Drone Radio Show

Dylan Hamm is Chief Technology Officer at PDW. PDW is a cutting-edge drone technology company revolutionizing small robotics for military and government operations. Their mission is to democratize air support, empowering and protecting those who serve. PDW produces air vehicles, autonomous and AI software, as well as countermeasures in areas like electronic warfare, communications, and GPS denial. Their flagship product, the C100 small UAS, is a versatile quadcopter designed to fit inside a warfighter’s rucksack, providing personal air support on the frontline.

As the CTO of PDW, Dylan leads he company’s product roadmap and R&D strategy. With 12 years of experience in special forces and eight global deployments, Dylan has witnessed the transformative power of small unmanned systems in real-time combat scenarios. Toward the end of his military career, he saw firsthand how these systems were reshaping modern warfare, fueling his passion for exploring their full potential.

In this episode, Dylan shares insights into PDW’s mission, the ways small drones are changing the battlefield, and the innovative tactics and technologies being developed to counter drone threats.

Mary-Lou Smulders is Chief Marketing Officer at Dedrone.  Dedrone is a world leader in smart airspace security. Hundreds of commercial, government and military customers around the world rely on Dedrone’s comprehensive, command and control solution to protect against the persistent and escalating threat from drones while enabling “good” drones to fly. By leveraging AI/ML, Dedrone is the only solution that provides continuous, autonomous drone interrogation and verification that enables both multi-sensor and multi-mitigation options onto a single "pane-of-glass".  Dedrone customers can easily detect, track, identify, analyze and mitigate drone threats.    

During her twenty-year high-tech career, Mary-Lou has served as Chief Marketing Officer at several enterprise software entities including financial technology company 9th Gear and crisis communication systems leader AtHoc. Additionally, she served as Senior Vice President of Global Applications and Services Marketing for Oracle Corporation and started her career as a rig engineer.

In this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Mary-Lou talks about Dedrone and the role of AI and Machine Learning in creating an effective drone mitigation system.

Beth Flippo is CEO of Drone Express.  Drone Express is an innovative aviation company disrupting last-mile logistics by embracing autonomous flight. Founded in 2021, the company uses drones to deliver safe, reliable, autonomous, eco-friendly packages nationwide to customers. They have secured strategic nationwide corporate partnerships with The Kroger Company, Papa John’s International, Winsupply, and other retailers. The FAA formally accepted its Part 135 application. Upon completion, Drone Express will be one of only a few companies certified to perform unmanned beyond visual line of sight deliveries in the United States.  On September 13, Drone Express launched their drone delivery service in Winston-Salem.

Beth is an accomplished embedded engineer with over 20 years of experience in the finance and technology industries. She has designed and developed advanced mobile communications solutions and is passionate about robotics and unmanned systems.  Before launching Drone Express, Beth was Vice President of Embedded Software Development at TELEGRID Technologies.

She began her career in the finance industry in New York City, designing systems for quantitative trading and financial analysis for equity transactions on the New York Stock Exchange. Her experience includes several prestigious investment banks and brokerage firms, including UBS PaineWebber, Cantor Fitzgerald, and Goldman Sachs.  Beth holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the Thomas Watson School of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of New York at Binghamton. She is a licensed drone pilot with the FAA and has a radio operator license, W2QNB, from the FCC.

In this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Beth talks about Drone Express, the company’s official launch into Winston-Salem and how autonomous drone delivery can provide economic and ecological benefits to communities.

Juan Plaza is CEO of Plaza Aerospace, a Boca Raton based consulting company specializing in crewed and uncrewed aviation, Latin American Business Development and GIS consulting.  The company helps organizations reach their goals faster by selecting the right platforms and implementing the best deployment practices. Prior to forming Plaza Aerospace in 2015, Juan spent more than 26 years as a Sales Director for companies such as Autodesk and Trimble Navigation, in Latin America where he developed a network of software and hardware distributors willing and eager to represent new products in their respective countries. Juan has more than 750 hours of experience in photogrammetry navigation and camera operation in various and holds a Commercial, Multi-engine Pilot certificate.

