Are you up to date with the proposed FAA rulemaking and potential legislation on drones?
Don’t worry, because today’s guest is going to give us the details. Diana Marina Cooper is the Senior Vice President of Policy & Strategy at PrecisionHawk, a commercial drone and data services company. Prior to joining PrecisionHawk, Diana developed and led the UAS and Robotics Practice Group at the law firm of LaBarge Weinstein. Diana is the President of the Small UAV Coalition, an organization that represents leading technology companies engaged in UAS. She serves on the Advisory Board of the Energy Drone Coalition, the Advocacy Committee of AUVSI, and the Board of Unmanned Systems Canada. Diana is also a member of the FAA Drone Advisory Subcommittee. Diana has testified before Senate Commerce and has briefed the House UAS Caucus on drone policy and regulations. She is one of the most knowledgeable people when it comes to UAS policy. On this edition of the Drone Radio Show, Diana talks about Precision Hawk and their efforts to advance Beyond Visual Line of Flight, the Small UAV Coalition, the Remote ID ARC and she’ll give us an update on the status of proposed federal UAS Rulemaking.
Can drones provide value to State and Local Transportation Departments?
That’s the question that we explore in today’s show. Paul Wheeler is part of the Technology Advancement Team at the Utah Dept. of Transportation. There he has served in many roles, including the Lead UAS Coordinator, survey technology advisor, lead of the 3D visualization group, Cadd support specialist, and construction surveyor. He is an instrument rated private pilot and has helped multiple flight schools develop interactive training for their programs and is working to fully implement the UAS program within the Utah Department of Transportation. In this edition of the Drone Radio Show, Paul talks about the efforts and results of using drones to support the mission of a public transportation agency.
Guy Cherni is an entrepreneur and the Chief Marketing Officer for Atlas Dynamics, a Latvian based technology company and leading provider of fully autonomous drone-based solutions for professional users. With its propriety technology, the company creates top tier drone based solutions that are accessible and seamless to use, address common problems and simplify everyday tasks. In August, the company announced it had raised $8 million to introduce its drone solutions into the North American market. In this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Guy talks about Atlas Dynamics and its new Atlas Pro Drone. He’ll also talk about the North American market for drones compared to other world regions and he’ll share with us why the company’s focus on delivering autonomous end-to-end customer solutions is the primary driving force behind the company’s success.
To answer that question, we’re going to need a good analyst. Michael Blades is the Research Director for Frost & Sullivan's Aerospace, Defense, and Security business unit. Frost & Sullivan is a business consulting firm involved in market research and analysis, growth strategy consulting and corporate training across multiple industries. Mike has been with Frost & Sullivan for over six years as a market analyst and growth consultant and has earned a Masters Degree in Aerospace Operations as well as an MBA. In this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Mike talks about some of the current trends shaping the industry and what decision makers need to consider.
To answer that question, we go straight to the top. Allan Evans is CEO at Fat Shark, the world’s leading first person view company for drone racing. If you’re a first person view drone pilot, chances are you’re wearing a Fat Shark headset. In fact, the company boasts that 85% of professional pilots choose Fat Shark FPV headsets. In this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Allan talks about Fat Shark, what’s in store for the company and what users can look forward to as drone racing and drone sports progresses to the next level.
Then you’re going to love what today’s guest has to share. Todd Schlekeway is the Executive Director of the National Association of Tower Erectors or NATE for short. Nate a non-profit trade association providing a unified voice for tower erection, maintenance and service companies and is comprised of approximately 780 member companies. With drones being used to inspect towers, you can bet that NATE members are keenly interested in where the drone industry is headed. In this episode of the Drone Radio show, Todd talks about NATE, the tower industry and how drones are used to improve safety and efficiency across the board.
Are you confused over privacy expectations when flying a drone?
Well today’s guest is sure to provide some much needed clarity in this area. Sally French is a journalist and the blogger behind TheDroneGirl.com. She works full-time as Social Media Editor for MarketWatch and co-hosts a Web series on millennial personal finance for The Wall Street Journal. Sally first got interested in drones while attending the Missouri School of Journalism. Her first drone journalism was a video for NPR in which footage from a drone documents a prairie fire. Her work has been published in major news outlets including CNN, The BBC, Forbes, The Economist, the San Francisco Chronicle and the Orange County Register. In this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Sally talks about privacy concerns, drone news gathering and the future of drone journalism.
