Prepared people. Disciplined operations.

Perry Stevenson is the Owner and Chief Pilot of Tactical Edge Drone Services, bringing an extensive professional background encompassing military service, federal law enforcement, executive protection, public safety, aviation, and more than two decades of business management.

Stevenson's commitment to leadership and academic achievement began early. At just 16 years old, he graduated with honors as salutatorian of a military academy high school. At 17, he entered the United States Air Force, continuing a path shaped by discipline, education, and professional development.

He subsequently earned an associate degree from the Community College of the Air Force and pursued additional studies at Methodist University in Fayetteville, North Carolina. His educational background, combined with federal law enforcement training and numerous Department of Homeland Security and FEMA certifications, provided a foundation for a career spanning business leadership, executive protection, public safety, and aviation.

Following his military service, Stevenson assumed his first business management position at the age of 22. Over the next two decades, he would repeatedly return to business leadership, successfully managing operations, personnel, financial responsibilities, and organizational performance across different stages of his career.

His professional path also led him into federal law enforcement, where he gained experience in security, public safety, and operational procedures. His continued professional development included federal law enforcement training, advanced Texas private security qualifications, and numerous Department of Homeland Security and FEMA training programs covering emergency preparedness, incident response, security, and hazardous-threat awareness.

Stevenson later became involved in executive protection, providing personal security services for high-profile clients, including celebrities and corporate executives. Working both independently and as part of personal security details (PSD), he helped plan and successfully execute hundreds of protective movements without incident.

These assignments required careful advance planning, situational awareness, route evaluation, threat assessment, personnel coordination, and the ability to make sound decisions in unpredictable environments.

His public safety experience also included participation in a Houston-area crime-prevention task force focused on reducing criminal activity and improving community safety.

Throughout these transitions, Stevenson continued building his business leadership experience, combining operational discipline with practical management, financial accountability, employee development, and organizational problem-solving.

Yet despite the diversity of his career, aviation remained a constant passion.

From his early involvement with the Civil Air Patrol to his military service and later pursuit of unmanned aviation, Stevenson maintained a deep interest in aircraft, flight operations, and the possibilities aviation could offer.

Today, as an FAA Part 107 Certified Remote Pilot, he has accumulated more than 500 hours of unmanned aircraft flight experience, including approximately 100 hours of nighttime operations. His interests extend beyond conventional aerial photography into thermal imaging, mapping, three-dimensional reconstruction, infrastructure documentation, and specialized drone applications.

Tactical Edge Drone Services represents the convergence of that lifelong passion with his professional experience.

Stevenson founded the company to apply the disciplined planning of protective operations, the accountability of business management, and the safety principles of aviation to professional drone services.

He also spearheaded development of the Tactical Edge Operations System (TEOS), a proprietary operational platform designed to support mission planning, crew readiness, equipment management, operational procedures, client communications, and deliverable coordination.

As Owner and Chief Pilot, Stevenson remains directly involved in the company's leadership, technical development, operational standards, and flight activities.

For Stevenson, Tactical Edge is more than another business venture. It is the opportunity to build something around a lifelong passion while applying the knowledge, experience, and discipline developed throughout his career.

His philosophy is simple: prepare thoroughly, lead by example, execute with precision, and never lose sight of the mission.

Courtney Budimlija serves as Chief Operations Officer (COO) for Tactical Edge Drones, bringing a combination of business management experience, operational leadership, aviation support, and continued professional development in security and emergency preparedness to the company’s executive team. His professional background reflects an understanding of personnel management, operational accountability, and the coordination required to maintain effective operations in demanding environments.

Throughout his management career, Courtney has developed practical experience overseeing personnel, coordinating daily operations, resolving operational challenges, and maintaining organizational standards. His experience in fast-paced business environments has strengthened his ability to make decisions under pressure, manage competing priorities, and maintain the communication and accountability necessary for successful team operations.

As Chief Operations Officer (COO), Courtney is responsible for coordinating the day-to-day operational activities of Tactical Edge Drones, including mission preparation, personnel assignments, equipment readiness, logistical planning, and field operations. Working closely with the company’s Chief Pilot, he helps ensure that each assignment is properly organized, adequately supported, and executed in accordance with established operational procedures and applicable aviation regulations.

