Drone Radio Show: Recent Episodes
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Mathieu Johnsson is CEO and Founder of Marble, a drone services company in England that provides maritime monitoring using fleets of high speed drones. The drones are used to monitor coastal areas for illegal fishing, drug trafficking, and human trafficking, providing real time data to suit clients needs.
Mathieu Johnsson’s passion for aerospace began in childhood, influenced by his family of aviators and skydivers. During his aerospace engineering studies, Mat focused intensely on the future of aviation, from flying wings to hydrogen aircraft, often prioritizing personal projects over formal lectures. His dedication continued into his professional career at Airbus, where he converted his workshop into a makeshift bedroom to devote more time to building aircraft. His innovative work on 3D printing drones led him to a role in Airbus’s secretive “Future Projects Office.” Eventually, Mat’s ambition to drive change led him to found Marble, where for the past eight years, his company has been developing technology to deploy drones at sea on a large scale.
In this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Mat talks about Marble and the use of drones to monitor coastal areas for a variety of marine situations.
The post Drones Over Water: Marble’s Quest To Transform Coastal Monitoring appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
Keenan Wyrobek is co-founder and head of product and engineering at Zipline. Zipline is the world’s first drone delivery service whose focus is delivering life-saving medicine to the most difficult to reach places on earth. The company designs, manufactures and operates the world’s largest autonomous logistics system. Used every day by businesses, governments and consumers, Zipline’s fully electric and autonomous drones reduce delivery emissions by up to 97% compared to gas cars. It has flown more than 70 million autonomous miles, and has delivered millions of items including more than 15 million vaccine doses.
Prior to Zipline, Keenan was a co-founder and director of the Personal Robotics Program at Willow Garage. He was involved in launching and growing the Robot Operating System (ROS) and shipping PR2, the first personal robot for software R&D. Keenan has spent years delivering high tech products to market across a range of fields including consumer electronics, sportswear, and medical robotics.
Joining Keenan in this podcast is Juan Albanell, Head of System Engineering, where he has led engineering efforts to scale up Platform 1 across the world and is now focused on getting Platform 2 from prototype to first customer releases. Prior to Zipline, Juan led a small team at Apple working on taking emerging sensing and display technologies from lab bench to automated production lines. He has dedicated his engineering career on taking early stage concepts to reliable customer products through a focus on test and automation.
In this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Keenan and Juan talk about Zipline, its long-distance Platform 1 delivery service and the company’s plans to scale short-distance Platform 2 home delivery services.
Mentioned Links
Zipline (www.flyzipline.com)
The post Flying Forward: Zipline and the Future of Drone Deliveries appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
In an era where drones are becoming increasingly ubiquitous, the need for effective counter-drone technologies has never been more critical. D-Fend Solutions, a pioneering force in the realm of drone defense, is leading the charge with its innovative approach to mitigating drone threats. In my recent episode of the Drone Radio Show Podcast, Jeffrey Starr, Chief Marketing Officer at D-Fend Solutions, shared insights into how the company is shaping the future of drone security.
Unlike traditional countermeasures that rely on electronic jamming or kinetic force, D-Fend Solutions employs a unique technology that detects and takes control of rogue drones, landing them safely in a predefined area. This method not only ensures public safety but also minimizes the risk of collateral damage, setting a new standard in drone threat management.
D-Fend Solutions’ core offering, Enforce Air, exemplifies the company’s commitment to providing a non-disruptive solution to drone threats. With hundreds of deployments across nearly 30 countries, the technology has been entrusted to protect large-scale global events and sensitive environments, underscoring its reliability and effectiveness.
The company’s vision extends beyond merely countering drone threats; it aims to foster a drone-powered society where the benefits of drone technology can be fully realized without the looming shadow of rogue drones. This pro-drone stance is reflected in D-Fend Solutions’ efforts to develop precise, surgical solutions that defend against the minority of rogue drone threats, thereby enabling the majority of beneficial drones to continue their missions unimpeded.
Jeffrey Starr highlighted the importance of staying ahead of the curve in developing countermeasures against the rapidly evolving drone technology. D-Fend Solutions’ advanced R&D team is dedicated to studying not just current but also emerging drone threats, ensuring that their countermeasures remain effective against both the latest and legacy drones.
The company’s technology is adaptable to a variety of settings, from permanent installations at critical infrastructure sites to mobile versions for on-the-go protection. This flexibility, combined with the constant updates to counter new drone threats, makes D-Fend Solutions a leader in the field.
Regulatory compliance is another critical aspect of drone defense. D-Fend Solutions navigates the complex regulatory environment to deliver its solutions globally, adhering to the specific regulations and requirements of each country and sector. This meticulous approach ensures that their technologies can be deployed effectively and legally worldwide.
Looking to the future, D-Fend Solutions continues to innovate, with recent advancements including more powerful and compact versions of their technology. The company is also exploring new functionalities and broader coverage to counter drone threats more effectively.
In conclusion, D-Fend Solutions is not just responding to the challenges posed by rogue drones; it is redefining the landscape of drone defense. By prioritizing safety, precision, and regulatory compliance, the company is enabling a safer, drone-powered society. As drones continue to play a more significant role in our lives, the work of D-Fend Solutions will undoubtedly become even more vital, ensuring that the skies remain safe for everyone.
For more information on D-Fend Solutions and their innovative approach to drone defense, visit their website (at https://d-fendsolutions.com/) and explore the Drone Incident and Attack Tracker for the latest updates on drone threats.
This tool aggregates global drone-related incidents, offering insights into the evolving landscape of drone threats. It categorizes data by various factors, including location and type, aiding organizations in understanding and addressing these challenges. The Drone Incident and Attack Tracker is invaluable for enhancing security measures and public safety in the face of increasing drone misuse.
[ChatGPT was used in the preparation of this article]
The post Revolutionizing Drone Defense: The D-Fend Solutions Approach appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
George Matus is CEO and founder of Teal Drones, a trailblazing U.S. company at the forefront of innovative drone technology for both commercial and military applications. With advancements in air control, data processing, and mapping technologies, Teal is revolutionizing operations for the military, public safety, and various commercial sectors. Its flagship Teal 2 Drone is a model of security, intelligence, and high performance that meets the stringent standards of the U.S. defense industry.
George started Teal Drones in 2014 when he was only a sophomore in high school. By 2023, he was named CTO of Red Cat Holdings, the parent company of Teal Drones. Red Cat is an end-to-end drone solutions company based in the United States that is accelerating the future of aerial robotics to transform the way we live and work.
In Episode 412, I interviewed Michael Robbins, Chief Advocacy Officer at the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International or AUVSI. In that podcast, we explored the importance of U.S. competitiveness in the drone industry. In this episode of the Drone Radio Show, builds on this theme by highlighting the ascent of Teal Drones as a manufacturing leader and sheds light on the expanding opportunities for American drone companies in the global market.
The post The Rise of American Drone Makers: Leading the Global Market appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
Jeffrey Starr is Chief Marketing Officer at D-Fend Solutions. D-Fend Solutions is the leading global provider of cyber-takeover, counter-drone solutions for sensitive and challenging environments. By focusing on the acute drone threat, their technology enables organizations around the world to maintain full control, safety, and continuity during rogue drone incidents across complex and sensitive environments and be prepared for future threats. The company’s core offering, called EnforceAir, automatically executes radio frequency cyber-takeovers of rogue drones for safe landings and safe outcomes.
Jeffery brings a track record of generating revenue and building market leadership through visionary business strategies. Prior to joining D-Fend Solutions, Jeffrey served as CMO and in executive roles at AlgoSec, Cellebrite, Verisk 3E, Magic Software Enterprises and Amdocs. Jeffrey also served as General Partner at Mission Ventures VC fund and as an Analyst at Booz Allen.
In this edition of the Drone Radio Show, Jeffrey talks about D-Fend Solutions and ways the company is helping organizations throughout the world create safer skies by controlling dangerous drone situations.
The post Controlling The Drone appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
Rob Harvey is Executive Chairman and Cofounder of For the Win Robotics. For The Win Robotics fosters critical thinking and lifelong curiosity through the power of experiential STEM and computer science education. With its Build – Fly – Code program, the company has developed an innovative education system offering educators new professional development opportunities while making STEM and computer science education fun for learners. For The Win Robotics is currently used in more than 1,000 schools across the United States. By promoting collaboration, critical thinking and curiosity, For The Win is building essential skills that today’s students need to become the workforce of the future. Rob is a visionary brand builder with more than 20 years of experience elevating unique voices and guiding industry leaders to new technologies. As an executive within the music industry, he defined mainstream culture by breaking 50 #1 songs and promoting artists like Taylor Swift, The Weeknd, Drake, and Eminem.
He held influential positions at two major record labels before transitioning to Spotify, where he leveraged real-time data, consumer insights, and customer feedback to champion new business models and elevate brands globally. In the process, Rob helped redefine the record industry as we know it today.
Rob’s ability to amplify brands and identify gaps in the market led him to pivot to education, where he recognized a need for better STEM and computer science-based education technology. As executive chairman, CEO and cofounder of For The Wine Robotics, he pioneered the Build – Fly – Code program and released a first-of-its-kind curriculum to schools across the United States.
In 2023, For The Win unveiled Hopper, its newest drone, designed for hands-on learning and revolutionizing STEM education by providing the tools to make coding, robotics, and engineering fun and accessible for students.
Developed by a team of aerospace, education and technology experts, Hopper represents the evolution of FTW’s Build | Fly | Code program. Hopper’s robust, reusable hardware and software is built around a closed, secure system. The drone, powered by a dual-core processor for communication and flight control, features a lens for advanced computer vision technology, including infrared and color capabilities, allowing for Wi-Fi-driven, real-time data and image information transmission. Validated through 889 Compliance, Hopper empowers educators to expand future-additional and hands-on STEM learning to all learners, including underserved communities and students of all abilities.
In this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Rob talks about For The Win Robotics, the Hopper Drone and how new drone technology is enhancing STEM Education.
