Founder & CEO, Specter Aero · UAS Industry Executive · Reno, Nevada

Build a drone business.
Build an aerospace supply chain.
Build it in America.

From free field guides to complete manufacturing playbooks — the education, tools, and frameworks to enter the fastest-growing industrial opportunity in America. Taught by someone actively doing it.

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160th SOAR — Night Stalkers Boeing Senior Program Manager 25+ Years Aviation FAA BVLOS Test Site ITAR · CMMC L2 · SDVOSB · HUBZone Operation CEO — Inside Success TV

“Acknowledge the Challenge.
Focus the Opportunity.”™

— The operating principle behind everything I build

As Seen On

Now Streaming

Operation CEO — Now Streaming

“Brian Long transforms tragedy into purpose while building an American drone movement that challenges an industry and redefines leadership.”

From the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment to the factory floor in Reno, Nevada.

Watch the Episode →
Operation CEO · Inside Success TV
Brian “Bazz” Long
Founder & CEO, Specter Aero
The Career

Four commands. One through-line: build.

I · U.S. Army
160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment

Night Stalkers Don’t Quit. The standards, preparation, and leadership foundation everything since has been built upon.

II · Boeing
Senior Program Manager

Leading at institutional scale — billion-dollar aviation programs — and learning which lessons transfer to the founder’s chair, and which do not.

III · Zephyr Systems
Founder

Government contracting, FAA-approved UAS test range operations, and aviation training. Built it, exited it, carried every lesson forward.

IV · Specter Aero
Founder & Chief Executive

American-made consumer, commercial, educational, and defense drones — manufactured in Reno, Nevada, in the market the 2025 foreign drone ban sent home.

About

Builder. Operator. Believer in American manufacturing.

25 years in aviation. 6+ years as a UAS executive. Still in the arena.

Brian “Bazz” Long is the Founder and CEO of Specter Aero — America’s only veteran-owned consumer drone manufacturer. A former 160th SOAR Night Stalker operator and Boeing Senior Program Manager, he brings over 25 years of aviation experience spanning special operations, large-scale aerospace program management, government contracting, and UAS executive leadership.

Beyond manufacturing, Long is a recognized voice in UAS executive leadership — advising drone entrepreneurs, operators, and executives on building aviation and technology companies with the standards and discipline forged in special operations and billion-dollar aerospace programs.

His digital product platform covers two worlds: drone service businesses for operators and entrepreneurs, and aerospace supply chain manufacturing for small shops, veterans, and fabricators entering the most urgent domestic manufacturing gap in America.

Author of the forthcoming Built in America (2027). Featured executive on Operation CEO, Inside Success TV.

Brian 'Bazz' Long — Founder & CEO, Specter Aero
Free Field Guides

Start here. The knowledge is free.

Three guides. Three paths. Click the button — instant download via Gumroad.

Guide 1 — Universal

10 Mistakes That Kill Drone Startups

The unforced errors that end promising UAS companies — and exactly how to avoid them. Start here regardless of your path.

Download Free →

Free · Instant delivery · No account required

Guide 2 — Service Operators

30-Day Drone Business Quick-Start Guide

Day-by-day action plan from your Part 107 to your first paying client in 30 days. Scripts, checklists, and frameworks included.

Download Free →

Free · Instant delivery · No account required

Guide 3 — Manufacturers

Drone Manufacturing Quick-Start Guide

The seven-phase roadmap for building an American drone hardware company. For builders, founders, and small manufacturers.

Download Free →

Free · Instant delivery · No account required

All three guides are completely free. No email wall. No subscription. Just the information.

Resources & Digital Products

The complete playbook library.

Drone service businesses. Aerospace supply chain manufacturing. Built from the real playbook — not theory.

Drone Service Business Starter Kits
Starter Kit · $67

FPV Drone Parts & 3D Print Farm Starter Kit

Launch an American drone parts business. Printer guide, materials cost calculator, domestic supplier directory, and the IP licensing play nobody else is teaching.

$67
Buy Now →
Starter Kit · $67

Drone Electronics Repair Starter Kit

Component-level repair — motors, ESCs, flight controllers. Soldering, firmware flashing, and the pricing that separates technicians from parts-swappers.

$67
Buy Now →
Starter Kit · $97

Mobile Drone Repair Starter Kit

The repair gap nobody is filling. Complete roadmap, repair pricing calculator, fleet contract templates, parts inventory list, and 30-day launch checklist.

