Precision Valley Soars Again: Springfield's Drone Revolution Redefines Ag-Tech with 40-Gallon Sky Giants
The Black River Innovation Campus (BRIC) has worked to reestablish Springfield as a rural innovation hub. The arrival of Ceres Air and ImageTek’s expansion demonstrate this strategy is working.
A Manufacturing Renaissance Takes Flight
Springfield, Vermont has welcomed a new partnership that signals a potential turning point for the historic manufacturing town. ImageTek Manufacturing, a 30-year fixture in the community, has joined forces with Ceres Air, a new American drone manufacturer, to produce advanced agricultural spraying drones in the heart of what was once known as “Precision Valley.”
The partnership has already moved beyond announcements. A grand opening for the new production facility has taken place, and ImageTek has expanded into a second 35,000-square-foot facility at 36 Precision Drive in North Springfield, with plans to create 50 new jobs.
Why Springfield? The Precision Valley Legacy
Springfield’s selection for this venture is no accident. The town sits at the center of Vermont’s historic “Precision Valley,” a region along the Connecticut River that earned worldwide recognition for precision manufacturing, particularly machine tools—the machines that make other machines.
For much of the 20th century, Springfield was arguably Vermont’s “first tech hub,” a white-collar community of engineers that boasted the highest per-capita income in the state. The town’s precision manufacturing base was so critical to the Allied effort in World War II that, according to local accounts, it ranked seventh on Adolf Hitler’s list of American cities to bomb.
The collapse of the machine tool industry in subsequent decades, marked by the closure of giants like Jones & Lamson, brought economic hardship. The ImageTek-Ceres Air partnership represents an evolution of that precision manufacturing legacy—not a return to mechanical lathes, but a pivot to advanced electronics, robotics, and aerospace technology.
The Partners: Who’s Building What
ImageTek Manufacturing: More Than Meets the Eye
While many Vermonters may know ImageTek for its label division, which produces durable labels for harsh environments, the company’s core capability lies elsewhere. ImageTek operates as an ISO-certified contract manufacturer specializing in printed circuit boards (PCBs), wire assemblies, and complete electromechanical assembly services, including surface mount technology and functional testing.
In August 2024, ImageTek was acquired by an international conglomerate after a 15-month process, injecting new capital and setting the stage for growth. The July 2025 expansion announcement, described as the culmination of work over the past year, appears strategically timed with the drone partnership.
The expansion is supported by multiple state and local incentives, including the Vermont Employment Growth Incentive (VEGI), a Green Mountain Power Economic Development Incentive, and a Vermont Training Program award.
Ceres Air: The New American Manufacturer
Ceres Air should not be confused with other companies using similar names, such as Ceres AI (an Oakland-based agricultural data company) or Ceres Power (a UK energy technology firm). The Ceres Air partnering with ImageTek is a new American manufacturer focused specifically on building large-scale agricultural spraying drones.
The company’s flagship product is the “Black Betty,” which it describes as a “gigantic” drone designed for commercial agriculture. Ceres Air has committed to American manufacturing for critical components, specifically highlighting that its drones will feature American-made flight controllers, electronic speed controllers, and PCBs—precisely the components ImageTek specializes in producing.
The Strategic Match
This partnership is built on a precise manufacturing alignment. ImageTek’s three decades of experience producing electronics for harsh environments—land, air, and sea applications—makes it an ideal supplier for agricultural drone components. Agriculture exposes sensitive electronics to chemicals, pesticides, extreme temperatures, and high vibration, requiring specialized, ruggedized electronics.
For Ceres Air, this alliance secures a domestic, high-quality supply chain for mission-critical components. For ImageTek, it provides a high-volume contract in the growing aerospace sector that justifies its expansion and new jobs.
The Technology: Understanding the “Black Betty”
The drones being built in Springfield represent a new class of agricultural equipment. The Black Betty Stacked model features specifications that set it apart from typical agricultural drones:
Size and Capacity:
Total lift capacity of 397 pounds
40-gallon liquid tank (approximately 151 liters)
Powered by coaxial dual rotors with 70-inch carbon fiber propellers generating 375 pounds of single-axis thrust
To put this in perspective, the popular DJI Agras T40 carries a 40-liter tank—about 10.5 gallons. The Black Betty’s 40-gallon capacity gives it nearly four times the payload, moving it from a tactical tool to one capable of covering vast acreage efficiently.
Advanced Features:
The drone combines multiple sophisticated systems:
Dual sensor suite: Next-generation LiDAR creates detailed 3D maps of terrain and crops, while 360-degree millimeter-wave radar detects obstacles like power lines and can see through chemical spray mist
Precision spraying: An 11-gallon-per-minute pump feeds four atomizing centrifugal nozzles, with dual electromagnetic flow meters providing real-time monitoring for variable-rate application
Rapid recharge cycle: Dual intelligent flight batteries can charge from 25% to 95% in just 10 minutes using a 12,000-watt charger, matching the time needed to refill the chemical tank
This “hot-pit” workflow—similar to pit stops in auto racing—allows near-continuous operation, maximizing productivity.
