InterDrone Podcast

This week on the InterDrone Podcast we sat down with Helena Samsioe, Founder & CEO GLOBHE, a global drone service provider in Sweden. She is also a Forbes World's Top 50 Women in Tech. GLOBHE launched the world’s first Crowddroning platform where drone pilots around the world take on paid freelance missions to deliver drone data to GLOBHE clients and at the same time help create social impact.

Articles

1. Drones in Telecom: GLOBHE Signs Global Agreement - https://dronelife.com/2020/10/02/drones-in-telecom-globhe-signs-global-agreement/

2. No Department of Justice Funds for DJI Drones: DOJ Makes the Ban Official, but Some Federal Agencies May Suffer - https://dronelife.com/2020/10/09/no-federal-funds-for-dji-drones-doj-makes-the-ban-official-but-some-federal-agencies-may-suffer/

3. Alphabet and SoftBank’s solar-powered drone provides first LTE connection - https://www.theverge.com/2020/10/8/21507397/alphabet-softabank-solar-power-autonomous-drone-lte-connection

Connect:

https://globhe.com/

This week on the InterDrone Podcast we sat down with Jennifer Richter, Partner at Akin Gump LLP.  Jennifer is a subject matter expert for the FCC, the FAA, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).  We spoke about:

- Skydio's BVLOS Waiver for Bridge Inspections

- Anti-drone tech’s tangled regulatory landscape

- Women to Watch in the Drone Industry, the 2020 Awards

- 5G, IoT, and the potential impact on drones and UAS

- The FCC's role in drones and remote ID

...and much more!

Connect:

Jennifer Richter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-richter-a633247/  |  https://www.akingump.com/en/lawyers-advisors/jennifer-l-richter.html

CJ Smith: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gcsmithv/

Michael Pehel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelpehel/

Read:

- Skydio gains FAA approval to conduct bridge inspections with drones in North Carolina - https://venturebeat.com/2020/10/05/skydio-gains-faa-approval-to-conduct-bridge-inspections-with-drones-in-north-carolina/

- Anti-drone tech’s tangled regulatory landscape - https://www.brookings.edu/techstream/anti-drone-techs-tangled-regulatory-landscape/

- Women to Watch in the Drone Industry, the 2020 Awards - https://dronelife.com/2020/10/01/women-to-watch-in-the-drone-industry-the-2020-awards/

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Register:

Join us at InterDrone Online, December 15-17: https://interdrone.com/interdrone-online/

This week on the InterDrone Podcast we sat down with Tom Walker, CEO of DroneUp. DroneUp provides end to end services for autonomous missions.

We spoke about a drone which carried a human kidney over Las Vegas desert in what could be the future of organ transportation, Walmart using drones to deliver Covid-19 tests, and DJI's new 'Local Mode', which stops the transfer of data, in an attempt to ease privacy concerns.

Connect:

Tom Walker: https://www.linkedin.com/in/webteks/

CJ Smith: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gcsmithv/

Michael Pehel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelpehel/

Subscribe:

Subscribe for more InterDrone content: https://interdrone.com/newsletters/

Register for InterDrone Online, December 15-17: https://interdrone.com/interdrone-online/

Read:

1. Drone carries human kidney over Las Vegas desert in what could be the future of organ transportation

Researchers at MissionGO and the Nevada Donor Network, an organ procurement organization, announced last week two successful test flights carrying a human organ and tissue via drones in Las Vegas. The first flight on Sept. 17 transported research corneas from one hospital to another about 2½ miles away.

The second flight delivered research kidneys 10 miles, from an airport to a location outside a small town in the Las Vegas desert. It marked the longest organ delivery flight in drone history, surpassing the distance of a historic April 2019 flight, when staff now with the MissionGO team transported a kidney from the Living Legacy Foundation in west Baltimore to the University of Maryland Medical Center downtown.

Organs are usually transported via commercial aircraft, but the coronavirus pandemic has drastically reduced the number of flights available. A kidney can survive outside the body for 36 to 48 hours after it has been recovered, according to the federal Health Resources and Services Administration. A study published in August 2019 in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine found the United States discards about 3,500 kidneys a year. Meanwhile, nearly 100,000 Americans are on the waiting list for a kidney transplant, and about 12 people die each day, according to the National Kidney Foundation. Although the Las Vegas kidney was for research purposes only, scientists who took biopsies before and after the flight concluded there were no changes to the tissue architecture and cell viability.

2. Walmart is using drones to deliver Covid-19 tests Walmart launched a pilot drone delivery program

Tuesday that will drop off Covid-19 tests to homes within a one-mile radius of the North Las Vegas store. Customers will receive a text from DroneUp when the Quest Diagnostics (DGX) test is on its way. And depending on where there are cars and trees, the kits will land on people's driveways, front sidewalks or backyard. Delivery, which can take as little as five minutes, will be free. The samples can then be sent via FedEx to a Quest lab, which will send out results digitally. Test results typically arrive in two days.