Mentioned Links
For The Win Robotics (www.ftw-robotics.com)
The post Innovating Education with New Generation Drones appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
Reference document answers frequently asked questions about the newly enforceable rule requiring all drones to be equipped with RID broadcast capabilities
WASHINGTON, D.C., March 18, 2024 — The Commercial Drone Alliance (CDA), an independent non-profit organization led by key members of the commercial drone industry, and the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI), the world’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of uncrewed systems and robotics, has released a reference document providing guidance to the commercial drone industry on staying compliant with the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) UAS Remote Identification (RID) Rule.
The FAA’s discretionary non-enforcement policy for drone operators attempting to comply with the RID Rule’s operating requirements, but were unable to do so, expired on March 16, 2024. A similar non-enforcement policy applicable to the RID Rule’s manufacturer requirements expired in December, 2022. The RID Rule is now fully in effect and both manufacturers and operators should expect to see increased FAA enforcement of the Rule’s requirements.
RID is a digital license plate for drones and enables a drone in flight to broadcast identification and location information that can be received by other parties in the vicinity of where the drone is operating. Requirements for RID are set forth in Part 89 of the Federal Aviation Regulations and provides the FAA, law enforcement, and other federal agencies with a means to distinguish authorized drone operations from unauthorized drone operations that may present a safety or security threat.
“Addressing safety and security is necessary in order to achieve scaled commercial drone operations,” emphasized Lisa Ellman, Executive Director of the CDA. ” Ultimately, industry RID rule compliance will enable communities across the United States to fully realize the safety, security, sustainability, public health, and equity benefits of drone technology.”The newly released document answers frequently asked questions surrounding the RID Rule and shares important information for both operators and manufacturers.
“Remote ID harmonizes the needs of UAS operators and law enforcement stakeholders, and compliance is absolutely necessary for the secure and scalable integration of UAS into the airspace,” said Michael Robbins, Chief Advocacy Officer at AUVSI. “By providing a resource that addresses our community’s questions around the rule, our aim is to support widespread commercial drone operations and the benefits they bring to the communities where they operate.”The full UAS Remote Identification FAQ document can be found here.
The post AUVSI and Commercial Drone Alliance Release Guidance on the FAA UAS Remote Identification Rule appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
Basking Ridge, N.J., March 11, 2024
Today, the Verizon Frontline Crisis Response Team announced it has started incorporating the Skydio X10 as its primary operational drone.
“The X10 is an AI-enabled drone capable of providing our team with enhanced capabilities, including full or partial autonomous flight,” said Chris Sanders, a senior manager for the Verizon Frontline Crisis Response Team. “It will allow us to stream video to the agencies we fly for by sharing a link, which means that anyone in the organization will be able to see the stream, and it makes it easier for us because there’s less equipment needed to operate the drone. This aircraft modernizes our fleet and helps take us to the next level of capabilities while giving us flexibility for the future.”
The X10, which will replace a number of the Verizon Frontline Crisis Response Team’s current drones, is an advanced small uncrewed aircraft system, or sUAS, that can be used for a multitude of operations, including search and rescue missions, thermal mapping and overall situational awareness during a crisis. It is capable of powering up in less than 40 seconds. The drone can reach a max flight speed of 45 miles per hour and has 40-minute flight time.
The main payload is a sensor package consisting of multiple cameras, including telephoto, narrow, and radiometric thermal cameras for use in low light environments. Additionally, the Skydio X10 is the only drone on the market with NightSense, enabling autonomous flight, including obstacle avoidance, in zero light conditions. This helps ensure that crisis response can continue uninterrupted 24 hours a day.
“Skydio is proud to support the important work of the Verizon Frontline Crisis Response Team,” said Callan Carpenter, Chief Revenue Officer at Skydio. “We designed the X10 to be the most advanced autonomous drone ever and it’s incredible – even humbling – to see it in the hands of the Verizon Frontline team and being used to help first responders when it matters most. Crisis situations are extreme environments and Skydio is proud to be a part of the technology foundation that enables them to stay connected to answer the call when lives are on the line.”
“Ensuring our teams are outfitted with cutting-edge technology solutions which we can rapidly deploy in support of our public safety partners is one of the many ways we demonstrate our lasting commitment to supporting first responders,” said Cory Davis, vice president of Verizon Frontline. “This addition to our drone fleet will only enhance the overall best-in-class capabilities of our Verizon Frontline Crisis Response Team, and help ensure our team can continue to deliver the advanced network, capabilities and support that 37,000 public safety agencies across the nation trust Verizon Frontline to provide.”
The Verizon Frontline Crisis Response Team provides on-demand, emergency assistance during crisis situations to government agencies and emergency responders, at no cost to the supported agencies, on a 24/7 basis. Verizon Frontline Crisis Response Team members set up portable cell sites, Wi-Fi hotspots, charging stations and other Verizon Frontline devices and solutions that enable communications and/or boost network performance.
Verizon Frontline is the advanced network and technology built for first responders – developed over three decades of partnership with public safety officials and agencies on the front lines – to meet their unique and evolving needs.
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) was formed on June 30, 2000 and is one of the world’s leading providers of technology and communications services. Headquartered in New York City and with a presence around the world, Verizon generated revenues of $134.0 billion in 2023. The company offers data, video and voice services and solutions on its award-winning networks and platforms, delivering on customers’ demand for mobility, reliable network connectivity, security and control.
VERIZON’S ONLINE MEDIA CENTER: News releases, stories, media contacts and other resources are available at verizon.com/news. News releases are also available through an RSS feed. To subscribe, visit www.verizon.com/about/rss-feeds/.
The post Verizon Frontline Crisis Response Team soars with Skydio X10 drone appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
Amit Ganjoo is a serial entrepreneur and Founder and CEO of ANRA Technologies. ANRA Technologies is an Award Winning Drone Operations and UAS Traffic Managment Platform provider based in Washington DC. The company’s platform is used by multiple commercial and government entities for running and managing commercial drone operations.
As advance air mobility efforts accelerate and the use of air taxis become a reality, vertiport design and operation is of paramount concern, especially when considering scaling up to meet service demands across many cities and regions. ANRA Technologies is at the forefront of this discussion. Their innovative Vertiport Management System integrates disparate data into a single platform to seamlessly manage the integration and operation of a vertiport.
Amit has over 20 years of aviation, telecom and wireless experience in both the federal and the commercial space. He is an engineer, a licensed pilot, following a lifelong passion in aviation and builds experimental aircrafts.
Until December 2016, he acted as the co-chair for FCC’s Technical Advisory Council (TAC) for 5G and IoT, which included ground and airborne autonomous vehicles. He was the Director of Engineering at and Principal Architect at Ericsson, providing telecom solutions to commercial customers and Federal Government, where he was the recipient of the Athena Award. He was also the Founder and CEO of a Mobile Marketing company from which he had a successful exit in 2009.
Amit is also an adjunct professor at the George Mason University and shares his passion for engineering by teaching in the School of Engineering and volunteers at a local Maker Space in the D.C. area.
In this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Amit talks about ANRA Technologies’ Vertiport Management System and how it will help local communities and AAM providers scale up to meet demand.
Mentioned Links:
ANRA Technologies (www.anratechnologies.com)
The post How Can Vertiports Help to Scale the Operation of Air Taxis? appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
Louisa Smith is Chief Aviation Officer at Apian, a healthcare logistics company founded by a team of National Health Service doctors in the United Kingdom. The Apian platform integrates both healthcare and aviation systems, creating a fully autonomous, on-demand delivery system that improves patient health outcomes and staff well-being. The autonomous drone delivery service will provide timely access to prescriptions, wound care, and other frequently needed medical products. In the long term, this could allow healthcare providers to reduce the number of canceled procedures, and thus decrease wait times.
Before joinging Apian, Louisa was the Head of Research and Development at National Air Traffic Service and a former Military Air Traffic Control Officer, she is now bringing her aviation knowledge and experience to Healthcare.
In this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Louisa talks about the efforts of Apian to develop drone delivery services for the National Health Service in the United Kingdom.
The post Drones Serving England’s Health Care Network appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
Eric Allison is Chief Product Officer at Joby Aviation. Joby builds quiet, all-electric aircraft to connect people like never before. With up to 150 miles of range and the ability to take off and land vertically, the Joby aircraft will change the way people move while reducing the acoustic and climate footprint of flight. Their long-term vision is to build a global passenger service that helps the world connect with the people and places that matter most, while helping to protect our precious planet. As well as strategic partnerships with Toyota, Delta, Uber, and many more, Joby has a team of more than 1400 engineers and experts working to bring aerial ridesharing to our skies.
Prior to joining Joby, Eric led the Elevate team at Uber, developing software tools that built on more than a decade of experience enabling on-demand mobility. His experience in aerospace research, electric propulsion, energy storage, vehicle autonomy, and composite structures led him to the CEO position at Zee Aero, where he spearheaded the development of Cora, an autonomous air taxi vehicle. Eric holds a PhD in Ae ronautics and Astronautics from Stanford, an MS in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Stanford, and a BS from the Milwaukee School of Engineering.
In this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Eric talks about Joby Aviation, their revolutionary EVTOL Air Taxi and the not-too-distant future of urban air mobility.
Mentioned Links
Joby Aviation (www.jobyaviation.com)
The post How Close Are We to Hailing an Electric Air Taxi? appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
Toni Drummond, President US of Titan Aviation, talks advance airflight, the challenges and opportunities for integrating crewed and uncrewed systems into the same airspace and how the Commercial UAV Expo Advance Airspace Summit will help elevate the discussion among industry professionals.
Bobby Healy, CEO and Founder of Manna Drone Delivery, talks about the company's strategic partnership with Coca Cola and the company’s plans for the expanding into the United States and other countries.
Grant Jordan, CEO at Skysafe, talks about the company’s counter drone and forensics services, and the role that drone forensics have in an integrated counter drone solution.
Jon Becker, CEO & Founder of AARDVARK Tactical, talks about the release of the new Loki-2 drone for tactical use and the challenges and opportunities in the use of drone for public safety.