Do you have a dream to take your drone and make it big in Hollywood?
Then stay tuned, as today’s guest will share with us how make that dream a reality. Skip Fredricks is an Emmy-winning aerial cinematographer who has pioneered the use of drones in sports, dramas and other shows. He is an FAA drone flight instructor at the Unmanned Vehicle University, creator of Drone TV - the world's first 24/7 all-drone television channel, and he has consulted on drone use for all the major Hollywood studios and networks. Skip has spoken at InterDrone, Drone Dealer Expo and at UCLA's FIlm School, and his work has been featured in Drone 360, Sports Illustrated, Variety and BBC Worldwide. In this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Skip talk about drones in TV and Film and offer insights on breaking into the industry.
Are you wondering how organizations can add drones to their public safety response systems?
Well, hang on, because today’s guest has a wealth of information to share. Romeo Durscher is the Director of Education at DJI, the world’s largest manufacturer of consumer drones. Many public safety organizations have begun to adopt drone technology. As Director of Education, Romeo works closely with many of these agencies to advance the use of drones during life- and property-saving operations. Romeo has also established himself as one of the top aerial panorama photographers in the world, traveling to various locations and capturing some of the most stunning and inspiring views from above. His work has been published in various magazines, newspapers and galleries across the globe. In this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Romeo talks about the use of drones by police and fire agencies. He’ll also give us some tips on taking great aerial images and he’ll share an amazing story of flying DJI drones and broadcasting live on ABC Good Morning America from inside the world largest cave in Vietnam.
Can drones provide an economic benefit in the energy sector?
If you ask today’s guest, he would point to actual use case savings to show that they can. Matt Dunlevy is President, and founder of SkySkopes, an unmanned aircraft systems flight operations company based in Grand Forks, North Dakota. SkySkopes offers infrastructure inspections for the energy industry, using high fidelity imaging services on drones. Matt is here to talk about SkySkopes, the benefits of using drones to inspect energy infrastructure and lessons learned in creating a drone-based energy services company.
Do you know who’s advocating for your use of drones?
If you asked today’s guest, he’d most likely respond with an uncomfortable sigh. Patrick Egan is the editor of the Americas Desk at sUAS News and host and Executive Producer of the sUAS News Podcast Series, Drone TV and the Small Unmanned Systems Business Exposition. He also serves as the Director of Special Programs for the Remote Control Aerial Photography Association. Patrick has spent the last 10+ years working as a proponent for the business use of unmanned aircraft systems. In this edition of the Drone Radio Show, Patrick talks about current efforts to integrate drones into the national airspace, local and federal regulations, the state of the drone industry and he shares his view on who’s really looking out for your interests as a small commercial drone business. The answer may surprise you and it could involve a mirror.
Well, we’re not going to divulge that or give any other spoilers in this episode but we are going to hear from someone who will tell us why we should tune-
in Nick Horbaczewski is the CEO of the Drone Racing League, the premier racing organization combining world class pilots, iconic locations and proprietary technology to create engaging drone racing content with mass appeal. The League was formed in 2015, finished its first successful season in 2016 and is back for what could be its break out year. I interviewed Nick just before the start of the 2016 season, and so much has happened since then. In this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Nick talks about last year, what’s new for this year and how the lessons of the first two years are taking the league to the next level.
Then you’re going to enjoy hearing from today’s guest. Craig Marcinkowski is the Director of Strategy and Business Development for Gryphon Sensors. Gryphon develops commercial sensor systems for the safe integration of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) into the National Airspace System (NAS). Leveraging six decades of expertise in radar and electronic surveillance sensor research and development from parent company SRC Inc., the company provides innovative multi-spectrum solutions in the drone security and UAS integration markets.
Gryphon Sensors is one of the companies working with the FAA on NAS integration. Earlier this year, the company demonstrated "Skylight", a system that integrates a diverse sensor suite to track objects. A wide variety of drones were flown at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport to test the capability of the system to detect, track, classify and display threats. In this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Craig talks about the Skylight System, the demonstration, the work that Gryphon Sensors is doing to safely integrate drones into the national air space, and he’ll give us a glimpse of what’s happening with this critical FAA initiative.