$97
Buy Now →
Starter Kit · $97

Drone Pressure Washing & Facility Cleaning Starter Kit

44,000 federal buildings. Almost nobody cleaning them with drones. Equipment guide, GovCon path, capability statement template, and per-building pricing.

$97
Buy Now →
Starter Kit · $149

Government & State Contract Starter Kit

The prioritized playbook for federal UAS contracting. SAM.gov walk-through, SBIR strategy, SDVOSB guide, state programs, and a pre-filled capability statement.

$149
Buy Now →
American Manufacturing & Aerospace Supply Chain Starter Kits

The domestic drone and aerospace supply chain is broken. The Pentagon committed $820M to fix it. These kits cover every major entry point — from your garage, shop floor, or spare bedroom.

Manufacturing Kit · $67

Wiring Harness & Cable Assembly Manufacturing Kit

The lowest-capital entry into the drone and aerospace supply chain. $3,000 to start. 100% domestic. Zero professional competition. IPC/WHMA-A-620 Class 3 guide included.

$67
Buy Now →
Aerospace Kit · $67

Aerospace Gaskets, Seals & O-Ring Manufacturing Kit

AMS-spec seals for aircraft engines, hydraulic systems, and fuel systems. Required on every aircraft, every overhaul. $8,000 to start. Permanent recurring demand.

$67
Buy Now →
Aerospace Kit · $67

Aviation Parts Redistribution & Surplus Business Kit

Enter the $142B aerospace MRO market without a factory. Source, certify, and resell hard-to-find aircraft parts. Genuinely startable from home. AS9120 and AS6081 guide.

$67
Buy Now →
Manufacturing Kit · $97

Carbon Fiber Frame & Arm Manufacturing Kit

Build NDAA-compliant drone frames for OEMs and defense primes. Wet layup, vacuum bagging, and CNC machining methods. Domestic material suppliers. AS9100 roadmap.

$97
Buy Now →
Manufacturing Kit · $97

PCB Small-Batch Assembly Starter Kit

Quick-turn domestic PCB assembly for drone OEMs and defense primes. 1–2 weeks domestic vs. 8–12 weeks overseas. IPC-A-610 Class 3 guide. Revenue model to $1.4M annually.

$97
Buy Now →
Manufacturing Kit · $97

Drone Payload & Sensor Housing Manufacturing Kit

CNC machined and 3D printed housings for cameras, thermal sensors, LiDAR, and defense payloads. Every platform needs custom housing — almost none are made domestically.

$97
Buy Now →
Aerospace Kit · $97

Aerospace Fastener Mfg & Distribution Kit

Three or fewer domestic suppliers on most aerospace fastener spec numbers. NAS, MS, AN, AS family market map. Manufacturer and distributor paths. AS9100, AS9120, AS6081 guide.

$97
Buy Now →
Aerospace Kit · $97

Precision Sheet Metal Fabrication for Aerospace Kit

Enter the aerospace MRO supply chain with CNC brake press, shear, and laser. Aging commercial fleets create permanent demand. FAA Part 145 repair station approval guide.

$97
Buy Now →
Aerospace Kit · $97

Aerospace Composites Repair & Small Parts Kit

40–60% of modern aircraft is carbon fiber. Repair shops can’t keep up. Wet layup, scarf repair, NDT methods, Part 145 certification, and first MRO client strategy.

$97
Buy Now →
Aerospace Kit · $97

Ground Support Equipment Fabrication & Repair Kit

Every aircraft on every ramp needs GSE. No FAA certification required to build it. Tow bars, maintenance stands, servicing carts, and drone GSE — zero domestic competition.

$97
Buy Now →
Bundles — Save When You Buy Together
Bundle · Save $37

Aerospace Parts & Distribution Bundle

→ Aerospace Fastener Mfg & Distribution Kit
→ Aviation Parts Redistribution & Surplus Kit
$127
vs. $164 bought separately
Coming Soon
Bundle · Save $111

Drone Supply Chain Manufacturer’s Bundle

→ Carbon Fiber Frame & Arm Kit
→ Wiring Harness & Cable Assembly Kit
→ PCB Small-Batch Assembly Kit
→ Ground Support Equipment Kit
$247
vs. $358 bought separately
Coming Soon
Bundle · Save $111

Aerospace MRO & Fabrication Bundle

→ Precision Sheet Metal Fabrication Kit
→ Aerospace Composites Repair Kit
→ Aerospace Fastener Kit
→ Ground Support Equipment Kit
$247
vs. $358 bought separately
Coming Soon
Complete Bundle · Save $433

Complete Supply Chain Bundle — All 10 Kits

All 10 aerospace and drone supply chain manufacturing kits in one package. The complete playbook for entering the American supply chain.
$497
vs. $930+ bought separately
Coming Soon
Flagship Product · $997

Drone Manufacturing Business Blueprint

37-page execution blueprint + Specter Aero Operating Principles + Excel toolkit with COGS calculator, BOM master template, and 12-quarter financial model. The only manufacturing guide written by someone actively doing it.