This Week’s GuestMichael Merritt is Commercial & Growth Manager at Skyports Drone Services. Skyports Drone Services is a drone logistics company and provider and operator of eVTOL drones for cargo deliveries, survey and surveillance.
The company is expert in the operation of long-range and Beyond Visual Line of Sight flight for a multitude of use cases, including ship-to-shore and maritime applications, medical and dangerous goods deliveries, and AI-driven surveys for the agriculture and infrastructure sectors. Headquartered in London, Skyports Drone Services has projects operating across four continents including Asia, North America, South America, and Europe.
At Skyports, Michael leads on strategy & operations, particularly in the area of drone deliveries. He has also worked as a flight operations engineer and pilot, gaining hundreds of hours of flight time experience and operating flights across many of Skyports Drone Services’ projects. Michael studied as an Aerospace Engineer at the University of Bristol and holds General Visual Certificates for fixed-wing and rotary drone operation.
What We LearnRecently, Skyports Drone Services announced the launch of the Orkney I-Port project, a fully electric drone logistics project established in partnership with Royal Mail, the Orkney Islands Council Harbour Authority and Loganair. The project will deliver two new capabilities: daily inter-port delivery of Royal Mail items and the demonstration of shore-to-ship deliveries. The I-Port project is significant as it represents the first UK drone delivery project which can be conducted on a permanent basis under existing regulatory frameworks, a milestone made possible due to the unique landscape of Orkney.
In this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Michael talks about Skyports Drone Services, the Orkney I-Port project and how Skyports is working to create a permanent daily mail delivery service supported by drones.
Mentioned Links* Skyports Drone Services (www.skyportsdroneservices)
This Week’s GuestMary Beth Long is a member of the board of directors of Red Cat Holdings. Red Cat Holdings is a military technology company that integrates robotic hardware and software to provide critical situational awareness to on-the-ground warfighters and battlefield commanders. Its mission is to enhance the effectiveness and safety of military operations domestically and globally.
Red Cat’s suite of solutions includes Teal Drones, developer of the Golden Eagle, a small unmanned system with the highest resolution imaging for nighttime operations (See episode 309), and Skypersonic, a leading provider of unmanned aircraft for interior spaces and other dangerous environments (Episode 386).
Mary Beth is founder of M B Long & Associates, an international legal and advisory firm. From 2007-2009, Mary Beth served as the first woman confirmed by the U.S. Senate as Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and as Chair of NATO’s High Level Group, responsible for NATO’s nuclear policy. In her defense department roles, she also acted as Principal Deputy Secretary of Defense on the Middle East, Africa, the Western Hemisphere, Asia, and Southeast Asia; and was the Deputy Secretary of Defense for Counter Narcoterrorism with a budget of over $1 billion. To those credentials, she adds more than a decade of Central Intelligence Agency operational experience on terrorism and other security issues.
After leaving government, Mary Beth founded Metis Solutions LLC. Under her tenure as CEO, the company was recognized in Inc. Magazine’s List of America’s Fastest Growing Companies in 2014, 2015, and 2016. She was recently featured in Forbes magazine’s Women Business Leaders. Mary Beth advises several Fortune 500 companies on international defense markets. She has served as a Senior Subject Matter Expert for the Supreme Allied Commander of NATO and as a Senior International Advisor to the Minister of Defense of Colombia.
Mary Beth has advised several Presidential candidates and appears regularly on Fox News, BBC, CNN, Al Jazeera English and NPR on Middle East issues and the Intelligence Community. She is a licensed lawyer and, from 1999 until 2004, was an associate specializing in civil litigation matters at Williams & Connolly LLP. She also travels regularly to the Middle East, Europe, Latin America, and Afghanistan and has offices in Abu Dhabi and Kabul.
What We LearnIn this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Mary Beth talks about Red Cat Holdings, the current challenges and opportunities for counter drone solutions and the future of protecting critical assets from drone incursions.
Mentioned Links
- Red Cat Holdings (www.redcat.red)
- Teal Drones (www.tealdrones.com)
- Skypersonic (www.skypersonic.com)
Are digital twins about to change the way we see the world?
This Week’s GuestNilson Kufus is CEO and Co-Founder of Nokomo. Nomoko creates digital twins that can be implemented for everything from urban planning to music festival security. The company is on a mission to make the physical world accessible as a digital ecosystem using Digital Twins. With a focus on real estate, Nomoko strives to create virtual copies of individual buildings, larger districts, or even whole municipalities. This helps customers to visualize their projects and to gain informed insights in order to make the right decision at any time.
Nilson has a degree in Liberal Arts & Sciences from the University College Maastricht, where he built his curriculum around business, artificial intelligence, and media. He has been a Digital Shaper of Switzerland 2019, a TedX Salon speaker, and Guest lecturer at ETH Zürich & FH HWZ.
What We LearnNilson talks about Nokomo, the company’s quest to build a digital twin of the world and how digital twins will revolutionize the way we see and interact with the world.
Mentioned Links
- Nomoko (www.nomoko.world)
How are precision drones revolutionizing hazardous jobs and saving lives?
This Week’s GuestRobert Dahlstrom is founder and CEO of Apellix, a software-driven aerial robotics company, that creates cutting-edge robotics platforms for precision painting, coating, cleaning, and testing, making hazardous jobs safer by removing the risks of personal harm.
Robert has six fully granted U.S. patents and has received numerous engineering, invention, and teaching awards. He has also published over 50 papers and articles, spoken at multiple conferences, events, and podcasts, and is an author of a chapter on Robotic NDE Inspection in “The Handbook of NDE 4.0.” Robert is an FAA-certified drone Pilot, a business mentor for “Startup Quest,” “Startup Weekend by Google for Entrepreneurs,” and a volunteer at startup accelerators.
What We LearnApellix’s technology enables pressure cleaning and special coatings to be applied to large infrastructure assets like highway bridges, water towers, oil rigs, and battleships, saving tax dollars and private expenditures while extending the life of assets. Apellix also provides technology for Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) at an unprecedented level. Using Apellix NDT aerial platforms, cruise ship owners, Navy battleship commanders, or state departments of transportation can collect 1,000 readings on a surface where, in the past, only 10 or 20 readings could be taken.
In this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Robert talks about how Apellix’s revolutionary drones are making it safer and more efficient to complete hazardous jobs, including coating, pressure cleaning, and non-destructive testing.
Mentioned Links* Apellix (www.apellix.com)
Is India the next hot spot for unmanned business?
This Week’s GuestAnkit Mehta is Co-founder & CEO of ideaForge, India’s largest manufacturer of drones for defense, homeland security and industrial applications. IdeaForge was founded in 2007, with a mission to bring cutting-edge unmanned aerial systems to these industries. Over the past decade, the company has emerged as a leader in the Indian drone industry, with a focus on innovation, reliability, and safety.
IdeaForge is a pioneer in the UAV industry and has multiple IPs to its credit. One of the key factors that sets Ideaforge apart from its competitors is its focus on indigenous design and development. The company’s drones are designed and manufactured entirely in India, which has helped it to establish a strong foothold in the domestic market while also making it an attractive partner for global clients.
What We LearnAt ideaForge, Ankit is leading the charge to deliver cutting-edge technology that is Made-in-India and second to none. One of those innovations is the SWITCH UAV, a first of its kind VTOL and fixed wing hybrid Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. SWITCH features advanced flight time, higher safety and simple operation with additional fail-safe redundancies. It is used for long duration operations, long endurance surveillance and security, inspection and photogrammetry. It is so good, the Indian Army selected the Switch above all others to strengthen its unmanned presence.
In this edition of the Drone Radio Show, Ankit talks Ideaforge’s journey, its approach to innovation and R&D, and its vision for the future of drones in India and beyond. We’ll also discuss some of the challenges and opportunities facing the Indian drone industry, and the role that Ideaforge hopes to play in shaping its growth and development.
Mentioned Links* IdeaForge (www.ideaforgetech.com)
What is a Chapter 135 certification and how does it relate to drone deliveries?
This Week’s GuestYariv Bash is CEO & Co-founder of Flytrex, a drone delivery company that partners with retailers and restaurants to offer fast, safe and cost-effective airborne deliveries directly to customers’ yards. Flytrex operates the largest backyard drone delivery service in the US, with delivery stations in North Carolina and Texas operating daily, and has signed agreements with several of the world’s largest retail and restaurant chains.
Yariv has spearheaded Flytrex delivery services for 5 years. Prior to Flytrex, Yariv was Founder and CEO of SpaceIL, a $100M Israeli non-profit organization that launched Beresheet, the first private interplanetary robotic mission to the Moon in 2019.
What We LearnIn January, Flytrex announced its longtime partner Causey Aviation Unmanned was granted Standard Part 135 Air Carrier Certification from the FAA allowing Flytrex to operate and complete long-range on-demand commercial drone deliveries in the United States.
This milestone comes after years of rigorous training and testing verifying that Flytrex’s drone delivery service maintains the highest safety standards. With this part 135 Certification, Flytrex and CAU will further expand their drone delivery service nationwide – eventually offering food, drinks and other goods to the more than 82 million eligible back and front yards across the U.S. This approval has only been granted to a prestigious list of select companies – including Amazon Prime Air, Alphabet’s Wing, UPS and Zipline – to date.
Since successfully launching the world’s first fully autonomous urban drone delivery system in Reykjavik, Iceland, in 2017, Flytrex and Causey have been working closely with regulators to help ensure the highest safety standards in getting drone delivery off the ground. Together, they participated in the FAA’s UAS Integration Pilot Program (IPP), which concluded in October 2020, as well as the FAA’s subsequent initiative, BEYOND, working with the North Carolina Department of Transportation to help tackle the remaining challenges of UAS integration.
In this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Yariv talks about the Chapter 135 certification process, how it differs from a Part 107 certification, and how Flytrex and Causey are now positioned to delivery restaurant orders to homes throughout the country.