3. What is DJI Local Data Mode?

Here’s how it keeps drone flights secure Local Data Mode essentially works as a kill switch, blocking the app in use from sending data back and forth over the internet. This includes data being sent to DJI or third-party servers. The rest of the device and apps still remain connected to the internet. When using DJI’s drone apps, data is often sent between the app and DJI or third-party service providers’ servers. This allows the app to check for software updates, firmware updates, and collect relevant location data, such as maps and geofencing restrictions. By turning Local Data Mode on you would lose all of the above functions but gain more control over your privacy. To prove to the world that Local Data Mode does exactly what it says, DJI got an independent auditor to come in and tear it down. FTI Consulting, the company behind the audit found that DJI isn’t doing anything dodgy behind the scenes.

This week on the InterDrone Podcast we sat down with Skip Fredericks, Drone Cinematographer and Instructor, and Founder of Hollywood Drones. We spoke about the FAA slowly moving toward the certification of drones through the Part 21 framework, states which are taking drone laws and UAS regulation into their own hands by passing legislation, and new AI technology allowing drones to fly into known areas, without a human pilot.

Connect:

Skip Fredricks – https://www.linkedin.com/in/skipfredricks/

CJ Smith – https://www.linkedin.com/in/gcsmithv/

Mike Pehel – https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelpehel/

Subscribe:

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Subscribe to the InterDrone YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI9vrdvTKNOAtCyjHyYY7-A

Articles From The Recording:

1. FAA Moving Slowly On Drone Certification - https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/faa-moving-slowly-on-drone-certification/

2. STATES TAKE DRONE LAWS INTO THEIR OWN HANDS WITH LOCAL LEGISLATION (SEPARATE FROM FEDERAL LAWS) –

http://thedronegirl.com/2020/09/21/state-drone-laws/

3. Autonomous Industrial Drones Now Fly Anywhere By Themselves, Even Underground - https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnkoetsier/2020/09/19/autonomous-industrial-drones-now-fly-anywhere-by-themselves-even-underground/#65ffb4226867

This week on the InterDrone Podcast we sat down with Mark McKinnon, Partner at Fox Rothschild LLP.

Mark has nearly three decades of experience in aviation and transportation law.

He is particularly well versed in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) law, assisting clients in their efforts to obtain approval for complex commercial UAS operations, including beyond visual line of sight and autonomous flight.

We discussed Amazon and Walmart’s emerging delivery drone battle escalates with Zipline deal, an Ontario man who was cited 13 times for flying drones over private property, and North Dakota's Statewide BVLOS Network for Drones.

Articles from the podcast:

1. Amazon and Walmart’s emerging delivery drone battle escalates with Zipline deal - https://www.cnbc.com/2020/09/14/amazon-walmart-delivery-drone-battle-escalates-with-zipline-deal.html

2. Ontario man cited 13 times for flying drones over private property - https://dronedj.com/2020/09/14/ontario-man-cited-13-times-for-flying-drones-over-private-property/

3. North Dakota is Building a Statewide BVLOS Network for Drones - https://dronelife.com/2020/09/11/north-dakota-is-building-a-statewide-bvlos-network-for-drones/

Speakers:

Mark McKinnon

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mckinnon-831617a9/

https://www.foxrothschild.com/

CJ Smith

https://www.linkedin.com/in/gcsmithv/

Michael Pehel

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelpehel/

This week on the InterDrone Podcast we sat down with Randall Warnas, the Global sUAS Segment Leader at FLIR. FLIR designs and develops technology solutions to enhance perception and awareness for drones and other systems.

We spoke about Amazon winning FAA regulatory approval for its Prime Air drone delivery fleet through the current Part 135 framework, the Pentagon releasing 5 approved drones for federal government use, and much more.

Articles from the podcast:

1. Amazon wins FAA approval for Prime Air drone delivery fleet - https://www.cnbc.com/2020/08/31/amazon-prime-now-drone-delivery-fleet-gets-faa-approval.html

2. Pentagon Releases List of 5 Government Approved Drones, Culmination of 18 Months of Research and Testing - https://uavcoach.com/diu-approved-drones/

3. Airline pilots are worried about their jobs. So some are learning to fly drones - https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/23/business/drone-pilots-gig-economy/index.html

Speakers:

Randall Warnas

https://www.linkedin.com/in/randall-warnas-87398b122/

CJ Smith

https://www.linkedin.com/in/gcsmithv/

Mike Pehel

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelpehel/

Subscribe to the weekly InterDrone newsletter and received commercial drone industry news delivered to your inbox: https://interdrone.com/newsletters/

This week on the InterDrone Podcast, we sat down with Amber Wilson, Manager of Aviation Technology for the Virginia Department of Aviation, Scott Drew, Project Manager at ATA and Virginia FIX, and John Eberhardt, CTO at ATA, and the program manager for their UAS practice.

