Founders’ Story: Built on Service, Powered by Innovation
Greg Steinhauer brings more than 40 years of experience in construction and real estate development, having deployed $2 billion in projects nationwide. Decades spent on job sites gave him firsthand insight into the challenges of safety, efficiency, and situational awareness. That perspective sparked his desire to integrate today’s drone technology into the industry in a cost effective way—transforming how projects are managed and intelligence is delivered.
At the same time, Greg and his wife, Debbie, have long been dedicated supporters of first responders. Greg served 12 years on the board of the Seattle Police Foundation, including two as Chairman, while Debbie founded the Seattle Fire Foundation, the Scottsdale Police Foundation, and the Scottsdale Fire Foundation. Their decades of advocacy forged lasting relationships with police, fire, and emergency teams across the country and instilled a profound respect for the life saving work these professionals perform every day. That respect became a mission: to equip first responders with technology that strengthens their capabilities and protects the communities they serve.
Completing the leadership trio is Debbie’s son, David Rietz, whose passion for aviation began as a teenager in the RC world. Working side by side with his grandfather, David built replica airplanes and power boats from scratch—projects that honed his technical instincts and fueled a lifelong fascination with flight. As UAV technology evolved, David grew with it, amassing more than 20 years of expertise in hardware engineering, software systems, and thousands of hours of flight time. Today, his technical mastery forms the operational backbone of Rapid Drone.
Together, Greg, Debbie, and David founded Rapid Drone with a clear and unified purpose: to deliver advanced, reliable, and mission ready aerial systems that elevate first responders, empower critical industries such as agriculture and AEC, and bring cutting edge intelligence to the people and communities who need it most.