Mentioned Links
- Flytrex (www.flyrex.com)
Are Hydrogen Drones Ready To Take Center Stage?
This Week’s GuestBen Levenson is Co-founder and CEO of HevenDrones, a manufacturer of heavy-lift actionable drones capable of solving a range of commercial, infrastructural, humanitarian and military challenges. From autonomous last-mile delivery to defense missions, emergency response, and infrastructure repair,
the company’s fully-customizable drone solutions deliver cutting-edge performance, patented stability and superior lifting capability. Powered by an expert team with military, engineering, and scientific backgrounds, the company enjoys a strategic partnership with Plug Power and is a partner and supplier of the Israel Ministry of Defense.
What We LearnIn February, HevenDrones launched its first hydrogen-powered drone for commercial use, the H2D55. With 5-times greater energy efficiency than traditional lithium battery-powered drones, the H2D55 is capable of flying for 100 minutes with a payload capacity of 7 kilograms.
The launch of HevenDrones’ hydrogen product line addresses the challenge of flight endurance and payload capacity associated with lithium battery-powered drones as well as the long term environmental impact linked to lithium mining. Without the need to frequently replace batteries, hydrogen fuel cells will also lower long term ownership costs for organizations implementing drone technology at scale.
In this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Ben talks about HevenDrones, the company’s innovative hydrogen drones and the promise and future hydrogen propulsion systems.
Mentioned Links* Heven Drones (www.hevendrones.com) * Intelligent Energy (www.intelligent-energy.com) * Plug Power (www.plugpower.com)
Can autonomous drones be deployed in urban areas?
This Week’s GuestReese Mozer is President of Ondas Holdings and CEO and Co-Founder of American Robotics. Ondas Holdings a leading provider of private wireless data solutions via Ondas Networks and commercial drone solutions through American Robotics and newly acquired Airobotics.
Together, American Robotics and Airobotics design, develop, and market autonomous drone commercial drone solutions worldwide. The Scout System and Optimus System are highly automated, AI-powered drone systems capable of continuous, remote operation. American Robotics has also led with regulatory successes, becoming the first company approved by the FAA to operate automated drones without humans on site.
Reese is an accomplished entrepreneur, executive, and technologist, with over 12 years of experience in the drone, robotics, and private equity sectors. He also serves as a Board member of the Commercial Drone Alliance. Reese has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Boston Globe, Business Insider, TechCrunch, Gizmodo, Venture Beat, and CNBC, among other national publications. He holds a Master’s in Robotic Systems Development from Carnegie Mellon University and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and Entrepreneurship from the University of Southern California.
What We LearnRight after being acquired by Ondas Holdings, Airobotics announced a $3.5M purchase order and joint venture with SkyGo, a UAE-based company that has a commercial license to provide unmanned aerial transport of goods and services across the city of Abu Dhabi. With this partnership in place, the companies will move forward in launching a first-of-its-kind deployment of Urban Drone Infrastructure throughout Abu Dhabi. The project will serve as the autonomous UAS model for the rest of the world, especially in major cities.
In this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Reese talks about American Robotics & Airobotics autonomous drone solutions, the Urban Drone Infrastructure project for Abu Dhabi and what we can expect to see in the way of global adoption of autonomous drone solutions.
Mentioned Links* American Robotics (www.american-robotics.com) * Ondas Holdings (www.ondas.com) * Airobotics (www.airboticsdrones.com) * SkyGo (www.skygo.ae) * Iron Drone (www.irondrone.com)
If you could design a drone specifically for public safety agencies, what would it look like?
This Week’s GuestBlake Resnick is CEO and Founder of BRINC. BRINC designs, manufactures and sells sUAS systems to public safety departments worldwide. The company’s flagship product, the LEMUR, employs innovative solutions designed specifically for public safety and emergency situations. Using lidar technology, the drone flies indoors with precision and unprecedented agility, and its two-way communication system allows first responders to hear and see through the drone. But this only scratches the surface of the drone’s capabilities.
Blake has the innate ability to define a problem, imagine a new approach and create a technology-based solution. He started taking college courses at the age of 14, and then attended Northwestern’s McCormick School of Engineering. Before launching BRINC, Blake worked at McLaren Automotive, Tesla Motors, and DJI. He’s a member of the Thiel Fellowship’s class of 2020. Under Blake’s leadership, in just 2 ½ years, BRINC has become a leader of public safety UAS solutions worldwide.
He is currently working on an sUAS mesh system designed to respond to gunshot detections and 911 calls within seconds. When not enveloped in product development, he actively engages in recruiting, strategy development, internal communication, and fundraising.
What We LearnIn this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Blake talks about BRINC drones, in particular it’s revolutionary LEMUR drone and he provides insights into how the company has become successful in supporting the mission of hundreds of public safety organizations around the world.
Mentioned Links* BRINC (www.brinc.com)
BRINC’s Lemur 2 Drone
Are We Moving From Demonstration To Operation?This Week’s GuestBrent Skorup is Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center. The Mercatus Center is a research center at George Mason University that advances knowledge about how markets solve problems and help us lead happier, healthier, and richer lives. For more than 40 years, research at Mercatus has strived to realize a world where markets operate at their full potential to increase abundance, civility, and well-being.
Brent has published several research papers on the topic of drone highways in the sky. His research has covered the economic, regulatory, and legal opportunities and constraints relating to drone highways. In 2019 and 2022, he published a survey that assessed the regulatory environment for drones in all 50 U.S. states and evaluated each state’s readiness to support the growth and deve lopment of the drone industry.
What We LearnThe growing use of unmanned aerial vehicles has spurred a new UAS framework called “highways in the sky.” Drone highways in the sky are essentially designated air corridors that are reserved for the exclusive use of unmanned aerial vehicles. The idea is that these corridors would allow drones to fly autonomously, without the need for direct human supervision, while avoiding other aircraft and structures in the national airspace.
One of the key benefits of drone highways in the sky is that they could significantly increase the efficiency and safety of drone operations. By providing a clear and well-defined path for drones to follow, drone highways could reduce the risk of collisions and enable drones to fly faster and more efficiently, potentially opening up new opportunities for commercial drone use. But the concept is still in the early stages of development, and there are many different ideas and approaches being explored by researchers, regulators and industry stakeholders.
In this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Brent talks about drone highways in the sky, their benefits and the challenges local, state and federal policy makers may have in advancing the UAS industry while responding to varied stakeholder interests.
Mentioned Links* Mercatus Center (www.mercatus.org)
Are Agricultural Drones Coming To A Farm Near You?Arthur Erickson is CEO and Co-Founder of Hylio. Hylio develops and offers innovative drone systems that automate precision agriculture treatments. Using Hylio’s technology, farmers or producers can apply crop treatments directly to problem areas, targeting pests and deficiencies with more accuracy and efficacy. This allows farms to increase yields. And it has propelled Hylio to one of the top manufactures of precision agriculture drones.
Arthur’s interest in UAS began when he was studying aerospace engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. While there, he worked with a research team to deploy drones for disaster prediction, response and transportation optimization. Recognizing the enormous potential of UAS technology, Arthur, along with classmates Mike Oda and Nikhil Dixit decided to form Hylio in 2015. While initially a drone delivery company based in Costa Rica in 2017, the team saw greater opportunities in the precision agriculture industry. Today, Arthur leverages his technical and management experience to lead Hylio as it applies it revolutionary drone technology to the global ag-sector.
In this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Arthur talks about Hylio, how the company evolved into a leading precision agriculture drone manufacturer and how UAS technology benefits farm organizations of all sizes.
You can never rest in this industry. You always need to be looking out for the best sensors in the market, the most reliable sensors, the best approaches algorithmically to path planning and obstacle avoidance. You have to be constantly be innovating or else you’re going to be left in the dust.
— Arthur Erickson, CEO Hylio
Does the drone industry offer a career path for individuals from marginalized communities?The Week’s GuestSedgrid Lewis of Atlanta, Georgia is Founder of The Hidden Pilot Project. He holds an MA in Criminology from the University of West Georgia. He has worked in the criminal justice field for the past 20 years developing evidenced based social programs for juvenile courts and state agencies across the United States. He is also the owner of Blackhawk Aerial LLC. As a part 107 commercial drone pilot, he has flown for several national construction firms providing progression aerial photos.
Sedgrid has dedicated himself to helping others experience the benefits of unmanned technology. He provides drone technology workshops for at-risk youth across the state of Georgia. He is also a certified instructor and coach for US Drone Soccer, which is becoming a fast growing sport at the high school and college level. And, as the son of a third generation farmer, Sedgrid partners with black farmers across the south to provide technical training and farm drone technology demonstrations. Sedgrid promotes precision agriculture in order to sustain black farms and increase profit margins.
What We LearnThe mission of The Hidden Pilot Project is to teach and train black returning citizens and citizens under the supervision of the criminal justice system how to become licensed drone pilots. Through The Hidden Pilot Project, individuals are provided with hands-on training to enter the unmanned systems industry.
In this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Sedgrid introduces us to The Hidden Pilot Project, drone soccer and how both are helping people from marginalized communities enter the aviation field.
Mentioned Links* The Hidden Pilot Project (www.thehiddenpilotproject.com)
How can lawmakers ensure their jurisdictions are ready to reap the benefits of the drone industry?THIS WEEK’S GUESTFor that question, we head Tyler, Texas to speak with Scott Shtofman, Senior Manager of Grassroots Advocacy & Chapter Engagement for the Association of Uncrewed Vehicles Systems International. AUVSI is the world’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of uncrewed systems and robotics. It represents corporations and professionals from more than 60 countries involved in industry, government and academia. AUVSI members work in the defense, civil and commercial markets.
Scott is a licensed attorney, certificated Part 107 Remote Pilot and owner and pilot for Quad Axis LLC. He is a well-known policy expert on sUAS, having specialized in policy and operations consulting. Scott’s role with Drone Prepared is to manage the advocacy efforts with state and local entities.
