| UAS SUMMIT | PROGRAM | SPEAKERS | SPONSORS/EXHIBITS | REGISTRATION INFORMATION | COVID-19 |
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Dr. Waseem Naqvi Dr. Waseem Naqvi is the CTO (Technology Director) for Raytheon’s (NYSE: RTN) Unmanned Vehicle Systems business. He is responsible for defining business strategy, capability, technology, and investment priorities addressing future unmanned and autonomous systems. Raytheon is a leader in unmanned vehicle control systems and has provided the Ground Control Systems, and Mission Planning Systems for Global Hawk, BAMS, Fire Scout, and other UxS. Raytheon develops sensors, surveillance, communications, command and control, and vehicle control systems and cyber solutions into the Unmanned Systems industry. Dr. Naqvi is an active contributor to the Autonomous Vehicle and Robotics Industry. He is President of the Board of Directors for the Association for Unmanned Systems International (AUVSI) New England Chapter. Waseem is Vice President and a member of the Board of Directors for the Northeast UAS Airspace Integration Research Alliance (NUAIR), an FAA UAS Test Site. He is a past Board member for AUVSI Headquarters, and also represented all 36 chapter Presidents. He previously served on the advisory board for the Massachusetts Robotics Sector. He is an International Executive Resource Group (IERG) Global Business Leader Fellow and serves on its Board. |
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M. Roman Hachkowski, Ph.D. Dr. Hachkowski is a seasoned executive with decades of experience with defense and commercial customers. A compassionate leader, he has led large-scale enterprises that deliver cutting-edge Airborne and Space ISR, Directed Energy, and commercial optical solutions that extend Moore’s Law and capture signs of sentinel life beyond our Solar System. Dr. Hachkowski earned his SB from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Aeronautics and Astronautics. As a NASA Graduate Fellow, he received his MSc and Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Colorado, Boulder. Also, Dr. Hachkowski has several patents and published design strategies for segmented deployable telescopes, persistent surveillance ISR missions, and laser fusion systems. Winner of multiple industry-wide awards, including NASA’s Group Achievement Award, Aviation Week’s 2010 ISR Product of the Year, and Program Management Institutes’ Project of the Year, Dr. Hachkowski is a passionate leader in leading cutting-edge enterprises that deliver market-moving high-tech solutions. |
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Paige Scott Reed Paige Scott Reed is an experienced transportation and employment attorney whose transactional, litigation, regulatory, administrative, and procurement work has served her clients well for over 20 years. She has worked as general counsel for the Mass. Department of Transportation and the MBTA and also served as Corporate Secretary and General Counsel to the Boston 2024 Partnership for the city’s Olympic bid. Paige has assisted government and private organizations, CEOs, and Boards of Directors with commercial contracts, development transactions, and public projects. She was instrumental in procuring a new operator for the MBTA’s commuter rail, forming a public-private partnership to redevelop Back Bay Station, implementing the MBTA’s Construction Manager/General Contractor project delivery approach, and securing $1 billion in federal funding for the Green Line Extension project. Paige has also defended government organizations against class actions charging racial discrimination in hiring practices. Paige leads the firm’s unmanned and autonomous systems practice. She is a strategic advisor to the Commonwealth UAS Integration Program and guides MassDOT’s efforts to utilize drones to advance its transportation mission. Paige is active in the community, serving as the Immediate Past President of the Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association and Vice-President for the Harvard Law School Association of Massachusetts. Paige also serves on the Court Management Advisory Board, the Board of the Boston Bar Foundation, and the Board of Boston Harbor Now. Paige recently chaired the finance committee for Rachael Rollins historic campaign, helping to elect the first black woman to serve as District Attorney for Suffolk County. She received her A.B. from Harvard College and her J.D. from Harvard Law School, where she was an Executive Editor of the Harvard Law Review. |
Keynotes |
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Jeff Luckett Jeff Luckett is a founding member of UPS Flight Forward Inc., a new whole owned UPS subsidiary incorporated on June 14, 2019. Jeff is the Head of UAS Strategy, R&D and Acquisitions for UPS Flight Forward. This new UPS company was established to develop and manage the company’s UAS operations. On September 27, 2019, UPSFF became the first company to receive a Standard Part 135 Air Carrier Certificate. Jeff participated in the partnership with the FAA and NCDOT on an Integration Pilot Program (IPP) in North Carolina and played a key role in the formation of the new company and the path to airline certification. On March 26, 2019, UPSFF made history by launching the first revenue drone flight and regular UAS medical delivery service in the US at WakeMed Hospital in Raleigh, NC. On September 27, 2019, UPSFF made history again by launching its maiden Part 135 revenue flight at WakeMed. This year UPS Flight Forward announced a partnership with Beta Technologies with plans to integrate larger aircraft into its Part 135 operation. Prior to his current leadership role, Jeff’s 32-year career at UPS has allowed him to support various areas within the broader UPS company including flight operations, flight training, industrial engineering, buildings and facilities, project management, network planning and most recently as the Long Range Planning Aircraft Acquisitions Manager for UPS Airlines. Jeff has also helped lead the UPS Airline Emergency Response Team, supported the UPS CRAF Program and has participated in numerous humanitarian aid charter operations. Jeff holds a Bachelor of Sciences Degree from the University of Louisville and an MBA in Aviation from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Jeff also served in the US Navy and deployed to the Middle East on two active-duty tours with Carrier Air Wing Eleven aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln Aircraft Carrier. |
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Jim Murphy Jim Murphy is the System Architect for NASA’s Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Mission, leading the development of a Model-based Systems Engineering approach to capture the system architectures and recommended requirements for medium density AAM operations. Prior to AAM, Jim led the design and development of a Live, Virtual, Constructive test environment used to test Detect and Avoid performance standards by combining remotely piloted aircraft with live and virtual traffic for simulations and flight tests. He has been researching and developing air traffic management-related software systems for over 25 years. |
