Up Sonder

Up Sonder lets anyone hire drone pilots quickly and easily.

It’s created a marketplace enabling businesses and individuals to seek professional drone services. These pilots can be "rented" to complete tasks such as filming aerial footage for real estate projects, inspecting cell phone towers, and gathering data on oil & gas facilities.

Up Sonder aims to disrupt the commercial drone market, expected to reach $42 billion by 2025. The company has more than 2,400 members across 900 U.S. cities. Notable members include ConocoPhillips, RBN Energy, and Lamerica Real Estate.

Team Background

Nhattrieu Duong - Engineer

Nhattrieu oversees Up Sonder’s research into the areas of aerospace guidance, navigation, and controls. In addition, he is responsible for writing the software the company will use in its Marketplace 2.0 which is under development.

Nhattrieu has previously worked for aerospace companies including NASA, Boeing, DARPA, and the U.S. military.

He earned a Bachelor’s degree from California Institute of Technology and is finishing his Ph.D. at UCLA.

Sung Moon Kang - Chief Technology Officer

Sung is an expert in the areas of aerospace guidance, navigation, and controls.

For more than a decade, he served as CEO and President of SySense, a research company focusing on guidance, navigation, and control in aerospace applications.

Throughout his career, he has worked for several notable aerospace companies, including NASA, Boeing, DARPA, the U.S. Army, and the U.S. Air Force.

Sung earned a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Physics from Yale University, a Master’s in Aeronautics & Astronautics from Stanford, and a Ph.D. in Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering from UCLA.

Joe Christian - Content & Research

Joe has an extensive background in writing and editing.

Prior to joining Up Sonder, he was the Lead Copywriter for Gibson Overseas, a company producing dinnerware and cookware.

In addition, he served as an English lecturer at Beijing Normal University, Beijing Foreign Studies University, and the Central University of Finance and Economics.

Joe earned a Bachelor’s degree in Legal Studies and Business Management from Temple University.

Isaac Nabors - Co-Founder & President

Isaac manages the day-to-day operations at Up Sonder.

He has a background in physical therapy, having spent three years as a physical therapist for Dallas Midtown Physical Therapy.

In addition, he spent nearly eight years as a physical therapist at the Baylor Institute of Rehabilitation.

Isaac earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Texas Tech University, and his Doctorate from Andrews University.

Derek Waleko - Co-Founder & CEO

Derek is an experienced commercial drone pilot, having flown all over the world.

Prior to starting Up Sonder, he worked for the South Korean government, specifically in the country’s mergers and acquisitions department.

Derek earned a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and Chemistry from Texas Tech University.

Co-Investors