December 30, 2023 a helicopter and a drone collided in midair in the vicinity of the Daytona Beach International Airport.  The FAA initially classified the accident as a collision with an object/terrain, but it was only after Juan contacted the FAA, on behalf of the pilot, that the real facts of the collision become known. 

In this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Juan talks about the mid-air collision and its relevancy for the drone industry and drone operators. 

Amol Parikh is co-CEO of Doodle Labs.  Doodle Labs designs and produces industrial-grade wireless networking solutions. The company focuses on mesh networking for robotic systems, providing high throughput, long-range Mesh Rider solutions for a variety of government/defense, private wireless and other applications.  Doodle Labs has offices in the United States and Singapore, and has been named to Fast Company’s list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2024.

Doodle Labs is a leader in providing industrial-grade wireless networking solutions.  Their radios are widely used in military situations, because of their anti-jamming capability providing drone operators with much improved signal strength and continuity.  Doodle Labs’ breakthrough development of multi-band technology can benefit several commercial applications, as well.

In this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Amol talks about Doodle Labs, its revolutionary mesh communication radios, and how multi-band technology can benefit military and commercial applications.

Today's guests are Oliver Heys and James Bassam of Surf Life Saving.   Surf Life Saving is Australia's premier water safety, drowning prevention, and rescue organization. With 129 Surf Life Saving Clubs and over 77,000 members, it's one of the largest not-for-profit volunteer movements in Australia, dedicated to saving lives on the beach.  A standout feature within Surf Life Saving is the Australian Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle Service, operating the largest coastal UAV surveillance program in the Southern Hemisphere. The Australian UAV Services uses drones to monitor sharks off the coast of New South Wales, enhancing bather protection while minimizing harm to sharks and other marine life.

Oliver, Surf Life Savings Chief Remote Pilot & Capability Coordinator, oversees regulatory compliance and brings a wealth of experience since joining the organization in 2020. Oliver's dedication to the UAV industry earned him a finalist spot for the Remotely Piloted Aircraft Professional of the Year at the Australian Aviation Safety Awards in 2023.

James is the Australian UAV Service Operations Manager for Safety and Compliance. With a background in crewed aviation and roles as a Commercial Pilot, Flight Instructor, and Head Teacher of Aviation, James leads the operational delivery team. He has spearheaded numerous projects to enhance the capabilities of the Australian UAV Service.

In 2023, Surf Life Saving introduced long-range drones to monitor the coastal waters of New South Wales. This cost-effective, non-invasive technology has been successful in ensuring the safety of swimmers and surfers while minimizing the impact on marine life. The public response has been overwhelmingly positive, with increased confidence in water safety where UAVs are deployed.

In this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Oliver and James discuss Surf Life Savings, the use of drones to monitor sharks and the evolution of Australia’s long range UAV coastal monitoring program.

Bill Irby is CEO of AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc., a global technology innovator focused on enhancing situational awareness. The company provides customer-centric, advanced robotics solutions, beginning with autonomous drones that are high-value and solve mission-critical problems.  Founded in 2010, AgEagle was originally formed to pioneer proprietary, professional-grade, fixed-winged drones and aerial imagery for the agriculture industry.  Today, AgEagle is a leading provider of full stack drone solutions for customers worldwide in the energy, construction, agriculture, and government verticals.

Their eBee drone is autonomous, safe, ultra-light and easy to use. They are the first UAVs to be approved by the FAA for Operations Over People and Operations Over Moving Vehicles in the U.S.  They are also the first drone to receive the European Union Aviation Safety Agency Design Verification for BVLOS and Operations Over People.  The drones have performed over one million flights globally and are lightweight, hand-launched, and able to operate vast distances Beyond-Visual-Line-of-Sight (BVLOS).

