Dexa is soaring in the ‘Birthplace of Aviation’
Dayton-based Dexa has secured a rare FAA waiver for autonomous, beyond-line-of-sight flights. From the "Birthplace of Aviation," CEO Beth Flippo is leveraging AI to empower local businesses with 15-minute delivery speeds that drop goods at precise locations—no address needed.
By Leigh Ann Kocanjer
Imagine a future where dinner can be flown straight to a customer’s doorstep or where forgotten sunscreen can be airdropped right to a beach blanket. Stop imagining, because the future is here, quietly taking root in our own backyard. Beth Flippo, CEO of Dexa (formerly Drone Express), is giving heavy hitters like Amazon and Walmart fierce competition from an unexpected place—Dayton, Ohio.
Who is She?
Beth Flippo may not be a household name yet, but she will be. Flippo got her start working for her parents' New Jersey defense contracting firm. Her strong background in engineering and computer science helped develop a wireless mesh network where drones communicate in real time without a central hub. Though her drone technology was initially intended for military use, when delivery companies began clamoring for her services, Beth recognized a market gap that she was uniquely qualified to fill.
In 2020, during pandemic uncertainty, Beth put faith in her startup and moved her entire family to Dayton, Ohio, after signing a deal with Kroger Grocery Stores. Flippo knew they would be the ideal first customer to break into the world of commercial drone deliveries, but what she didn’t know was that it was only the beginning.
A rush of media attention ensued, and soon she was bombarded with requests from other industries like prepared food delivery and medical supplies. The demand was overwhelming. “We realized there was really something here. But in aviation, there are regulations. So, even when there’s demand, you have to follow the rules.”
Why Does it Matter?
Flippo and her team spent the next five years becoming an airline in order to fly cargo for compensation, as well as achieving the highest levels of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification available for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). This includes the recent addition of the highly coveted BVLOS waiver, which allows Dexa to fly autonomous drones “Beyond Visual Line of Sight”. This difficult feat has only been accomplished by four companies in the drone industry—Amazon, Walmart, Zipline, and now Dexa, a company of less than 30 people.
Flippo has no desire to be the next Jeff Bezos, though. According to Beth, Dexa’s size is one of its biggest assets. “The little guys are the hungry ones; we’re the ones that want it. We’re the ones who have suffered for it. It’s just like in life. Who would you bet on?”
Recently, Dexa worked with Microsoft on a joint initiative, using AI to map the safest, most efficient airspace delivery routes. With the addition of AI, the drones can now analyze the landscape in flight, recognize the difference between a rooftop, a porch, and a swimming pool, and then decide in real time where to drop off their payloads. They already boast an 86% accuracy rate in choosing the best spot, and it continues to rise. Best of all, deliveries will not be anchored to a physical address the way other delivery services have always been. Customers can get their goods delivered to any point on the map, with minimal emissions, at a fraction of the price—a feat that would likely never be possible for DoorDash or other package delivery services.
What’s Next?
With a few high-profile partnerships under their belt, including Papa John's Pizza, Flippo hasn’t lost sight of her initial goal to level the playing field for community businesses. “I call myself a ‘localite’. I am an advocate for local businesses… stores that give back to our community.” Beth goes on to describe how society has sacrificed quality in favor of two-day shipping. “It’s human nature, but if those local stores can deliver it to you in under 15 minutes, you’re not going to choose Amazon anymore; you’re going to choose quality.”
Beth envisions a future where customers everywhere can have quality produce delivered straight from farm to table in minutes, where local bakeries and community hardware stores are, once again, the most convenient options. “In 15 years from now, I hope people say, ‘How did we ever live before this?’. I think our communities are really going to thrive again.” Beth describes the heartbreak of seeing empty strip malls and family businesses shuttered after generations. “These stores don’t even exist anymore because there’s no way for them to compete. This gives them that chance.”
What it Means for Ohio
With Dexa gaining momentum and national attention, the future looks bright for drone delivery and for local businesses.
“We really do love Southwest Ohio. It’s fantastic,” Beth raves. “Through it all, we’ve made it, and Ohio is a big part of that story. We’re going to be here for the long haul.”
