Uncrewed Views

Twice each month, Commercial UAV News’ new podcast, Uncrewed Views, will explore the latest advances and trends in uncrewed systems, advanced air mobility, and more. Industry leaders will offer their perspectives on news and information presented in articles, videos, podcasts, and other sources that cover drones and related technologies.

For this first installment of Uncrewed Views, host Scott Howe, Editorial Analyst for Commercial UAV News, speaks with Geo Week News Content Manager Carla Lauter and Jeremiah Karpowicz, Editorial Director for Commercial UAV News about:

The recent merger between PrescisonHawk and Field and what it means for the drone industry.

Sources:

·       Dronelife - PrecisionHawk Merges with European Geospatial Firm Field

·       Commercial UAV News - PrecisionHawk Merger Signals the End of an Era for the Drone Industry

How far are we from realizing the full potential of large cargo drone transport and air taxis?

Sources:

·       Aviation Today - VPorts Announces Creation of First International Electric AAM Corridor

·       Commercial UAV News: Drone Industry Visionaries Interview: NUAIR defines the future of the technology by “already doing it”

·       Dronelife - Commercial Ops with Large Drones: NY UAS Test Site Receives Civil Flight Authority for 50-Mile Drone Corridor

Is receiving a BVLOS waiver from the FAA even news anymore?

Sources:

·       EIN Presswire - Phoenix Air Unmanned Receives Nationwide BVLOS Waiver for Powerline Inspections

·       Drone DJ - Spright earns ‘first of a kind’ FAA BVLOS waiver for asset inspections

·       The Robot Report - Percepto drones get nationwide waiver for BVLOS flights

Lidar and UAV connections: How companies like Carlson are trying to make the integration of their solutions much simpler.

Source:

sUAS News - American-made Carlson Aerial Platform (CAP50)

A conversation with Philipp Amon, Business Division Manager UAV-based Laser Scanning, RIEGL, and Dan Hubert, VP of Marketing, Phoenix Lidar Systems

In March 2023, Commercial UAV News hosted the webinar “Choosing the Right Sensor for Your Drone.” During that event, industry leaders reviewed some of the most powerful sensors for drone-based applications, such as inspections and surveying, and they explored ways of matching available technology to specific operations.

In this special edition of our podcast, Philipp Amon from RIEGL and Dan Hubert from Phoenix Lidar Systems discuss the ways they work with operators and organizations to select the right sensor for their work.

According to a 2022 report, some 70% of large mining companies have started using drones since 2016. Most of those companies are using drones for surveying and mapping and for monitoring and inspections work. They are also integrating uncrewed technology to enable safety improvements, handle route logistics, and manage stockpiles.

To learn more about the ways mining companies are adopting drones for their operations, Commercial UAV News spoke with Lauren Elmore, CEO of Firmatek. Interviewed for our latest podcast, Elmore draws on her extensive experience helping mining operations integrate drones to tell us how companies are achieving increased efficiency and safety. She also comments on what the future holds for uncrewed systems in the mining sector.

With the commercial UAV industry continuing to grow, companies are looking for talented, qualified individuals to fill critical roles as pilots, data analysts, mission planners, and more. At the same time, individuals with a wide range of backgrounds and skills are looking for ways to launch new careers in this burgeoning field.

To learn about professional opportunities in the drone industry, Commercial UAV News spoke with Brian Pitre, CEO of SkyOp, a company that offers drone-related training for students, businesses, public safety professionals, and others. Pitre, who authored the recent e-book The Ultimate Drone Professional Guide, discussed the challenges facing companies seeking to staff their drone operations, and he provided advice for would-be drone pilots, data analysts, and others.

Heavy-lift, commercial cargo drones have been around a long time, bringing a wide variety of goods to businesses and consumers all around the world. From delivering medical supplies to remote islands and villages, dropping food and fuel to offshore oil rigs, or carrying regular, everyday products to consumers everywhere, these oversized UAVs have been demonstrating the ways that uncrewed systems can augment or even replace the work of traditional commercial aircraft.

For our latest podcast, Commercial UAV News spoke to Ed De Reyes, CEO of Sabrewing. One of the leaders in the heavy-lift, commercial cargo drone space, De Reyes explained how these vehicles are making deliveries faster, cheaper, and safer. He also described how customers are finding new and better ways to use these vehicles and the ways companies like Sabrewing are responding to market demands.

