At Ceres Air, we’ve always said being American-made isn’t just a label we slap on our drones, it’s our commitment to our industry.
That commitment means building the infrastructure, the partnerships, and the talent pipeline to manufacture the core components of our agriculture drones right here in the United States.
And that’s exactly why we’ve partnered with ImageTek in North Springfield, Vermont.
Why ImageTek?
ImageTek isn’t just a technology company. They’re deeply invested in advancing manufacturing and engineering in Vermont right at home within the Springfield community.
They’re not only helping build capability.
They’re helping build people.
One of the ways they do that is by sponsoring the Robotics and Aerial Drone Club (RADs) Ariel Drone Competition by REC Foundation at the River Valley Technical Center. The RAD club gives middle and high school students hands-on experience building, coding, and flying drones and robotics systems.
This isn’t just a school that teaches theory; it’s one that is actively engaged in real-world engineering.
And they’re incredibly good at it.
In 2025, the RAD team won the Draganfly Regional Drone Championship, beating out teams from West Virginia in a high-speed course that tested precision, navigation, and obstacle clearance. Springfield High School now hosts Vermont’s only River Valley Aerial Drone Competition, drawing students from across the Northeast for both piloted and autonomous drone challenges.
That’s the kind of ecosystem Ceres Air wants to be part of as we continue to create products that work for Americans.
Bringing Black Betty to the Next Generation
In early February, Ceres Air and ImageTek brought our largest agriculture drone, the Black Betty Stack (C31), to meet the RAD club ahead of the regional competition.
For many of the students, this was their first time seeing a full-scale commercial agriculture drone up close.
And not just any drone, this is the largest agriculture drone currently available.
The room lit up.
The conversation quickly shifted from “how does it fly?” to “how does this scale?” and “how do we make it better?”
What impressed us most wasn’t just their excitement, it was their curiosity. The students immediately began thinking about how the BBS could evolve from a powerful machine into an even more impactful tool for real-world agriculture.
That’s exactly the mindset we’re building Ceres Air around. We’re proudly earning our stripes as an American-made drone manufacturer, manufacturing products Americans will be proud to call their own.
Manufacturing. Education. Momentum.
This partnership isn’t about a single demo.
It’s about building American capability starting from the factory floors and extending to the classrooms.
If we want American agriculture to stay competitive, we need American manufacturing.
If we want American manufacturing, we need skilled engineers and innovators.
If we want innovators, we need to invest in students today.
Vermont is stepping up.
Springfield is building something special.
And we’re proud to be part of it.
The future of American drone manufacturing isn’t theoretical.
It’s being built right now.