Mission-Focused Experts

A visionary team needs visionary leadership. Trevor never asks if the next advancement in the industry is possible - he asks how we get there. He began his career at the forefront of UAS research and testing and was a part of the Northern Plains UAS Test Site's inception. His work has facilitated advancements in C2 and DAA technologies and BVLOS operations, helping develop the original concept for Vantis. He led the test site participation in the FAA's IPP, now the BEYOND program, and served as the Lead in the FAA's BVLOS ARC Working Group 2.1. Trevor has always pushed us beyond the bounds of possible.

Aviation, both manned and unmanned, has been shaped by Jim. He's spent 25 years developing and implementing advanced aviation-systems technology, including early work on the Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS), Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) and next-gen air traffic control technologies. More recently, Jim helped commercial efforts to facilitate the integration of UAS into the National Airspace System (NAS). North Dakota's intention to build out a statewide BVLOS network to enable commercial UAS flights tempted Jim away from Alaska's Last Frontier to the newest UAS frontier: right here on the prairie.

Building something that has never existed before requires a combination of outlandish vision and steadfast realism. Everett is no stranger to this - he led the General Atomics team that achieved the first BVLOS flight under civil authorities, and oversaw the first civil trans-Atlantic flight with a UAS, both in partnership with the Northern Plains UAS Test Site. Between his commercial experience and his 23 years of service in the U.S. Marine Corps, Everett brings to Vantis all of the pragmatism and procedural thinking necessary to turn big ideas into groundbreaking realities.

A researcher at heart, Chris is the mastermind behind some of our boldest ideas. He's been involved in UAS research for nearly 15 years. His earliest work focused on ground-based Sense and Avoid, and has come to encompass Detect and Avoid, cooperative airspace, UAS support infrastructure, UAS Traffic Management, and other areas aimed at facilitating UAS integration into the NAS. These areas of research are instrumental in making complex BVLOS operations possible.

Looking for UAS expertise? Look no further. In addition to her Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics and Master of Science in Instructional Design and Technology, Erin holds a Commercial Pilot Certificate, CFII and MEI certificates, and a Remote Pilot Certificate. She is active in industry standards bodies, including ASTM, RTCA, and ANSI UAS Standardization Collaborative. She is a former adjunct lecturer for the University of North Dakota Department of Aerospace and developed a UAS training course curriculum for Boeing Insitu ScanEagle, AFRL PRINCE MQ-1/9 RPA Simulator, and various sUAS. Erin wrote the book on UAS operations - literally.

Danielle is a problem-solver. From her previous work in environmental geology to her current work in UAS, Danielle is used to being approached with complex requests and mapping her way to a solution. Danielle sees the big picture and the little details required to fully understand an issue - that's why she has been instrumental in managing the initial deployment and testing of the Vantis network as well as North Dakota's participation in the FAA's Integration Pilot Program, now BEYOND. As the safety director, she's set her sights on safer skies - which is good news for everyone.

Julie has spent her entire career looking toward the skies. She began in meteorology, and was instrumental in coordinating, expanding, and optimizing the Meridian multi-state 511 system to improve public safety. It's no surprise, then, that she transitioned to working in the UAS industry, using her particular skills in managing teams, keeping day-to-day operations running smoothly, and fine-tuning contracts and budgets to push us toward safer skies.

With more than twenty years' experience in sales, Ryan knows that business is about building relationships. For him, the customer experience is about making a connection, understanding someone's needs, and helping them reach their goals as a trusted partner. UAS developments have the potential to dramatically improve the way many industries operate, and with change often comes uncertainty. In a rapidly evolving industry, and in an organization at the forefront of those changes, Ryan is a fixed point, investing in relationships and providing expert guidance.