7 modules. Real decisions. Real numbers. Real lessons from building Specter Aero.

$997
Get the Blueprint →
Community & Mentorship

Monthly Group Q&A Call

Live monthly Zoom with Bazz. Ask anything about building your drone business or entering the aerospace supply chain — from someone actively doing both. Open enrollment. No application required.

$197 / month

Cancel anytime.

Join the Group →
Work With Me

Four ways to access 25 years of aviation experience.

Every engagement is limited. Application or inquiry required.

I

Fractional Executive Leadership

An active drone manufacturing CEO embedded in your business as part of your leadership team. For growth-stage aviation, UAS, and defense-tech companies that need C-suite experience without a C-suite price tag.

$10,000–$12,000 / month
20 hours/month. 2–3 companies maximum. 3-month minimum. Application required.
II

Executive Consulting

Strategic advisory for aviation and UAS founders, operators, and executives. Two focused sessions per month plus async support — business structure, government contracting, fundraising, supply chain, certification strategy.

$5,000 / month
8–10 hours/month. 3-month minimum. Inquiry required.
III

The Operator’s Intensive

30-day hands-on mentorship. Four weekly 1:1 calls, a custom business audit, async Slack access, and all relevant digital products included. For founders who want someone building alongside them.

$1,497 / 30 days
Maximum 3 clients at a time. Application required.
IV

Keynote Speaking

Six signature keynotes — Leadership at Altitude, Built in America, The American Drone Revolution, and more — delivered to corporate, government, defense, and investor audiences.

From $5,000
Booking: speaking@brianlongceo.com

Inquire about availability →

Brian “Bazz” Long
BUILT
IN
AMERICA

Leadership, Innovation, and the Future of American Manufacturing

Anticipated MMXXVII

Manuscript in Progress

The Book

Written from inside the arena.

Most business books are retrospectives. This one is being written live.

From the Night Stalkers to Boeing’s billion-dollar programs to the founder’s chair — the honest account of what it actually costs to build something real in America, and why it’s worth it.

Download a free guide to follow the writing and receive first access at launch.

Speaking & Media

Keynotes, podcasts, and executive sessions.

As featured on Operation CEO. Fees from $5,000.

Keynote I

Leadership at Altitude

What Army Special Operations and Boeing teach about standards, decision-making under pressure, and building teams that hold their standard when the leader isn’t in the room.

Corporate conferences, military transition, executive offsites.

Keynote II

Built in America

The case — and the playbook — for bringing manufacturing home. Why America stopped building things, what the drone ban revealed, and what the next generation of builders needs right now.

Manufacturing associations, investor conferences, policy forums.

Keynote III

The American Drone Revolution

Inside the industry redefining national security, public safety, and commerce. The strategic gap defense leaders are missing and how executives should position for the next decade.

Defense forums, investor summits, government audiences.

Keynote IV

“Acknowledge the Challenge. Focus the Opportunity.”™

The executive operating principle forged in special operations — applied to every organization facing uncertainty, disruption, or high-stakes decisions.

Leadership development, veteran organizations, entrepreneurship events.

Keynote V

From Battlefield to Boardroom

The veteran-to-executive journey — what special operations forged, what corporate America tested, and what founding a company revealed about the leadership translation most veterans never make.

Veteran organizations, military transition programs, leadership summits, MBA programs.

Keynote VI

Industry 4.0 & the American Manufacturing Renaissance

AI, robotics, and advanced manufacturing converging to rebuild what America outsourced. The blueprint for domestic manufacturing in the next decade and why companies that move now own the market.

Manufacturing associations, economic development, technology conferences. Premium keynote — $7,500+.

Booking inquiries · speaking@brianlongceo.com

The Company

Specter Aero

Affordable American-made drones — from the Nomad Woop to the Atlas Pro 24″ — built on a modular ecosystem: one fuselage, swappable arms, optics, batteries, and skins. Veteran-owned. Manufactured in Reno, Nevada.

Visit flyspecteraero.com →