The Advanced Air Mobility (AAM)/Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle (UAV) sector has a unique opportunity to further diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts. Because the AAM/UAV industry is relatively new, companies and organizations can create workplace cultures, hiring and training programs, and community connections in ways that may be difficult in older, more established industries.

To explore the issues around DEI in the AAM/UAV world, Commercial UAV News spoke with JR Hammond, Executive Director of the Canadian Advanced Air Mobility Consortium (CAAM). Hammond described the current state of DEI in AAM/UAV and explained how his organization is working to foster more equitable and welcoming work environments. In addition, Hammond made the business case for DEI, stating that diverse and inclusive companies are more attractive to prospective customers and employees—and more profitable.

Drones have proven to be an effective tool for bringing contraband into corrections facilities. Across the country and around the world, drones are being deployed to deliver drugs, cell phones, and even weapons into prisons. In many cases, corrections officers struggle to stop the drones from breaching their security barriers, and they face tough challenges in finding the contraband once it enters their facilities.

David Young, owner of Public Safety UAS, is addressing these problems by offering targeted training on counter drone systems and strategies to corrections officers and other law enforcement professionals.

In our latest Commercial UAV News podcast, Young describes the threats that drones present in prison settings and explains the ways his firm is offering crucial training to those on the front lines. Young also discusses the pressing need for effective counter drone policies to address the risks posed by rogue UAVs in large public settings such as stadiums and arenas.

In recent years, the use of drones for agricultural spraying has grown steadily. Increasingly, farmers are turning to uncrewed vehicles because they offer dramatic improvements in cost, efficiency, and safety over traditional methods like using backpacks and ground sprayers. Although experts believe that drones will never completely replace conventional techniques for spraying on farms, drones offer immense potential for improving agricultural operations—and they’re just getting started.

For our latest podcast, Commercial UAV News spoke with Bryan Sanders, President of Homeland Surveillance and Electronics (HSE). A full-service provider of industrial unmanned aircraft, HSE has extensive experience helping agricultural operations adopt new technologies. Drawing on this background, Sanders discusses the current state of the spray drone sector, barriers to adoption, and how the technology can advance farming operations in the future.

The recent Commercial UAV Expo in Las Vegas was one of the official filming locations for a multi-part documentary made possible through a partnership with Women and Drones and the documentary film company Monumental Access. The film will capture the stories of women in the drone industry in hopes of inspiring the next generation of talented aviation leaders.

In this podcast, Scott Howe, Editorial Analyst for Commercial UAV News, interviews Sharon Rossmark, CEO of Women and Drones, and Monte Chambers, principal founder of Monumental Access. The discussion explores the current state of women in the drone industry and examines how this project may lead to more women joining this dynamic, fast-growing sector.

At the recent Commercial UAV Expo in Las Vegas, leaders in the use of drone technology in forestry and precision agriculture came together to the evaluate the current state of their industry and discuss what needs to happen move the sector forward. One of the participants was Adam Gittins, General Manager at HTS Ag.

For years, Gittins has been on the forefront of adapting uncrewed technologies to farming operations. At HTS Ag, an Iowa-based company that offers high tech solutions for agriculture, Gittins has found innovative ways to improve efficiency and profitability for farms and related businesses. In our latest podcast, Gittins draws on his experience and expertise to discusses spray drones, aerial seeding, the current regulatory environment, remote ID, and the overall ROI of using drones on farms.

Some 2,500 commercial drone professionals will come together in Las Vegas for the 2022 Commercial UAV Expo.  For one week, engineers, designers, marketers, regulators, pilots, programmers, and others will learn about new technologies, interact with industry leaders, and share their insights and hopes for our industry. This kind of interaction is essential to building a strong UAV community and moving our industry forward.

In an interview, Ken Stewart, President and CEO of NUAIR, discusses the importance of collaboration and cooperation in the drone industry. Drawing on his experience heading an organization that works closely with government regulators and commercial entities, he explains how sharing ideas, offering support, and increasing understanding helps improve technology and craft meaningful public policy.

Recent reports state that the drone industry in Latin America and South America grew at a pace of 6.2% in 2021. According to uncrewed aviation expert Juan Plaza, that growth rate could rise as high as 10% in the coming years. In this podcast, Plaza explains how innovative business leaders, government agencies, and receptive consumers are driving the expansion of uncrewed operations in the region. Less crowded skies, a favorable regulatory environment, and success stories from drone companies operating in agriculture, package delivery, inspections, and more are also contributing to the growth. Plaza, who will be a featured speaker at the upcoming Commercial UAV Expo, offers his insights and predictions in this lively discussion.

