
OUR TEAM

DAVID BENNETT
CEO
David oversees strategic business development bringing 20 years of industry experience alongside 28 years of Air Force service. He specializes in maturing and fielding new technologies including command and control, cyber, ai, and remotely piloted aircraft. While working for Scientific Research Corporation David won $2B+ in development contracts.

ZACH ADAMS
Co-Founder & Chief Engineer
Zach serves as chief engineer for Pitch. He is recognized as a leading authority on cyclorotor technology. He is the named inventor on multiple cyclorotor patents and has published extensively on the topic. Zachary holds a BS in Aeronautical Engineering from the U.S. Air Force Academy and a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue.

IAN GIBSON
Co-Founder & Business Lead
Ian oversees business operations and provides strategic direction for Pitch. He has significant experience in the defense acquisitions industry-leading multiple U.S. Government advanced technology programs valued in excess of $2B. Ian is a Marshall Scholar. He holds degrees from the U.S. Air Force Academy, The London School of Economics, and The London Business School.

MANSI BAKORI
Flight Controls Engineer
Mansi is a flight controls engineer. Put simply, she makes a computer the best pilot in the world. On our team, she has been engineering, designing, and implementing our control systems, giving Astria the ability to fly with precision.

ALEX PETERSON
Mechanical Engineer
Alex is part of the engineering team developing Astria and her sensors. Bringing CAD and design experience, Alex has taken the lead on our thermography technology to give Astria a tool to detect subsurface concrete and composite delaminations. Alex's programming experience allows him to write the code to make it all work (in about 4 languages).

HUGH SHELDON
Mechanical Engineering Intern
Hugh leverages a lot of practical manufacturing experience to help bring Astria to market. He focuses on the mechanical and electrical components that keep Astria Airborne. Hugh is skilled in CAD, C++, MATLAB, and making an ordinary engineering job look like a piece of art.

JULIANNA BUZZARD
Mechanical Engineering Intern
Julianna is working to improve Astria's design for more seamless deployment in the field. She's at the top of her engineering class. Her designs reflect her experience actually making things in the shop - i.e. you know they'll work!