Bill is a United States Naval Academy alum with more than 25 years of senior management experience in uncrewed air and maritime systems, actuation hardware, ISR systems, and communication systems.

He served as a Vice President at Northrop Grumman, one of the world’s largest weapons manufacturers and military technology providers, generating $30 billion annually. More recently, he was President of MTI and Steel Partners Holdings, a diversified global holding company with operations in industrial products, energy, defense, supply chain management and logistics.

Bill is also an active Board member of Ghost Robotics and Chairman of the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International.  He also served as President of VBAT after Shield AI’s acquisition and L3 Harris.  Bill holds a Master’s degree in Technical Management from Johns Hopkins University and a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from the United States Naval Academy.

In this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Bill talks about AgEagle’s evolution into a full-stack drone company, and he discusses recent deals that demonstrate the company’s success in the marketplace.

Chris Sanders is Senior Manager for Verizon Frontline Crisis Response Team.  The Crisis Response Team is a national, rapid deploy, professionally trained team who solve routine and complex communication challenges in all environments. This team of multi-disciplinary provide on-demand emergency assistance to government agencies, first responders, frontline workers and communities—to help maintain mission-critical communications.

Chris is the Verizon Frontline Senior Manager for Crisis Response for Georgia and Alabama, as well as the developer and leader of the crisis response UAS team.  He draws upon his experience from ten years on active duty in the United States Army where he served as a tactical air traffic control operator and senior noncommissioned officer to provide a calm demeanor during times of crisis. His experience also includes several years of work in the UAS industry working on mapping, photogrammetry, LiDAR, and beyond visual line of sight operations. He holds a bachelor’s degree in unmanned systems and robotics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and a Master’s degree in Geographical Information Systems and cartography from The University of Southern California.

Earlier this year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Verizon Frontline have signed a three-year Cooperative Research and Development Agreement to explore new strategies to rapidly deploy uncrewed aircraft systems to collect and distribute imagery of damage resulting from severe storms such as tornadoes or hurricanes.

As part of this partnership, the Verizon Frontline Crisis Response Team will provide the uncrewed aircraft system platform, sensor, and personnel resources needed to rapidly respond and collect aerial imagery of storm-damaged areas of interest identified by NOAA.

The goal is to enhance the ability of NOAA’s National Weather Service offices to quickly conduct post-storm damage assessments, while also providing data for research conducted by the NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory. This data will be used to help researchers better understand tornado behavior and impacts with a goal of improving warnings. 

In this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Chris talks about the Verizon Frontline Crises Response Team, the partnership with NOAA and how systematic data collection can aide local communities in redeveloping after a disaster.

Arthur Erickson is CEO and Founder of Hylio Drones.  Hylio develops and offers innovative drone systems that automate precision agriculture treatments. Hylio is American owned and operated, and its drones are made in the USA with US and globally sourced components. Using Hylio’s technology, farmers/producers can now apply crop treatments directly to problem areas, allowing farmers to increase yields by addressing pests and deficiencies with more accuracy and efficacy

Earlier this year, Hylio received first ever FAA exemption for 55+ pound drone swarms to fly over agricultural lands.  Under the exemption, Hylio has been granted permission to swarm up to three 55+ pound UAVs at a time with one pilot and no visual observer.  The drones will monitor crops using AI, plant seeds and perform spray applications of fertilizer, pesticides, and more.  This achievement sets an important precedent for the commercial UAS industry and lays the groundwork for other operators to file and obtain the same permissions. 

Arthur received a degree in Aerospace engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. While working as a UAS researcher at UT, he started Hylio in 2015 alongside fellow students. Arthur has led Hylio from their early days of prototyping through the present.  Today, Hylio’s systems are owned and operated by hundreds of farmers and applicators in both the US and abroad. 

In this edition of the Drone Radio Show, Arthur talks about Hylio, the FAA exemption for agricultural drone swarms and how this will impact the drone industry.

How effective are drones in monitoring coastal areas?

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.