Improving drone safety will not only increase public acceptance of uncrewed technology, it will increase ROI for commercial drone operations and move the industry forward. In this podcast, Josh Olds, CEO & President, Unmanned Safety Institute, discusses the risks associated with commercial UAV programs and the importance of safety training and certification for drone operators. Based on his experience as the head of the world’s leading UAS training and certification organization, Olds explains how standardization, regulations, and a commitment to secure operations will make UAVs safer—and more profitable—for all stakeholders.

Robotic devices, including uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs), can play a crucial role in disaster response operations. In this podcast, Dr. Murphy, a professor Computer Science & Engineering at Texas A&M University and a pioneer in the field of disaster robotics, discusses the history on uncrewed aerial systems in disaster response, the barriers to adoption, government regulations, the importance of wireless communications in robotic disaster operations, and her hopes for the future. In addition, she talks about the importance of training for disaster response professionals using UAVs, and she explains the training she offers through the organization Women in Drones.

The Avy Drone Response Network is new solution that can instantly deploy autonomous drones to carry out urgent and lifesaving missions. The network combines docking stations with Avy’s new Aera autonomous drones to support medical deliveries or emergency services during critical incidents. The new-generation drone has improved payload capacity and range, capable of carrying up to 6.6 pounds (3 kg) of medical goods over a distance of 62 miles (100 km). Moreover, the VTOL aircraft can operate around the year in rain and winds up to 28 mph (45 kph). In an interview with Commercial UAV News, Avy’s CEO, Patrique Pi Zaman, discusses the components and capabilities of Drone Response Network, as well as the challenges of creating an autonomous drone network.

The recently announced FLYY program is a comprehensive online learning and resource portal for drone pilots. While the education that defines the program is geared toward anyone who’s interested in getting their Basic or Advanced RPAS Certificate to legally operate a drone in Canada, the comprehensive learning platform with multiple course offerings provides insights that are relevant to anyone building or operating an enterprise drone programs. To better understand why this sort of drone training should be the foundation upon which enterprise programs should be built, we talked with Kate Klassen, who is the architect of the FLYY program and also an instructor. She detailed her background in aviation, what makes FLYY the most comprehensive suite of courses she’s ever put together and how she makes training engaging to both stakeholders and operators. Stay tuned to the end of the podcast for a 10% discount code on FLYY courses.

Our free report, titled Transitioning Commercial Drone Applications into the Millitary Defense Market: What You Need to Know details what commercial drone solution providers need to know about how the defense market sector operates but also highlights what it can mean to enter a new market. What kind of a mindset is necessary for this sort of market transition? How should stakeholders look to rely on experts when doing so? We connected with Ed Hennessey, CEO of PMG-Results and the author of this report, to discuss these specifics, how connections between the commercial and defense sides of drone technology have evolved, and much more.

Pacific Triangle is a drone service provider in San Diego, California delivering integrated platforms and end-to-end solutions for commercial applications in geospatial, oil and gas, mining and electrical utility industries. We wanted to learn more about how they used drones for bridge inspections in Georgia, so we connected with Ian to explore the efficiencies they enabled for the project, how value was measured by stakeholders, what opportunities this application will open up for others and much more.

In a very special episode of the podcast, Danielle Gagne sits down with Carla Lauter, Conference Chair of Geo Week, to discuss the opportunities and possibilities that innovations like drones, lidar and more have opened up in various sectors. The two explore how they approach covering the value these tools create for both Commercial UAV News and Geo Week News, how their careers have been shaped by the conversations they’ve had with experts on every side of the technology, and an announcement about the future of the podcast.

An interview with Luke Fox, Founder of WhiteFox 

When incidents with drones capture national, or even international, attention it can pull the entire drone industry back. These incidents impact public trust in the capabilities and value of drone technology. How can we flip the script and reframe this conversation to focus on the ways we can ensure airspace safety today? Commercial UAV News sat down with Luke Fox, Founder of WhiteFox, to discuss what we can and should be doing as an industry to increase security and trust, how we can build better airspace aware today, and why it is vital to the future of our industry.