chasing around one of his three kids, he spends his time making videos, playing board games, and mountain biking.
Manya Andani
Marketing Coordinator
Justin Handegard
Project Manager
A seasoned construction management professional with over seven years of experience managing several high-profile projects, Justin is known for his attention to detail and strong communication abilities. His expertise in navigating complex regulatory environments and fostering relationships with subcontractors has made him a valuable asset in the field. Outside of work, Justin enjoys spending time with his wife and kids, along with coaching youth baseball.
Sheridan Ruppel
Social Media Manager
Sheridan is a senior at Michigan State University studying creative advertising. She started working as a summer intern helping out with various marketing projects. In a very short time.. (2 months), we learned about her many talents and superpowers, and could not hold back on putting her in charge of all things social. We cannot wait to see her grow and develop her talents and help us and our clients WIN on our social channels!
Jamie Gallardo
Asset/Data Manager
With over a decade of customer service experience in a variety of supervisory roles, Jamie brings meticulous attention to detail, excellence and innovation to the Drone Brothers team. Jamie also knows how to unwind and embrace creativity. She enjoys and excels at simulations such as Autonauts and Factorio, while also being a skilled diamond painter. Jamie’s balance of professionalism and refreshing personality makes her a great team member.
Nicole Rachmaninoff
Copywriter
A former editor, Nicole has an extensive background in newspaper editing and writing. As a Marketing Manager she reaches out to leads via LinkedIn, drawing from a large database of Drone Brothers clients. As a Copy Writer, she combines her passion for finding relevant information with her research and writing skills, to create our website blogs and drone project updates. Nicole’s team is instrumental in highlighting our successes and showcasing capabilities.
Anne Acevedo
Executive Assistant
Anne brings over 16 years of experience in operations and executive support. She’s spent her career keeping teams organized, processes running smoothly, and leadership focused on what matters most. She has a steady, practical approach to getting things done. She enjoys creating systems that make work easier for everyone and is always ready to roll up her sleeves and help where needed.
Lee Fisher
Director of pilot engagement
Lee brings an impressive background in aviation and unmanned flight operations. With a degree in Flight Technology, Lee is a certified flight instructor for single-engine aircraft and has logged over 600 hours as a drone pilot. In addition to his flight credentials, Lee runs a consulting company that provides accident investigation support to law firms nationwide. Outside the cockpit, Lee enjoys life on the farm and spending time outdoors.
DRONES FOR GOOD
GIVING BACK TOGETHER
Oliver Hatcher - Sporting Clays Charity Event - 2024
Pilots are limited for these projects and we are booking our charitable schedule now. To apply, simply fill out the form below.
