LOS ANGELES — Up Sonder, the world’s first on-demand drone marketplace, wrapped up an exciting 2016 with a huge win at the recent International Drone Expo (IDE). The company was one of three chosen to receive $100,000 in funding from Singh Ventures as part of IDE Drone Pitchfest Competition 2016 .

The first on-demand drone and service rental marketplace powered by UberRUSH, Up Sonder will connect certified drone pilots and drone owners with those who want to take flight. By leveraging UberRUSH technology, on-demand drone rentals will be made available in New York, San Francisco, and Chicago in January 2017. The company has already begun attracting drone and drone service providers ahead of the public launch.

The big win at IDE Pitchfest ends Up Sonder’s first year with a buzz and sets the company up for amazing growth in 2017.

“The international drone community has spoken and we are honored to have been selected as one of the IDE 2016 Pitchfest winners,” says Derek Waleko, CEO of Up Sonder. “The best part for me was feeling the passion coming from each participating company. Our team faced stiff competition from a great group of innovators, but win or

lose we are all in this together. It makes me happy to know our industry is in good, capable hands. Up Sonder was built and designed for the drone industry and we plan on using the $100,000 to continue advancing everyone in it so they can get up and stay up. 2017 will be an exciting year for us.”

The IDE Drone Pitchfest Competition 2016 was open to individuals or groups who are building a business involving unmanned aerial systems (drones). The goal of the competition was to encourage entrepreneurship, small business growth, and innovation in the unmanned aerial vehicle space. Winners were awarded the opportunity to solicit investment and funding from Singh Ventures VC Fund and discuss potential partnerships with Singh Ventures CEO Raj Singh.

Up Sonder is preparing to drastically change the drone space by bringing cutting edge technology to the sharing economy.

For drone renters, Up Sonder’s unique service eliminates the hassle of traveling with a drone or spending large amounts to enjoy a quality drone. Whether for business or fun — or both — it will allow members to access the Up Sonder marketplace to find and rent a drone or service near them at a cost much lower than owning a drone.

Meanwhile, drone owners can supplement their income by renting out their drones, knowing their equipment is protected by Up Sonder. In addition, Up Sonder allows for providers to earn even more by leveraging their operational experience and offering it on the Up Sonder platform as a service. Providers have the added bonus and peace of mind knowing Up Sonder’s company guarantee protects each and every drone.

UberRUSH, the trusted delivery platform, has connected with Up Sonder to deliver on-demand drones in a way that has never been done before, with same day deliveries in as little as 30 minutes.

Keep an eye on Up Sonder online at upsonder.com for all the details on the January launch of the marketplace. Follow the adventures of Up Sonder mascot Sonder the worker bee (Sonder is an anagram of “drones”) on Facebook and Twitter .

ABOUT UP SONDER:

Up Sonder, LLC is an on-demand marketplace for drones and certified drone pilots, where drone owners can earn extra money from renting out their drone and/or service. Starting in January 2017, individuals in New York, San Francisco, and Chicago can conveniently search for drone rentals and drone services from providers in their area on the Up Sonder marketplace, all at an affordable price with seamless delivery options through UberRUSH.