We spoke about Virginia Flight Information Exchange (FIX), the Virginia Department of Aviation and the progress they’re making in Virginia, leading Virginia to be ranked as the Best state for doing business in drones and UAS, and some of the work Amber and her team is doing to get drones into classrooms and help with public perception and education about drones for the public.

Links from the Podcast:

1. Virginia FIX Website: https://virginiafix.com/index.html

2. Virginia FIX Overview - https://doav.virginia.gov/programs-and-services/aviation-technology/virginia-flight-information-exchange/

3. Virginia Flight Information Exchange (VA- FIX): Concept of Operations Summary - https://doav.virginia.gov/globalassets/pdfs/aviation-technology/va--fix-conops-summary-version-7.pdf

4. House Bill 742 - https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?201+cab+SC10218HB0742+UCHB2

5. Virginia Department of Aviation, Communications and Education Division - https://doav.virginia.gov/about/divisions/communications-and-education-division/

Speakers:

Amber Wilson

https://www.linkedin.com/in/amber-l-wilson-ph-d-iace-asc-7687b62a/

https://twitter.com/halfrunner7

John Eberhardt

https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-eberhardt-6734163/

Scott Drew

https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-drew-50170ab/

CJ Smith

https://www.linkedin.com/in/gcsmithv/

Michael Pehel

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelpehel/

This week on the InterDrone Podcast we sat down with David Benowitz, the newly appointed Head of Research. David took over for Colin Snow in early August.

In this episode we discuss DJI layoffs, an amendment which would place a ban on foreign drone us in any US government agency, and the latest DroneAnalyst report, "New FAA Data Offers Insight on US Drone Industry Growth".

Link to the report: https://droneanalyst.com/2020/08/14/new-faa-data-offers-insight-on-us-drone-industry-growth

Links from the podcast:

1. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/15/us/bald-eagle-attacks-drone.htm

2. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/business/chinese-drone-maker-dji-makes-sweeping-cuts-layoffs-13027084

3. https://dronelife.com/2020/08/14/the-ban-on-chinese-drones-part-2-what-happens-next/

Speakers:

David Benowitz

https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-benowitz/

Michael Pehel https://interdrone.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelpehel/

CJ Smith https://interdrone.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/gcsmithv/

Want more Podcast Episodes?

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This week on the InterDrone Podcast, we sat down with Ernest Huffman, who manages the Aviation Department for the North Central Texas Council of Government (NCTCOG); he was recently promoted to the Aviation Planning and Education Program Manager.

Ernest also leads up the North Texas UAS Safety and Integration Task Force, which is comprised of 260+ stakeholders and 130+ companies in the Dallas Fort-Worth area, encompassing 16 counties. The Task Force focuses on integrating drone technology into the DFW Metroplex.

Podcast Discussion Articles

1. Drones for this Hurricane Season: Getting States Ready - https://dronelife.com/2020/07/31/drones-for-this-hurricane-season/

2. Police Using Drones: DRONERESPONDERS Releases Principles on Responsible Use - https://dronelife.com/2020/07/20/police-using-drones-droneresponders-releases-principles-on-responsible-use/

3. View: Remote Identification is essential technology for safe integration of drones into airspace - https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/view-remote-identification-is-essential-technology-for-safe-integration-of-drones-into-airspace/articleshow/77393523.cms

Speakers:

Ernest Huffman

- LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ernest-huffman-88956747/

- NCTCOG Aviation Programs - https://www.nctcog.org/aviation

- Task Force Website - www.northtexasuas.com

- Task Force COG Website - https://www.nctcog.org/trans/plan/aviation/uas

- PSURT Team Website – https://www.nctcog.org/ep/workinggroups/unmanned-aerial-systems-uas-1

- Tuskegee NEXT - http://www.tuskegeenext.org/

- NCTCOG Aviation Careers Website - http://www.nctaviationcareers.com/

Michael Pehel

https://interdrone.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelpehel/

CJ Smith

https://interdrone.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/gcsmithv/

Want more Podcast Episodes?

To subscribe to the InterDrone newsletter and get commercial drone content delivered to your inbox weekly, visit: https://interdrone.com/newsletter/

This week on the InterDrone Podcast, we sat down with Gokul Srinivasan, the Director of Technology at Robots.Expert. Gokul has worked in drones and UAS since 2013, has an education background in robotics (unmanned aerial systems) and artificial intelligence, was listed as one of the top 5 founders in Finland in 2019 (Nordic Startup Awards), and even serves as the Dean at the School of AI in Helsinki, Finland. We spoke about the size of the drone market, and drone market size predictions, the state of VC funding within drones and UAS, how funding differs from country to country, how he sees open source technology fitting into the future of UAS, and much more.

Speakers:

Gokul Srinivasan

https://www.robots.expert/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/gokul-krishna-srinivasan-295a251b/

Michael Pehel

https://interdrone.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelpehel/

CJ Smith

https://interdrone.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/gcsmithv/

Want more Podcast Episodes?

To subscribe to the InterDrone newsletter and get commercial drone content delivered to your inbox weekly, visit: https://interdrone.com/newsletter/