WHAT WE LEARNIn December, AUVSI launched their largest-ever advocacy campaign to educate state and local lawmakers on industry-supported policy solutions to integrate commercial drone operations into the national air space . Called Drone Prepared, the multi-state initiative is designed to help lawmakers ensure that their state or locality is ready for the benefits the future of uncrewed and autonomous flight.
In this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Scott talks about Drone Prepared, potential legislative opportunities, and how local and state lawmakers can position their states and localities to receive benefits of the growing UAS industry.
MENTIONED LINKS* Drone Prepared (www.droneprepared.org) * AUVSI (www.auvsi.org)
The biggest challenge of designing a propulsion system is making sure we’re hitting all of the highest performance standards. And so we push the performance as hard as we can. Our customers are doing the same, but then the customers and us expect the reliability to be there as well.
-- Giuseppe SantangeloTHIS WEEK’S KEY QUESTION“How Will Drones Support NASA’s Mission To Mars?”
THIS WEEK’S GUESTGiuseppe Santangelo is CEO and Founder of Skypersonic. Skypersonic is a leader in the use of drones for industrial inspections and first response emergency situations. Their flagship product is the Skycopter: a drone with a tiltable video camera that is designed to work in extreme conditions and ultra-tight spaces. Skypersonic also invented the first-ever worldwide civil real-time remote piloting system that allows piloting in first-person view any drone, not just the Skycopter, located anywhere via the internet.
Skypersonic is a subsidiary of Red Cat Holdings, a provider of drone-based products, services, and solutions for the enterprise, military, and consumer markets. Other companies within the Red Cat Holdings include Teal Drones, Fat Shark and Rotor Riot.
Giuseppe is a mechanical engineer and has spent nearly all of his professional career in the aerospace industry. He is a part-time professor at Wayne State University and collaborates at Lawrence Technology University as adjunct professor for the UAV Artificial Intelligence and Space System Engineering courses. He has been researcher and contract professor at the University of Catania of Italy in the Industrial Engineering Department.
Giuseppe has been responsible for the development of projects on behalf of the European Space Agency at Thales Alenia Space in Turin. He participated in the engineering design and development of several equipment for the International Space Station with NASA.
WHAT WE LEARNIn 2022, Skypersonic delivered to NASA the hardware and software for a rover and drone system that the crew members of NASA’s Simulated Mars Missions will use to remotely explore Martian-like terrain around Earth – all from their 1,700-square-foot simulated Martian habitat at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.
In the Simulated Mars Missions, crew members will spend one year living and working in a habitat at Johnson Space Center that has been designed and built to simulate life on the Red Planet. The Skypersonic drones and rover will be taken to an area on Earth that is similar to Martian terrain – such as a desert or mountainous region – where they will be controlled remotely by crew members in Houston. The exercise is designed to test the ability of astronauts on Mars to remotely explore the planet with drones and rovers.
Giuseppe talks about Skypersonic, its innovative Skycopter, the Simulated Mars Mission and the role that the company will play in the providing drones that will one day fly on Mars.
MENTIONED LINKS* Skypersonic (www.skyersonic.net) * NASA’s Mission To Mars (www.nasa.gov/analogs/hera) The post Drones and NASA’s Mission To Mars appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
The biggest challenge of designing a propulsion system is making sure we’re hitting all of the highest performance standards. And so we push the performance as hard as we can. Our customers are doing the same, but then the customers and us expect the reliability to be there as well.
-- Jon BroomeTHIS WEEK’S KEY QUESTION“What’s it take to build the most efficient and reliable UAS propulsion system?”
THIS WEEK’S GUESTJon Broome is CEO and co-founder of Vertiq. Vertiq makes ultra compact, high performance servo motors for drone propulsion. Combining a unique hardware design and proprietary motor calibration and control software, Vertiq optimizes motor performance and controllability. As a result, Vertiq’s products significantly increase the effectiveness of commercial and defense drones.
UAS vehicles using Vertiq technology fly 10% longer, maneuver and stabilize 4x faster, experience 75% fewer critical failures, and have access to unique propeller positioning capabilities.
Jon started the Vertiq with his co-founder Matt Piccoli in 2017, and since then, they’ve been working to bring industrial-grade motors and motor controllers to the drone market. Jon graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Middlebury College in 2016. During his time at Middlebury, Jon founded his first company, which made high protein snacks for gym-goers and athletes at the college.
Jon wished to continue his entrepreneurial career after graduation, and he quickly found his next venture when he attended his cousin (and future Co-Founder) Matt Piccoli’s PhD thesis defense, which focused on building unique aerial vehicles using advanced motor control techniques. Matt wanted to start a propulsion company based on his research and needed a co-founder to handle the non-engineering side of the business. Jon assumed the role of CEO and now, he is responsible for all of Vertiq’s business development efforts, investor relations, and company strategy, among many other duties.
WHAT WE LEARNJon talks about Vertiq, it’s revolutionary propulsion systems and how such systems are changing the drone industry.
MENTIONED LINKS* Vertiq (www.vertiq.co) The post Building High Performance UAS Propulsion Systems appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
-- Amit GanjooTHIS WEEK’S KEY QUESTION“What does Europe’s U-Space Protocol for Uncrewed Systems mean for BVLOS Operations?”
THIS WEEK’S GUESTAmit Ganjoo is CEO and Founder of ANRA Technologies. ANRA Technologies is Award Winning Drone Operations and UAS Traffic Management Platform provider. The company’s SmartSkies™ platform is used by multiple commercial and government entities for running and managing commercial drone operations.
Amit has over 20 years of aviation, telecom and wireless experience in both the federal and the commercial space. He is an engineer, a licensed pilot, following a lifelong passion in aviation and builds experimental aircrafts.
Amit’s engagement with drone programs for the U.S. Department of Defense motivated him to establish ANRA so he could address the growing need for unmanned systems to be safely integrated into existing air systems. ANRA launched their UTM platform in 2015 and has been collaborating and working alongside stakeholders and clients ever since. ANRA was selected as an Airspace Partner for NASA’s Advanced Air Mobility National Campaign and is the technology provider for the Future of Flight Initiative in the United Kingdom.
As part of his pursuit to efficiently integrate drones into the airspace, Amit is a board member of the Global UTM Association that supports the accelerated and transparent implementation of globally interoperable UTM systems. He is also a member of FAA’s Drone Advisory Committee working group for UTM and co-chaired the working group that developed ASTM Standard Specification F3548 for UAS Traffic Management UAS Service Supplier Interoperability.
Until December 2016, he acted as the co-chair for FCC’s Technical Advisory Council for 5G and IoT, which included ground and airborne autonomous vehicles. He was the Director of Engineering and Principal Architect at Ericsson, providing telecom solutions to commercial customers and Federal Government, where he was the recipient of the Athena Award. He was also the Founder and CEO of a Mobile Marketing company from which he had a successful exit in 2009.
Amit is an adjunct professor at George Mason University School of Engineering and volunteers at a local Maker Space in the D.C. area. He holds a master’s degree in Computer Science and Civil Engineering from Iowa State University and a Bachelor of Engineering from Punjab Engineering College.
WHAT WE LEARNOn January 26, 2023 Europe will implement a new uncrewed air space regulatopry framework, called the U-Space Framework. U-space is a set of specific services and procedures designed to ensure safe and efficient access to airspace for a large number of drones, and which are based on high levels of digitalization and automation. The purpose of U-space is to achieve automated UAS management and integration, allowing for a large series of operations, many of them even simultaneous, and all of this in harmonious coexistence with the current ATM system.
In this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Amit provides an overview of the U-space framework, the impact it will have on BVLOS flights and the potential lessons and applications here in North America.
MENTIONED LINKS* ANRA Technologies (www.anratechnologies.com) * European Union Avaiation Safety Agency (EASA) (www.easa.europa.eu/en/what-u-space) The post Europe’s U-Space UTM Regulations – What Does it Mean? appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
Safety should be a forethought, not an afterthought. And prioritizing safety opens doors in the drone industry as can be seen by all of the different standards, guidelines, regulations, rules that are becoming more and more implemented. Companies that incorporate recovery systems show their customers and investors that they value safety, thereby gaining the confidence and trust of their interested parties.
-- Jayne EngelgauTHIS WEEK’S KEY QUESTION“What are the current trends in UAS parachute recovery systems?”
THIS WEEK’S GUESTGene Engelgau is CEO and Founder of Fruity Chutes. Fruity Chutes manufactures premium quality parachutes for aerospace, corporate, institutional, university and consumer customers. Since 2007, Fruity Chutes parachutes have established a reputable history for dependable performance in unmanned applications
In addition to producing parachute recovery systems, the company provides drone manufacturers with free technical support for full recovery system integration. It also assists manufacturers with obtaining certifications and waivers relating to FAA and ASTM standards as well as other national and international regulations. Since founding Fruity Chutes in 2007, the company has established itself as the leading provider to the UAS industry of a broad range of parachute recovery products optimized for light weight at a high strength capacity. Fruity Chutes is the first UAS recovery company to have a customer using their parachutes obtain an Operations Over People Waiver, an Operations over Moving Vehicles Waiver, and FAA Type Certification.
Gene has been part of the Silicon Valley tech industry since the late 70s. He has founded several tech start-ups both in the early Internet e-commerce space as well as the hobby radio control industries. He has experience in electronics hardware design, embedded systems, enterprise software, and web systems design and databases. Gene has always had a passion for aeromodelling. He’s flown RC aircraft and rockets for 40 years. In the mid-80s, Gene helped found CSys Labs Inc., a company that designed and manufactured one of the first all computer controlled RC airplane controllers and was sold under the Airtronics/Sanwa brand.
Gene has two daughters that hold key roles in the company. Janice Engelgau is the Lead Communications Specialist of Fruity Chutes with nearly a decade of experience working in the UAS industry. Developing methods to better educate the industry on parachute recovery has been the main pillar of her work with Fruity Chutes. Her goal is to help as many UAS professionals as possible understand the profound benefits of parachute recovery and successfully implement recovery into their systems.