Ever wonder what it would be like to pilot an underwater drone?
Thanks to the efforts of today’s guest, we now have that opportunity. Christine Spiten is the Co-Founder & Chief Global Strategist for Blueye Robotics, a Norwegian based company that seeks to develop and sell the world's finest drone for underwater exploration. The company launched a new product, the Blueye Pioneer, a prosumer personal drone capable of reaching depths of 150 meters and providing an unparalleled user experience. In this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Christine ialks about Blueye Robotics, the new Blueye Pioneer underwater drone and the rewards of exploring, first hand, our oceans and seas.
If you asked today’s guest, he’d have a lot to share. Arthur Holland Michel is founder and editor of the Center for the Study of the Drone at Bard College. The Center examines the novel and complex opportunities and challenges presented by unmanned systems technologies in both the military and civilian sphere. As a freelance writer and editor based in New York City, Arthur has written about unmanned systems, mechanical autonomy, and surveillance. Prior to forming the Center for the Study of the Drone, from 2009 to 2012, he was the director of the Tambo Foundation, a community nonprofit that developed sustainable projects in education, infrastructure, potable water, and health in the Cusco region in southern Peru. Recently, the Center completed a three-part study on drone use and regulations at the local level in the United States. The Drone at Home study examines local regulations, public safety use of drones and drone incidents. Arthur is here to talk about the Center for the Study of the Drone, an interesting class on the Drone Revolution and the findings of the Drone at Home series.
Well before you grab your UAV and rush out the door, you’re going to want hear what today’s guest has to say. Jay Manley is the CEO and owner of Dakota Skyhook, a commercial drone service company in Fargo, North Dakota. Jay also has a long history of search and rescue participation, including actual mission “Finds”. He is a 18-year member of the Civil Air Patrol, with the rank of Lt. Col., has over 600 hours of flying and over 150 actual mission hours of flying. Besides the flying aspects, Jay is also a certified Incident Commander and actively helps train other members in search and rescue activities. He is a Life member of the AMA and has been operating his UAS business for almost a years. Jay is here to talk about Dakota Skyhook, his background in search and rescue and the challenges and opportunities of using drones for search and rescue.
If you ask today’s guest, she would say there are things you can do to stand out above the rest. Cynthia Cauthan is CEO and founder of Transcendence UAS, a professional recruitment firm specializing in securing the most talented professionals and business leaders for the UAS Industry. She has over 15 years of success in information technology, executive management search, client relationship management, business development and project management.
It’s been said that in the next few years, the drone industry will create as many as 100,000 jobs. For most first time job seekers, the typical job search techniques – specialization, training and networking – will suffice. But for those seeking to advance into mid and executive level positions, the competition can be fierce and you may need to differentiate yourself. At the same time, with dynamic changes occurring in this fast paced industry, choosing the right opportunity is paramount to achieving long term success. That’s where Cynthia comes in. On this episode of the Drone Radio show, Cynthia talks about Transcendence, the types of jobs that may be in most demand in the UAS industry and how career seekers can find the right positions that maximize their value.
If we ask today guest, he would say that’s where the opportunities lie. Bjorn Forsdal is the President of Robot Aviation USA, an international company based in Norway. Robot aviation develops and produces unmanned aircraft systems designed to deliver a working solution for the end user. Their systems will typically be used in inspecting, monitoring, surveying and helping search and rescue operations. In 2016, Robot Aviation established its US base of operations in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Bjorn is here to talk about Robot Aviation, its products, autonomous and beyond line of flight operations and why the company decided to locate in Grand Forks. We’ll also hear from Brian Opp, Manager of Aviation Business Development at the North Dakota Department of Commerce who will give us some insights into why the North Dakota UAS economy is attractive to foreign investment by companies like Robot Aviation.
Terry Sando is the Director of UAS Sector Development at the Grand Forks Region Economic Development Corporation. The Grand Forks EDC promotes economic development in the Northeast North Dakota region, working to establish new wealth and job growth for the City and County of Grand Forks and outlying regional communities. Among the leading industries that the EDC targets is the Unmanned Industry. In this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Terry talks about the efforts of the Grand Forks EDC to encourage and support the growth and formation of UAS companies and offers lessons to other economic development professionals on how to nurture this fast growing industry in their regions.