The Jobs: What 50 New Positions Really Means
The 50 new jobs promised by the expansion come with important quality guarantees. The Vermont Employment Growth Incentive program is performance-based, requiring ImageTek to meet annual targets for job creation and payroll before receiving incentive payments.
Critically, VEGI-qualifying jobs must be full-time, permanent positions earning wages above a threshold set at 140% or 160% of the state minimum wage, depending on region. In 2024, this qualifying wage reached as high as $45,494. This means the new positions—likely including engineers, skilled technicians, and advanced manufacturing operators—are guaranteed to be high-quality, well-paying jobs rather than temporary or low-wage positions.
Bob Flint, Executive Director of the Springfield Regional Development Corporation, stated the expansion will “position the company for significant growth.” ImageTek President Marji Smith cited “new opportunities ahead” as the driver for expansion.
Vermont Agriculture Meets Advanced Technology
While the Black Betty is designed for large-scale farms, its precision capabilities address specific Vermont agricultural challenges:
Dairy and Water Quality: Vermont’s dairy farms face regulatory pressure to protect waterways, particularly Lake Champloon. Precision spraying can execute nutrient management plans with surgical accuracy, applying fertilizer only where needed and keeping it away from sensitive buffer zones.
Orchards and Terrain: Vermont’s hilly terrain and specialty crops like apple orchards benefit from drone technology that can map complex 3D canopies and apply targeted spray only where needed, dramatically reducing chemical waste.
Disease Detection and Response: Research at UVM and UNH shows drones can spot crop diseases weeks before they’re visible to the naked eye. The Black Betty can then act on that data, applying treatments with precision.
Labor Efficiency: In Vermont’s tight agricultural labor market, automation helps farmers cover more ground, access marshy or hard-to-reach areas, and work more efficiently.
Navigating Federal Regulations
Farmers cannot simply purchase and operate these drones. Any drone weighing 55 pounds or more requires extensive FAA certification:
Part 47 Registration: The drone must be registered like a manned aircraft, receiving an official N-Number
Part 137 Agricultural Aircraft Operator Certificate: Required for any aircraft dispensing chemicals, this certification applies to the operating company and requires detailed operational plans
Section 44807 Exemption: Operators must petition the FAA with data proving the aircraft is reliable and safe
This regulatory complexity means the market for these drones will be professional agricultural service companies and certified custom applicators rather than individual farmers, ensuring trained aviation professionals operate the equipment.
The National Context: American-Made in a Global Market
The timing of this Springfield partnership carries national significance. The agricultural drone market is currently dominated by Chinese manufacturer DJI. However, ongoing efforts in Congress and federal agencies aim to restrict or ban Chinese-made drones over data security concerns, particularly for critical infrastructure sectors like agriculture.
By building drones with American-made electronics in a secure U.S. facility, Ceres Air positions itself to capture a domestic market actively seeking to “on-shore” critical agricultural technology. The Black Betty’s Vermont production could become its greatest competitive advantage.
Springfield’s Broader Revival Strategy
This partnership validates a years-long community strategy to build a new tech ecosystem. The Black River Innovation Campus (BRIC) has worked to “lift up a once economically vibrant community” and establish Springfield as a rural innovation hub. The arrival of Ceres Air and ImageTek’s expansion demonstrate this strategy is working.
The partnership also pulls Springfield into Vermont’s substantial aerospace sector. The state has a $2 billion aerospace manufacturing and civil aviation industry, with an average wage in the aerospace and defense sector of $96,228. By joining this high-wage, high-tech cluster alongside companies like General Dynamics and Collins Aerospace, Springfield reinforces its position in what’s been called the “VT-QC Aerospace Trade Corridor.”
What Happens Next
The immediate future involves ramping up production at the new North Springfield facility and filling the 50 new positions. ImageTek must meet its VEGI performance targets for job creation and payroll to receive state incentive payments, creating accountability for delivering on promises.
For Ceres Air, the challenge will be scaling production while helping customers navigate the complex FAA certification process. The company will need to build not just drones but also the support infrastructure—training, certification assistance, and service networks—required for professional operators.
For Springfield, success will be measured in sustained employment, additional spin-off businesses, and continued attraction of advanced manufacturing. The partnership’s long-term impact depends on whether it can anchor a new industrial ecosystem the way machine tool manufacturers once did.
The broader Vermont agricultural community will be watching to see whether this technology delivers on its promise of precision, efficiency, and environmental protection—and whether American-made alternatives can successfully compete in a market long dominated by foreign manufacturers.
For a town that spent decades recovering from the loss of its industrial base, the sight of advanced autonomous drones being assembled at 36 Precision Drive represents more than economic development. It’s validation that Springfield’s legacy of precision—the deep, generational knowledge that made Precision Valley famous—remains relevant and valuable in the 21st century. The machines may have changed from mechanical to digital, from lathes to circuit boards, from machine tools to flying robots, but the core principle endures: Springfield builds things that must work perfectly, every time.
This article is based on public information about ImageTek Manufacturing’s expansion and partnership with Ceres Air as of November 2025.