Jayne Engelgau is the Head of Content and Web Development at Fruity Chutes. She integrates her inquisitive mind for drone applications with her experience in visual design, written media, and web development. She is committed to educating the UAS industry on the vital roles of safety technologies, parachute recovery system implementation, standardization, as well as pre-, post-, and in-flight PRS protocol. Upholding a lifelong belief that educational knowledge should be accessible, she popularizes and enlivens topics of UAS recovery in bright, “fruity” colors across a variety of communicative modes.
WHAT WE LEARNGene, Janice and Jayne discuss about how changes in the drone industry in the past 3 years affect the design and use of parachute recovery systems
MENTIONED LINKS* Fruity Chutes (www.fruitychutes.com) The post Fruity Chutes: Protecting Your Valuable UAS Assets appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
Juan Plaza, CEO of Plaza Aerospace, talks about the market for UAS in Latin America and he provides insights into how companies and entrepreneurs can successfully establish a new business Latin American.
The post UAS Opportunities in Latin America appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
Eric Peck, Co-Founder and CEO of Swoop Aero, talks about company’s drone powered logistics platform and how Swoop Aero has become the world leader in drone delivery.
The post Building the Integrated Drone Logistics Company appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
Charles Werner, Director of DroneResponders, talks about a new White House initiative on Counter UAS. This initiative will impact all public safety organizations in the US, and he offers suggestions on how to work with and prepare for the National Action Plan. He also provides an update on what DroneResponders is doing to promote public safety use of drones.
The post The White House Domestic Counter UAS Strategy appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
Jeremy Smith, Business Development Manager at Alpine Advanced Materials, talks about the company's aviation grade nano-composite and how it can help make stronger, lighter and more scalable drones.
The post Alpine Advanced Materials: Making Drones Lighter, Stronger and More Scalable appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
Damian Kysely, Head of EMEA for Skyports, talks about vertiports and current vertiports projects in Singapore, Japan, Florida and Europe.
The post Skyports: Building the World’s Advanced Aerial Mobility Infrastructure appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
The post Votix: Bringing Harmony To Your Drone Program appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
Cameron Chell, CEO and President of Draganfly, talks about the new additions to the Draganfly product line, the company’s efforts to support Ukraine in its war effort and he offers several perspectives on the current state and direction of the drone industry and how Draganfly has remained leader in the industry for so long.
The post Draganfly – A Story of Innovation for the Long-Term appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
Lisa Ellman, Executive Director of the Commercial Drone Alliance talks about a recent White House Summit on Advanced Air Mobility, the status of the FAA BVLOS ARC report and the Commercial UAV Expo.
The post Advanced Air Mobility and BVLOS Update appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
Andrew Ashur, CEO and Founder of Lucid Drone Technologies, talks about the company's revolutionary C1 Cleaning Drone and how it is disrupting the industrial cleaning industry by providing a solution that is much faster and safer than traditional cleaning methods.
The post Thanks To This Drone, Washing Buildings Just Got Easier appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
Richard Hordern-Gibbings, Director of Partnerships at Propeller, talks about the use of drones in the earthworks industry and how Propeller is leading efforts to help these companies find greater efficiencies and ROI.
The post Moving the Earth with a Drone appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
Tom Swoyer, President of Grand Sky Development Company, talks about organization's UAS mission and vision and how the investments that have been made are yielding jobs, development and increasing the tax base. Thus proving UAS can provide community wide benefits
The post The Economic Development Potential of UAS appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
Ian Foley, CEO of Pacific Triangle, talks about the drone service provider industry and the challenges and opportunities of starting and leading a new company. He provides insights into how to lead-the-ship through the fast-changing UAV landscape.
The post Adapting to Change – A Drone Service Provider Perspective appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
Jeremiah Karpowicz of the Commercial UAV Expo shares details on this year’s Commercial UAV Expo and his thoughts on the commercial drone industry.
The post See You At The Commercial UAV Expo appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
Didi Horn, CEO and Founder of SkyX talks about the company's long-range asset monitoring service and how its providing value and safety to oil and gas companies.
The post Using Drones for Long Range Asset Monitoring appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
Trevor Woods, Executive Director of the Northern Plains UAS Test Site gives us an update on Vantis and other initiatives where they’re leading in UAS operations and integration.
The post What’s New At the Northern Plains UAS Test Site? appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
James Shea, Founder and Publisher of the Food Delivery News talks about what restaurants are looking for in food delivery, and how drones are filling that growing need.
The post Drones in the Food Delivery Service Industry appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
Yariv Bash, CEO and Co-Founder of Flytrex, talks about the company's innovative hot food drone delivery service and how drones are transforming the home food delivery industry.
The post Dinner And A Drone (Delivery) appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
David Adjiashvili, Founder and Vice President of Products at Drone Harmony, talks about the company’s 3-D mapping services and how that technology can be used to accurately map and model large vertical geographic areas.
The post Mapping Volcanos to Protect Lives appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
Jonathan Ehrlich, COO of T2D2, talks about the company’s AI inspection services and how that technology is simplifying the façade and infrastructure inspections.
The post AI & Drone Powered Facade Inspections appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
Zach Adams, Co-Founder and Chief Engineer of Pitch Aeronautics, talks about the company's innovative Astria drone and how itss patented cyclorotor technology is making dangerous jobs safer.
The post Is This Drone An Inspection Industry Game-Changer? appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
Dr. Mrinal Kumar, associate professor in the department of mechanical and aerospace engineering at the Ohio State University talks about the university’s research into how drones can help reveal how wildfires will spread.
The post This is why we need to study wildfires with drones appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
Manish Kumar, Professor at the University of Cincinnati, talk about current research into UAS and the innovative use of drones for telehealth.
The post Drones And Telehealth appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
Fatema Hamdani, Co-Founder/CEO of Kraus Hamdani Aerospace talks about the company, its K1000ULE ultra long endurance UAS and the company’s plans for the future.
The post Building the Ultra Long-Endurance UAS appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
From the floor of Xponential, Lorenz Meier, CEO of Auterion, talks about the company's ecosystem and the opportunities in the drone industry.
The post Ten Minutes with Auterion’s CEO, Lorenz Meier appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
Vadim Tarasoft founder of Advanced Autonomous Solutions Fund and Chairman of the Board of UAVOS provides an investor’s perspective into the UAV market and the future of autonomous operations.
The post What do investors look for in the UAS Industry? appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
Jenn Player, Director of Regulatory Affairs at Skydio talks about the need to consider ethical implications of using autonomous unmanned systems.
The post Ethics and Drone A.I. appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
Tom Walker, CEO of DroneUp, talks about the company's drone delivery service for Walmart and how companies can add value through UAS innovation.
The post Adding Value Through Innovation appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
Andy Thurling, CTO of the Northeast UAS Integration Research Alliance the current efforts in testing BVLOS protecols, and validation of safety standards for UAS systems.
The post Enabling Future BVLOS Operations appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
Dawn Zoldi, CEO of P3 Tech Consulting, talks about the importance of connecting with others through various ways to get your message out. We also talk about this year’s Xponential 2022 conference in Orlando and why we should all attend.
The post Getting Your Message Out appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
Michael Hill talks about B 763 and the Texas Urban Air Mobility Advisory Committee, the efforts by the State of Texas and the North Central Texas Council of Governments to promote urban air mobility, and how Texas is positioning itself to be a leader in advance air mobility system
The post Is Texas Leading the Nation in Urban Air Mobility? appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
Jeffrey Starr, CMO of D-Fend Solutions talks about the company’s innovative EnforceAir drone detection and mitigation system and how it successfully and safely neutralized a drone threat to Pope Francis in 2021.
The post Removing Rogue Drones Safely Without Disruption appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
“It’s more focused on data collection and collecting data in very special ways. It’s real time directed and sent to the customer. So it’s not just flying, it’s flying for a mission, collecting data or getting some business results.”
-- Kirill Shilov
This Week’s Key Question “What’s the latest in UAS Flight Controllers?”
This Week’s Guests Kirill Shilov is Founder and CEO of Sky-Drones Technologies. Sky-Drones creates professional full stack UAV avionics solutions, such as flight control, ground control and communication systems as well as a cloud based management platform. The company helps its global customers build and operate drones for security and commercial applications. The company has an outstanding background in research and development, as well as manufacturing and delivering products and solutions for the future UAV market. With a Masters in Aerospace Engineering, Kirill majored in Flight Dynamics and Control. His professional areas of interest include flight control systems, unmanned aerial vehicles, autopilot systems, electronics, software and embedded programming. Before starting Sky-Drones Technologies he worked as an engineer at ACSL in Tokyo and Perspective Robotics in Zurich.
What We Learn Kirill talks about Sky-Drones Technologies, the company’s flight control systems and how the technology is supporting enterprise clients across the globe.
In This Episode * 02:22 Introduction to Kirill Shilov, CEO of Sky-Drones. Kirill provides background on the company. * 04:34 AirLink is the name of Sky-Drone’s most advanced Flight Controller. Kirill introduces us to this innovative technology. * 06:06 Kirill gives us several reasons whcy AirLink stands out among others as a high performance flight controller. * 08:42 Connectivity is AirLink’s most innovative features. It can connect with with hand conrollers and cloud based systems that allow more people to participate in the data collecdtion or review. * 10:11 Kirill talks about the autonomous functions of AirLink. * 10:48 A recent partnership between Sky-Drones and Amazon Web Services provides greater efficiencies. Kirill discusses the benefits of the partnership to both companies. * 12:21 Integration with the Internet of Things (IOT) can provide subdstantial data collections advantages. Look for more integrations as 4G and 5G is expanded. * 14:27 AirLink is Sky-Drone’s centerpiece product. Kirill talks about other products that are designed to support Airlink. * 15:39 Industries that have and are benefitting most by using AirLink. * 16:33 Kirill offers his perspective on how the company was started 8 years ago, how its grown and working with clients. * 18:42 Advice to other entreprenuers. * 19:17 What’s next for Sky-Drones * 20:17 Closing – What message does Kirill have regarding the drone industry.