Courtney’s involvement in unmanned aircraft operations extends beyond administrative oversight. Through direct participation in drone missions, including Visual Observer and field-support responsibilities, he has developed practical familiarity with aviation communications, situational awareness, flight-crew coordination, and the operational requirements associated with unmanned aircraft systems.

His continuing professional-development plan emphasizes protective security, emergency management, and operational preparedness. Planned training areas include Texas Level II Non-Commissioned Security Officer, Level III Commissioned Security Officer, and Level IV Personal Protection Officer qualifications, along with coursework through the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Homeland Security.

These planned training disciplines include emergency management, incident-command principles, continuity planning, critical-infrastructure protection, exercise design and evaluation, explosives and improvised-explosive-device awareness, and protective-security practices. As training is completed and verified, it will strengthen his ability to coordinate personnel and resources in environments where preparation, communication, and situational awareness are essential.

This multidisciplinary approach is particularly valuable to Tactical Edge Drones as the company develops its capabilities in aerial inspections, thermal imaging, search-and-rescue support, security assessments, event overwatch, infrastructure inspections, and specialized commercial operations. Courtney’s responsibilities include helping translate the company’s operational capabilities into coordinated field assignments supported by appropriate personnel, equipment, and mission planning.

Beyond technical and operational responsibilities, Courtney recognizes that successful mission execution depends on the people involved. His management experience provides a foundation for developing personnel, establishing expectations, maintaining professional standards, and building teams capable of adapting to changing operational requirements.

Working alongside the company’s leadership, Courtney plays an important role in developing the operational systems, procedures, and organizational structure necessary to support Tactical Edge Drones’ continued expansion. His responsibilities extend from the preparation of individual missions to the development of scalable processes designed to maintain consistency as the company grows.

Courtney’s approach to leadership emphasizes preparation, accountability, adaptability, and teamwork. By combining practical management experience, hands-on aviation involvement, and continued professional development in security and emergency preparedness, he contributes to the operational foundation upon which Tactical Edge Drones is being built.

For Preston Stevenson, aviation has never been simply an interest. It has been a part of his life since childhood, developing into a passion for flight operations, emerging technology, and the responsibilities that come with working in an aviation environment.

His introduction to aviation came at an exceptionally young age, and by just 11 years old, Preston had recorded his first loggable flight hour aboard a Diamond DA40 associated with the United States Air Force Academy. That early experience helped establish the foundation for what would become years of involvement in aviation, technology, and unmanned aircraft operations.

Today, Preston brings experience from more than 100 drone missions as a Visual Observer, providing him with substantial practical exposure to flight operations, aircraft monitoring, situational awareness, and communication between flight crews.

As Chief Visual Observer & Training Supervisor for Tactical Edge Drones, Preston leads the company’s Visual Observer program, overseeing personnel development, training standards, and operational readiness. He is responsible for developing and implementing Visual Observer training, helping ensure that team members understand their responsibilities, maintain effective communication with remote pilots, and contribute to safe, coordinated flight operations.

An active member of the Civil Air Patrol, Preston continues to develop his knowledge of aviation, leadership, teamwork, and mission-oriented operations. His involvement reflects a commitment to the aviation community that extends well beyond his responsibilities at Tactical Edge Drones.

In addition to his aviation experience, Preston possesses a strong background in technology and digital systems. His technical interests complement his work with unmanned aircraft, allowing him to approach operational challenges with an understanding of both the technology involved and the people responsible for using it.

Preston is also an accomplished young actor and voice actor, with experience in theatrical performance, commercial productions, and professional voice-over work. He has contributed his talents to multiple advertising and promotional productions for Tactical Edge Drones, bringing an additional dimension of creativity, communication, and professionalism to the company.

What distinguishes Preston is the combination of early aviation exposure, extensive hands-on mission participation, technical knowledge, and the ability to communicate and lead. While still early in his professional career, he has already built an operational foundation that many aspiring aviation professionals spend years working toward.

At Tactical Edge Drones, Preston represents both the company’s commitment to disciplined aviation operations and its investment in developing the next generation of aviation leadership.

Kirsten Luango manages the customer relationship from initial inquiry through project coordination and delivery. As Chief Mission Specialist | Chief of Sales & Accounts, she helps clients identify the appropriate service, gathers the information required for accurate planning and pricing, and keeps communication moving throughout the assignment.