Today's guest says we already have. Alex Caccia is a serial entrepreneur, with start-ups in hardware and software, as well as sports equipment. He is also the CEO of Animal Dynamics, a spinout company from the Department of Zoology at Oxford University. Animal Dynamics is setting out to develop a portfolio of products derived from research into evolutionary adaptions in flight, swimming, walking, based on the fundamentals mechanisms of high-performance animals. Their current project, the Skeeter Drone, is micro droned with flapping wings like a dragon fly. In this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Alex talks about Animal Dynamics, the science behind looking at high performance animals, the Skeeter Drone, and the role of university based research in launching new technologies.
The View From The Great Plains
In this third segment of Stories of the Drone, we travel to the Great Plains, to the town of Mandan, North Dakota to talk with Marlo Anderson. Marlo, also known as the "Guru of Geek", is the host of the Tech Ranch, a weekly radio program featuring technology for everyday use. He is also co-founder of Zoovio, Inc., Awesome 2 Products and NationalDayCalendar.com.
Marlo is actively involved in promoting unmanned and robotics technology in North Dakota. In this edition of the Drone Radio Show, Marlo talks about his Tech Ranch radio show, how drones are viewed in the Great Plains, the origin of 1 Million Cups and its impact on the drone industry, the efforts to create an Autonomous Friendly Corridor and his latest venture, the National Day Calandar. We’ll also talk a little about Drone Focus 2017 which begins on May 31st, which coincidently is also marked as National Autonomous Vehicle Day.
Todd Wahl is the President of Multi GP, the premier FPV racing league uniting pilots across the globe in casual and competitive events. Todd is a lifelong entrepreneur and technologist who sold his technology consulting company to focus fulltime on growing Multi GP’s FPV Sports offerings. He has been involved in drone racing for years, having organized and managed Atlanta’s Drone Racing Club and working to involve people at all levels of the sport. In this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Todd talks about Multi GP, the current state of drone racing, the Multi GP Drone Championship and how drone racing could very well become the next organized college sports sensation.
Can We Really Have an Impact?
David Rovira is the Regional Manager SensFly, a drone manufacture and services company based in Switzerland. He is also the director of Drone Adventures, a non-profit organization comprised of SenseFly employees who banded to make a difference. Their goal is to demonstrate and promote the great potential of drones to protect our planet and support local communities. On this episode of the Drone Radio Show, David talks about Drone Adventures, how it was formed, some of the missions that have been undertaken and how a group of like-minded employees are using their passion for drones to make a difference in the lives of people and communities across the globe.
For that question, we turn to Brigham A. McCown, Chairman and Founder of the Alliance for Innovation and Infrastructure. AII is an independent, national, educational organization dedicated to identifying our nation’s infrastructure needs, creating awareness of those needs and developing public-private partnerships to address those issues. Their goal is to create higher standards by promoting innovative technologies and safer outcomes for national infrastructure projects.
Brigham has more than 28 years of executive management, legal, and operational experience at the local, national, and international levels of government. In addition to serving as the Chairman of the Alliance for Innovation and Infrastructure, he also serves as the Chairman and CEO of Nouveau Inc. and is a Managing Shareholder of Kilgore / McCown, PLLC. He’s a former senior executive at the United States Department of Transportation, and current entrepreneur and philanthropist. We’re fortunate to have him with us today. Drones have surfaced on the Alliance’s radar as a promising innovative technology and because of the potential to support our country’s infrastructure goals. On this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Brigham talks about the Alliance for Innovation and Infrastructure, it’s mission and objectives and how drones fit into the overall agenda.
What Do We Need To Know about Drone Security?
Michael Monnik is a cyber security consultant and founder of DroneSec a drone-security service. Michael has built a successful career in helping clients secure their networks. Over the past few years, his interest in internet security led him to drones. In this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Michael talks about the drone security sector, the risks to our systems, mitigation options and what we all need to know about drone security. He’ll also introduce us to a new podcast that he’s producing on drone security that will explore these concepts in greater detail.