Mentioned Links * Sky-Drones Technologies (www.sky-drones.com)
The post Building a Better Flight Controller appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
“True AI is really the ability to assimilate human intelligence. There are certain elements that when put together, such as machine vision, natural language processing and speech recognition – you essentially get a machine that simulate a human being.”
-- Barry Alexander
This Week’s Key Question “What does real time autonomous UAS operations look like?’
This Week’s Guest
Barry Alexander is Founder and CEO of Aquiline Drones, a drone manufacturing and full service UAS company based in Hartford Connecticut. Aquiline offers full-service, UAV solutions with equipment, personnel and cloud infrastructure for a multitude of use cases. They have redefined the entire unmanned aerial vehicle landscape by developing a unified, real-time cloud with autonomous flight capabilities, edge computing and AI enabled data insights. This includes drone manufacturing, air carrier service, autonomous UAS services, insurance, training and UAS cloud computing services. Driven by the Aquiline Cloud, a dedicated hybrid-cloud services platform, their solutions provide increased applicability across industries and environments.
Barry brings over 25 years’ experience as an aviator and licensed aircraft technician for both airplanes and helicopters. He has spent most of his career working as an Airline Captain for various airlines, with over 22,000 hours of logged flight time, with his last assignment flying Boeing 747 aircraft globally – mainly in support of US military operations. Barry possesses key expertise in several areas of flight operations and management working as a Flight Instructor, Chief Pilot, Director of Operations and has led other successful and non-aviation ventures in the areas of health information systems, electronic payment systems and digital media.
What We Learn
Barry talks about Aquiline Drones, its full service Drone stack solution and their efforts to achieve true autonomy.
Mentioned Links * Aquiline Drones (www.aquiline drones.com)
The post Striving For True Autonomy appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
“The total addressable mareket in the U.S. is 170 million addresses. And that number grows by 4,000 new addresses each day. Each percentage represents a billion dollar opportunity iin the subscription model for DroneDek. If we continue to execute as we have been, I think we’re on a trajectory to be the next unicorn company.”
- Dan O'Toole
This Week’s Key Question “What does the mailbox of the future look like?”
This Week’s Guests Dan O’Toole is a serial entrepreneur and business leader who is among the first in the United States to secure patents for a smart mailbox designed to securely accept packages delivered by drone. With those patents he founded and is the CEO of DroneDek.
What We Learn The phone, the automobile, air travel and all of the other conveniences of our day-to-day lives have been updated, but mailboxes have not been disrupted since 1858 when they were first introduced. Drone delivery will increase efficiency, lower costs, raise convenience and speed, but that only solves half of the equation. To complete the final mile solution there must be a safe, secure, weatherproof receptacle, that is capable of housing items and notifying customers of their delivery. That’s where DRONEDEK comes in. DRONEDEK brings the mailbox into the 21st-century and completes the last mile solution through its smart mailbox, app-driven solution and marketplace. In this edition of the Drone Radio Show, Dan talks about DroneDek, it’s revolutionary mailbox for drone deliveries and how the technology is about to radically change our lives for the better.
Mentioned Links * DroneDek (www.dronedek.com)
The post The Mail Box of the Future appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
“When we can show to customers the benefit of having a clear picture of what’s taking place on their roofs, in a way where nobody else is doing that, and we can show them that we catch things, it sets us apart where the homeowner wants that now, because the other guy isn’t going tell them what’s on the roof and homeowners aren’t going to get on a dangerous roof.”
Sinuhe Montoya
This Week’s Key Question “Can a drone help to build a better solar roof?”
This Week’s Guests
Sinuhe Montoya is CEO and founder of Drone Quote, a web-based solar roofing company. Drone Quote works with drone pilots throughout the country to provide easy and precise estimates of solar roof installation projects. After the solar installation is complete, the pilots conduct a final inspection flight to verify the quality of the work performed. The company’s unique approach is driving solar adoption and it illustrates just one more innovative way that drones are providing real value.
What We Learn Sinuhe talks about Drone Quote, the use of drones to promote solar and how he built a successful drone based business.
Mentioned Link * Drone Quote (www.dronequote.net)
The post Can a drone help build a better solar roof? appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
“The vision for a place like Zurich or Geneva is to have citywide drone detection. The model makes total sense, that there’s enough customers within their broader business portfolio who would be interested in doing detection as a subscription.”
-- Aaditya Devarakonda
This Week’s Key Question “Is there a way to protect whole cities from drone incursions?”
This Week’s Guest
Aaditya Devarakonda (AD) is CEO of Dedrone, a world leader in protecting organizations from malicious drones by securing the airspace using advanced hardware and software technology. As CEO of Dedrone, AD oversees the company’s global growth and continues to build on its reputation as the market leader in smart airspace security. He brings a deep understanding of regulatory environment, industry dynamics and AI/Machine Learning technology to his role at Dedrone. His career includes working with companies leading the frontier technology world of IoT, 5G, semiconductors and next-gen security platforms. Prior to Dedrone, AD served as a senior member of the Technology Investment Banking Group at Centerview Partners. He has also held strategic finance and investment roles at Credit Suisse and Procter & Gamble.
What We Learn
Today’s security requires a layered approach that keeps up with the evolution of drone technology. Dedrone’s sensors, software and communication technology detects, classifies, and protects against drone threats, including localizing the drone. Their passive and active countermeasures can be triggered, tailoring the defense mechanism to the severity of the threat. The company works with smart city customers as well as those across public safety, critical infrastructure, governments, correctional facilities, and enterprises to protect against unwanted drones. In this edition of the Drone Radio Show, AD talks about Dedrone’s detection solutions, an innovative partnership with Swisscom Broadcast to protect their clients from drone incursions and how this technology could, in the future, as a shield to protect cities.
Mentioned Links * Dedrone (www.dedrone.com)
The post Protecting Cities from Drone Incursions appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
This Week’s Key Question “Where can you go to get the latest on UAS autonomous operations?”
This Week’s Guests Achal Negi is Head of Business Development for Flytbase
What We Learn On February 22nd, Flytbase will present NestGen, the first, all on-line summit on drone automation. The event will bring together leaders in the UAS automation sector to share experiences and technologies. In recent years, modular and autonomous drone-in-a-box systems have displayed a highly disruptive potential in increasing the quality and efficiency of aerial data, acquisition and management. However, as they are still a nascent and niche technology, there has been little emphasis on growing and supporting those that are involved in creating such systems. Navigating the rich and diverse ecosystem of the drone automation market is a daunting, but necessary, task. For all drone based businesses to encourage global collaboration in forging a platform for these businesses, Flytbase created the NextGen Summit.
Mentioned Links * Flytbase (www.flytbase.com) * Hextronics (www.nestgen.flytnow.com/)
The post NestGen: Virtual Summit Focused on Drone Autonomy appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
his Week’s Key Question “What’s the latest in drone-in-a-box solutions?
This Week’s Guests Achal Negi is head of business development for Flytebase and Curt Lary is lead engineer and CEO for Hextronics. Flytbase is a Silicon Valley company that has build the world’s first internet-of-drones platform to automate and scale drone operations. Hextronics is an engineering and manufacturing company that designs and produces scalable autonomous drone hardware solutions in a cost-effective manner. Both companies are leaders in their respective verticals, and they formed a partnership to produce a powerful low-cost autonomous drone-in-a-box solution.
What We Learn Achal and Curt talk about Flytbase and Hextronics, their drone-in-a-box product and software, and the future of autonomous drone operations.
Mentioned Links * Flytbase (www.flytbase.com) * Hextronics (www.hextronics.tech)
The post A Low-Cost Drone-in-a-Box Option appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
“The next evolution is automated system going after automated system. And it’s kind of mind-boggling when you think about that. You know, here comes a swarm attack, fully automated, and it’s being defended by an autonomous system. Who wins that battle?”
- Ken Geyer
This Week’s Key Question “How Can We Protect Against Drone Swarms and Other Next Generation Threats?”
This Week’s Guests Ken Geyer is CEO and co-founder of Liteye Systems, Inc and Keven Gambold, CEO and co-founder of Unmanned Experts. Liteye Systems is a world leader and technology solutions manufacturer and integrator of military and commercial Counter UAS systems. Unmanned Experts is a world-leading provider of Subject Matter Expertise in the fields of autonomous robotics, swarms, UTM, and mass data. The companies recently formed a partnership to address drone swarms.
Ken is an entrepreneur who launched eight companies, including co-founding and starting Liteye back in January 2000. From virtual reality hardware & software to the new frontier of counter unmanned systems, his focus has been on developing, and advancing products that provide end-users with the tools to achieve their goals. Keven completed 21 years of active duty service with the Royal Air Force as a front-line combat pilot. He has more than 1500 hours in Tornado GR4 fast-jets as well as over 1500 hours of unmanned combat missions. He completed his tours as the senior Standards Evaluator and the project officer for both Multi-Aircraft Control and Advanced UAV Cockpit programs.
What We Learn Ken and Keven talk about their respective companies, the current state of UAS threats and the evolving threats posed by UAS Swarm technology.
Mentioned Links * Liteye Systems, Inc. (www.liteye.com) * Unmanned Experts (www.unmannedexperts.com)
The post Protecting Against Next Generation Drone Threats appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
Technology continues to advance the way in which manufacturers, designer and engineers build their goods. It’s equally essential that they advance the manner in which they communicate. 3D visual interaction gives the users of the content the ability to really see, understand and interact with the model.”
- Patricia Hume
THIs Week’s Key Question “How can using 3D model technology improve workflows of drone manufactures?
This Week’s Guests Patricia Hume is CEO of Canvas GFX, a company that develops visual communication and collaboration solutions. Canvas GFX is trusted by leading brands from verticals in aerospace and defense, automotive, commercial and domestic appliance, energy, and education. The company’s solutions bridge the divide between technical and graphics applications, empowering everyone to communicate and understand complex information with absolute clarity.
