A mystery man from Delaware is using a drone to deliver cash to unsuspecting residents as part of an unusual mission to spread positivity.
The Wilmington native, who has chosen to remain anonymous, works in IT during the day.
But at night—and sometimes during his lunch break—he takes to the skies, hoping to brighten the day of people across Delaware before eventually expanding the effort beyond the state.
The man, who goes by 302 Cashcopter online, uses his drone to fly around various cities, where he’ll find a random person to drop $20 on.
Each bundle of money comes with his business card, which reads: “You caught today’s drop. Cash inside – it’s yours.”
“I don’t really want it to be about me,” he told the Daily Mail, explaining why he has remained anonymous. “I’m not really important.
“Hopefully, [the cash drop] inspires people to be more kind to each other and spread kindness in their own way.”
He launched the initiative just weeks ago, following a wave of negative headlines about Wilmington and increasingly hostile conversations online. His goal was to give people a reason to smile and help restore their faith in the community.
An anonymous Wilmington native has been using a drone to drop cash for random people for about a month, he told the Daily Mail. Pictured: Two girls delighted by one of the gifts
The IT professional searches for people across Delaware and drops at least $20 to them. “It’s exciting knowing that I’m going to hopefully bring some joy to somebody’s day,” he said
“It’s exciting knowing that I’m going to hopefully bring some joy to somebody’s day,” he told the Daily Mail.
“Most receptions are positive, so it’s always cool. Every drop tells its own story.”
Recently, Deserae Raphael and Dan Swezey were spending time at the Wilmington Riverfront after lunch when the drone selected them for a surprise delivery.
Raphael told Delaware Online that she noticed the drone hovering nearby. It moved up and down, appearing to wave hello.
The drone soon released a rolled-up bundle of cash. Raphael, who is Swezey’s caregiver, was too suspicious to retrieve it, but Swezey’s curiosity got the better of him.
His decision paid off: the bundle contained $100.
“Oh, my God, it is money!” Raphael shouted.
The $100 prize was far more than the Wilmington man typically gives away. It was one of his sponsored drops, funded by someone who donates $100 and can include a personalized message.
Deserae Raphael and Dan Swezey were relaxing at the Wilmington Riverfront after lunch when they became the recipients of a cash drop
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Raphael hesitated before picking up the bundle, while Swezey was eager to investigate. The pair ultimately received $100 through a sponsored drop
“Tough times don’t last, but tough people do!” wrote Jade Aniko, who sponsored the drop. “Sending you love today. Wave to the Cash Copter pilot.”
A video posted to the Cashcopter’s social media pages showed the caregiver and her patient waving back as she held onto the prize.
The pair went on to split the $100.
When he first started the drops roughly a month ago, the cash prize was merely $1 as he tested his model. It then went up to $5 and $10, and eventually the now-usual $20.
In the beginning, it was mainly the IT worker’s own cash that he used to drop, but now he has started a Drop Fund, where the public can donate money toward future ones.
Right now, he has around $275 in the Drop Fund, with $200 of it being sponsored funds, he told the Daily Mail.
In total, he believes he’s dropped around $800 since the start of the project, with roughly 30 drops so far. He said he does not make a profit off the project.
And each recipient is random. Some days it’s the first person he sees wearing a blue shirt. Other days it’s someone who just simply waved at the drone.
The two girls were suspicious at first before realizing it was money. ‘I try to make it as randomized as possible, so that anyone has a chance to get a drop regardless of where you are and when,’ the man told the Daily Mail
‘Most receptions are positive, so it’s always cool. Every drop tells its own story,’ the man told the Daily Mail
‘I try to make it as randomized as possible, so that anyone has a chance to get a drop regardless of where you are and when,’ he said.
And luckily, he hasn’t had the cops called on him yet. However, due to Federal Aviation Administration rules, he does have to remain within sight of the drone.
Right now, the drops are contained mainly to Northern Delaware, but the IT professional is trying to get farther downstate.
He’s been to Wilmington, Dover, Newark and more.
He hopes to hit nearby states too, or to see other people across the country do the same.
For now, though, Delaware residents should continue to look up. The sky might rain money after all.