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Meet Rick Rayhel, Your UAV Expert for the Western United States


Did you know Microdrones has expert sales reps positioned around the globe, ready to help customers who want to get started using unmanned systems? We wanted to give potential customers a chance to get to know a little about their local UAV Experts.

Sara Furlong, Microdrones content marketing manager, interviewed sales manager Rick Rayhel to introduce those in the western half of the U.S. to the person who can help them get off the ground

Sara:
Hi, Rick! Great to have you with us! First off, can you tell us where you came from and what you did before you came to Microdrones?

Rick:
Sure! I have worked for years in technology sales – most recently in cybersecurity. Before that I got my degree from Western Oregon University. 

Sara:
What did you study?

Rick:
My B.S. is in biology with an emphasis in ecology.

Sara:
That will be helpful when you’re assisting our academic and conservation customers! And also when we release LiDAR.   

Rick:
Yes! I look forward to that release and helping customers get started with LiDAR.

Sara:
Have you enjoyed working with Microdrones so far?   

Rick:
Absolutely. This is a fascinating field and I’ve had a great time so far. It’s an emerging market and we offer better solutions than others are offering. So it’s awesome. We’re so busy. It’s a pleasure showing off such great systems.

Sara:
You sure have been doing a lot of demonstrations! How do customers react the first time you demo our systems?            

Rick:
Our mdMapper systems are received well as soon as they come out of the box. People love the design and custom mounts. And they find a lot to appreciate as we go over the technology.

Sara:
Does anything stand out?   

Rick:
Lots of things. They like that we’re a one-stop shop for hardware and software and that it’s all created in house, so there are no extra support pieces. It’s simple to get technical support from Microdrones, and that is the only company users need to contact for questions and assistance. They also love how quietly the drones operate and are blown away by the long flight times, efficiency, and accuracy.

Another thing we do right that customers appreciate is that we allow them to use the same airframe for different sensors and applications, so they don’t have to buy a whole new system if they own an mdMapper and want to use the drone for something other than mapping. For instance, they might buy and mdMapper1000 for surveying and decide they want to get into aerial inspection. They can just buy the optional accessory kit and swap out the payload. 

Sara:
What do you like most about your job?  

Rick:
I like helping my customers do things better. I really enjoy the excitement of watching commercial users replace traditional methods with new technology and the impact it has on those industries. Every time I have a demo, I hear new ideas, too. It’s amazing.

Sara:
What do you do when you’re not demonstrating our systems?

Rick:
Most of my free time is spent with my family. I’ve got a one year old, a dog, and a cat. I also like to find time for woodworking and disc golf.          

Sara:
Well, thank you for taking some time to talk to me, so we can introduce you to our followers! How should they get a hold of you if they have questions about getting started with UAVs?

Rick:
They can e-mail Richard.rayhel@Microdrones.com. I look forward to hearing from them!

Located in the western U.S.? Contact Richard with questions!
Eastern United States? Get in touch with Chuck Dorgan.
Located outside the U.S.? E-mail us.