Pat’s career in software and high tech spans four decades. At Canvas GFX, she is responsible for creating and executing the company’s strategic vision. With a wealth of cross-functional experience and deep operational expertise across large companies and microcaps, she specializes in driving sustained growth and high-impact turnarounds.
Prior to joining Canvas, Patricia was chief operations officer at iPass, Inc., where she led global customer-facing activities until the company’s acquisition in February 2019. She has also served as chief revenue officer at Convio, senior vice president of Global Indirect Channels at SAP AG, group vice president of Avaya’s SMB Division, and CEO and president of VerticalNet Markets. She held numerous senior management positions during her 18-year service with IBM and Lotus.
What We Learn In 2021, Canvas was selected by Zipline to optimize a range of visual documentation workflows. Launched in 2016 to deliver critical medical supplies, Zipline designs, manufactures and operates the world’s largest automated on-demand delivery service, which to date has made more than 200,000 commercial deliveries and has delivered millions of units of blood, vaccines and other critical medical products. Using the Canvas Envision platform, Zipline employees will have the ability to create rich, dynamic visual assets leveraging real 3D CAD data.
In this edition o f the Drone Radio Show, Patricia talks about Canvas GFX, the partnership with Zipline to create interactive 3D product models and the benefits of using new technologies to streamline workflows and communicate ideas.
Mentioned Links
- Canvas GFX (www.canvasgfx.com)
The post The Power of 3D Models to Communicate Data appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
This Week’s Key Question “What was 2021 like for the Drone Industry?”
This Week’s Guests The best way to answer this question is to hear from some of those who helped shaped the industry in 2021. I’ve compiled a string of audio clips from my guests that provides an great image of the past year.
In this episode of the Drone Radio Show, we’ll hear from industry notables like Brandon Torres, Nick Flom, Brent Skorup, Amit Ganjoo, Phil Larsen, Romeo Duracher, Steven Flynn, Desmond Wheatley, Matt Dunlevy and others as they share their insights into their company and on the drone industry.
The post The Drone Industry in 2021 – DRS Guests Perspective appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
“In the absence of GPS. the robot does what you and I wouild do, which is perceive the environment. It looks around and builds a map of where it is and that’s the very beginning of the mission. Then from there, it basically says ‘OK that’s my mission. I’ve got to go forward and explore this volume of space.'”
-- Nader Elm
This Week’s Key Question “What does it mean to achieve the highest level of aerial Autonomy?”
This Week’s Guest Nader Elm is CEO and Founder of EXYN Technologies. EXYN Technologies pioneers autonomous robot systems for complex, GPS-denied environments. The company’s full-stack solution enables flexible deployment of single or multi-robots that can intelligently navigate and dynamically adapt to complex environments in real time. Earlier this year, the company announced that it had achieved what it considers the highest level of aerial autonomy reached within the UAS industry. EXYN drones are immune to GPS signal loss, meaning all spatial and mapping computations are done onboard. They can fly anywhere without a remote operator. This is a major step up from previous levels of autonomy, in which a human is required to potentially assume control, something that has prevented drones from entering spaces without ranging signals, such as underground mining locations. Nader has spent his professional career in fast-growing technology domains, progressively moving from engineering roles to leadership of startups and strategic growth initiatives in large enterprises. He joined as CEO of EXYN Technologies at the company’s formation in 2014.
What We Learn Nader talks about EXYN Technologies, it’s Level 4 autonomous drones, and how the company’s technology is successfully mapping dangerous and isolated underground locations in the mining industry, saving time and providing added safety benefits.
Mentioned Links * EXYN Technologies (www.exyn.com)
The post The Highest Level of Aerial Autonomy appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
“UTM is just a step up from small UAS, just the scale happens differently. Instead of flying below 400 feet, now you’re flying and mixing with other UAS at higher altitudes. You’re also going to integrate with traditional aviation at higher altitude. So, it becomes more complex. There are more challenges, but the building blocks are the same.
- Amit Ganjoo
This Week’s Key Question What is Evolving in the Global UAS Traffic Management Sector?”
This Week’s Guest Amit Ganjoo is CEO and Founder of Anra Technologies, an Award Winning Drone Operations company based in Washington DC. The company’s award winning Platform is called SmartSkies™ is used by multiple commercial and government entities for running and managing commercial drone operations. Amit is a serial entrepreneur and has over 20 years of aviation, telecom and wireless experience in both the federal and the commercial space. He is an engineer, a licensed pilot following a lifelong passion in aviation and he builds experimental aircrafts. Until December 2016, Amit acted as the co-chair for the FCC’s Technical Advisory Council for 5G and Internet of Things, which included ground and airborne autonomous vehicles. He was the Director of Engineering at and Principal Architect at Ericsson, providing telecom solutions to commercial customers and Federal Government, where he was the recipient of the Athena Award. He was also the Founder and CEO of a Mobile Marketing company from which he had a successful exit in 2009. Amit is an adjunct professor at the George Mason University and shares his passion for engineering by teaching in the School of Engineering and volunteers at a local Maker Space in the D.C. area.
What We Learn Amit talks about Anra Technologies, its enterprise drone solutions, drone delivery, urban air mobility and the role the company plays in delivering unmanned traffic management systems to enterprise organizations.
Mentioned Links * ANRA Technologies (www.anratechnologies.com)
The post A Global Company’s Perspective on UAS Traffic Management: appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
“I’m surrounded by a bunch of innovative thinkers, very creative. There is that entrepreneurial spirit, the whole world of uncrewed systems and emerging technologies is just expanding so fast that whenever I show up to work, I’m always hearing about a new technology or a new capability and a new possible use case or a new problem that we can solve using UAS.”
- Paul Hemmick
This Week’s Key Question “How does NOAA use drones?”
This Week’s Guest Commander Paul Hemmick is Chief of NOAA’s UAS Division at the Aircraft Operations Center in Lakeland, Florida. Commander Hemmick received his NOAA Commission in 2004, serving in multiple operational and staff level assignments throughout his 16 year career. He’s piloted large ships, flown planes and is now heading NOAA’s UAS operations. In this role, he oversees safety, policy, and fleet oversight spanning a wide range of UAS missions. With the recent formation of NOAA’s UAS Operations Center, he is involved with implementing emerging UAS technologies to force multiply data collection and scientific observations across the Agency.
What We Learn Paul talks about NOAA’s mission, the use of uncrewed systems to study hurricanes and the role of NOAA’s UAS Division in spearheading value-added research using drones.
Mentioned Links * NOAA UAS Air Division (www.omao.noaa.gov)
The post How is NOAA using drones? appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
“We are threat intelligence for drones. We track and categorize a whole bunch of incidents that are happening around the world at any point in time. And we collect that from humans, from pilots, reports, social media, dark web – there’s a whole bunch of places that have threat analysts gathering this information. So we’re able to produce information in real time and disseminate to those partners who need it immediately.”
Mike Monnik
This Week’s Key Question “How are companies responding to UAS threats worldwide?”
This Week’s Guests Lucas Le Bell is CEO and Co-Founder of Cerbair, a counter company protects sensitive sites and events from dangerous drone activity. Michael Monnik is a cyber security consultant and founder of DroneSec a drone-security service that provides organizations with life-saving alerts and data on drone threats to their assets. Drone Sec and Cerbair have signed a partnership through which CERBAIR will provide its customers with weekly information in French, English, and Arabic on developing threats identified by DroneSec. The DroneSec team comprises analysts including former hackers, military drone pilots and fighter pilots; the company audits, trains and informs its clients on the risks posed by drones to sensitive infrastructure. The partnership also benefits from ad hoc data sources from “Notify”, the UAV Threat Intelligence database of more than 3,000 incidents classified by severity. It is an example of how companies are working together to adapt to evolving drone threats worldwide.
What We Learn Lucas and Mike talk about their respective companies, the nature of today’s drone threats and their partnership to deliver an enhanced level of counter UAS threat intelligence.
Mentioned Links * Cerbair (www.cerbair.com) * DroneSec (www.dronesec.com)
The post Forming Strategic Partnerships for C-UAS appeared first on Drone Radio Show.
“HAMR is a significant leapfrog in performance beyond what is in the drone industry today. And Grease Lightning is a significant leapfrog and performance beyond our HAMR product line. Grease Lightning can take off and land vertically, like a multirotor, maneuver like a multirotor and fly missions of 14 to 20 hours.”
Bill Fredricks
This Week’s Key Question “How can hybrid powered drones benefit enterprise operations?“
This Week’s Guests Bill Fredericks is CEO of Advanced Aircraft company. Advanced Aircraft Company, or AAC for short, designs long endurance hybrid electric UAS, targeting commercial and military markets. Advanced Aircraft Company’s design philosophy is simple: fast, innovative, and safe. Their products feature streamlined aerodynamic designs, hybrid electric propulsion that allows for longer flight times, and rigorous safety procedures that can be employed if the combustion engine fails. ACC’s first product is the HAMR UAS – a long-endurance multi-rotor utilizing hybrid electric propulsion and pantentedaerodynamic design features. The HAMR can fly for over 2 hours while carrying a payload of 4 lbs. The company’s future product is the Greased Lightning UAS. Advanced Aircraft Company has licensed production rights from NASA for the Greased Lightning technology and will improve on the technology to produce a UAS that will fly for 19 hours with a 5 pound payload. This unique aircraft can takeoffand land without any launch and recovery equipment.
Bill is an accomplished aircraft designer who has designed dozens of aircraft, 12 of which have achieved first flight. Before founding Advance Aircraft Company, Bill was a valued Aeronautical Engineer at the NASA Langley Research Center in the Aeronautics Systems Analysis Branch. He is the lead inventor on the Greased Lightning patent and led the project from its conceptual design through its successful flight testing.
What We Learn Bill Fredricks talks about Advance Aircraft Company, the benefits of hybrid propulsion systems and how the HAMR and Greased Lightning systems can benefit enterprise organizations.
Mentioned Links * Advanced Aircraft Company (www.advancedaircraftcompany.com)
The post Extending The Value of UAS With Hybrid Propulsion Systems appeared first on Drone Radio Show.