Our Story
Our Founder, Kevin Weldon was inspired in 2005
Ripper Corp was founded by Kevin Weldon in 2005, inspired by the use of drones in disaster relief efforts during Hurricane Katrina.
When the hurricane hit New Orleans, drones were used to search flooded streets for survivors and were able to locate 5,000 victims who were stranded in their flooded homes.
These drones transmitted images back to central control, enabling rescue teams to make informed dispatch decisions.
This was the first time drones were deployed in a disaster and demonstrated their potential to save lives.
It would take 10 years, but Kevin was sure this was just the beginning of drones in search and rescue.
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In 2015, Ripper Group was born
Our Founder, Kevin Weldon had spent years reflecting on that rescue and looking to the future of UAV technology and search and rescue. He knew there was great potential in this space, in fact, he knew there was potential to revolutionise an industry and transform how we save lives. We just needed to pull it off and prove the capabilities of this technology.
We wanted to make a splash in the world of search and rescue
As the founding president of the International Life Saving Federation, Kevin Weldon had extensive experience in surf lifesaving innovation and knew firsthand how drones could improve the reach, speed, and success rate of rescue operations in Australia.
Throughout his time with the International Life Saving Federation, Kevin played a key role in the development of the Lifesaver Rescue Helicopters, inflatable rescue boats, and torpedo rescue tubes.
On this, Kevin Weldon said, “The aim is to accomplish things with search and rescue that were impossible to even dream about 10 or 20 years ago.”
This innovation soon extended to natural disasters in our country. At the end of 2019, bushfires devastated Australia.
In late 2019 and early 2020, Australia was heavily impacted by bushfires. Ripper Corp partnered with WIRES, the Australian Wildlife Rescue Organisation, to search for and rescue animals affected by the fires.
Our drone technology, equipped with infrared and thermal imaging, allowed us to quickly locate and assess fires and detect movement within the fires, indicating the presence of wildlife.
By working with WIRES, the Ripper Rescue Alliance was able to locate and rescue animals such as koalas and kangaroos, reducing search time from five hours to just 10 minutes.
Today, we’re sharing it all with you
We’re so proud of everything we’ve accomplished to date. But we’re not even nearly done.
Today, we’re sharing our advancements in this space with you.
The Ripper Academy
Become a Little Ripper. With some of the best and most experienced pilots in unmanned aviation, a partnership with DJI, and our history in the industry, we’re raising the next generation of drone pilots.
Partner with us
Join us at and be at the forefront of the future of drones. We are proud of our partnerships and the progress we have made in areas such as search and rescue, emergency services, and infrastructure.