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Gregory L. Waters Gregory L. Waters is the Founder, President, and CEO of MatrixSpace, a leading technology company in Autonomous Flight Systems that is seeking to revolutionize how humans and intelligent aerial systems work together. Greg is currently on the boards of OnSemi, a global Automotive and Industrial semiconductor company; Sierra-Wireless, a leading IoT Solutions; Cyxtera, a global data center business; and Mythic AI, an innovative AI processor company. Greg was President and CEO of Integrated Device Technology from 2014 to 2019, a Silicon Valley-based semiconductor company with leadership positions in data centers, automotive, and power solutions. Prior to that, he was Executive VP and GM of Skyworks Solutions, a global leader in RF semiconductors. He is a graduate of Northeastern University with an MSCS in Computer Science. |
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Steven D. Wert Steven D. Wert, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is Program Executive Officer, Digital, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass. He leads more than 3,900 Airmen, government civilians, and support contractors in the acquisition of software and weapons systems and to standardize and spread agile software development processes throughout the Air Force. PEO Digital also executes an $11.7 billion FYDP portfolio of ACAT, non-ACAT, technology transition, and Foreign Military Sales programs. He reports directly to the Service Acquisition Executive and is responsible for the more than 300 programs and projects in the PEO Digital portfolio. Mr. Wert served as an Air Force officer for nearly 25 years. He led performance engineering on the advanced medium-range air-to-air missile and served as program manager for missile integration efforts with the NATO Eurofighter, JAS-39 Gripen, and Peace Onyx F-16 programs. He later directed the Airborne Warning and Control System Radar Development Team and led the ACAT-I U.S./NATO Radar System Improvement Program. Mr. Wert was on the Air Force Program Executive Officer staff as Director for Surveillance and Control Programs, including the E-3, E-4, and Peace Shield. He subsequently served as Deputy Director for Congressional and Budget Integration, Information Dominance, in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition. He was previously assigned to the Electronic Systems Center as executive officer to the commander and led the Air Force Distributed Common Ground System Program before joining Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command as Deputy Director for Engineering. Following active duty, Mr. Wert was employed by SRA International, Inc., supporting the Office of the Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff for ISR. Prior to his current appointment, he was Program Executive Officer for Theater Command and Control, Electronic Systems Center, Hanscom AFB, Mass. |
Leaders |
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Sergeant Detective Carl Blando Carl Blando has over 22 years of experience with the Boston Police Department. He was in patrol for 11 years and then 5 years with the Crime Scene Response (CSR) Unit. He was promoted to Sergeant in 2016 and stationed in East Boston. Carl returned to CSR in 2017 where he supervised field operations, and ultimately processed over 400 crime scenes in his officer and supervisor roles. At that time CSR was the only unit in the Department to incorporate drones, where they were used to assist with photography and video at crime scenes. In 2019, Carl took over CSR’s drone program and transitioned all operations from Part 107 to Public Aircraft Operations (PAO). He established the Jurisdictional COA and formalized BPD’s relationship with the FAA. After becoming the BPD subject matter expert on drone operations, Carl began assisting other departments with drones. In September of this year, he transitioned to the Homeland Security Unit where he is chairing the Aviation component of the “Securing the Cities initiative”. |
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Andrew Bonney Andrew joined Cape Air in 2007 and oversees planning, route strategy, revenue management, and scheduling. Prior to joining Cape Air, Andrew worked in the planning department of United Airlines, and before that interned in US Airways’ route strategy department. In 2016 the US Department of Transportation appointed Andrew to the congressionally-mandated Working Group on Improving Air Service to Small Communities. In 2017 the Working Group elected Andrew chairman. Andrew earned a B.A. in Political Science from Yale University, and an MBA in Aviation, with distinction, from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Andrew also is an officer in the Air National Guard and an active private pilot. He lives with his wife and two school-age children in Massachusetts. |
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Rodolfo Cuevas Rodolfo Cuevas is the Counter-UAS (CUAS) Program Lead for the MassDOT Aeronautics Division. He is focused on architecting and operationalizing a CUAS capability across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts through a collaborative effort with federal, state, local, industry, research, and academic stakeholders within the state. Additionally, Rodolfo is a security researcher and systems analyst at Boston Cybernetics Institute. His research interests lie in the socio-technical aspects of cyber-enabled system conception, implementation, operation, and evaluation. Rodolfo focuses his research on understanding how design constraints can be used to limit adverse impacts and maximize the ability to identify and adapt to challenging operating conditions. Previously, Rodolfo was a staff member at MIT Lincoln Laboratory. There, he was responsible for the test and evaluation of RADAR, analysis of ballistic missile defense system (BMDS) components and architectures, and analysis and red-teaming of tactical and commercial cyber systems and architectures in support of DoD and other government programs. |
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Bethany Faber Bethany Faber is a Senior Program Manager for General Dynamics Mission Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics. In this role, she works with internal teams and customers to envision, design, develop, and deliver innovative systems and technologies to support Soldiers in the field and meet Department of Defense and federal mission needs. Prior to her program management role, Ms. Faber was a leader for 14 years on the Mission Systems engineering team where she excelled at delivering solutions that met or exceeded customer requirements while effectively balancing the technical and business aspects of a program. In her 22 years at General Dynamics, she has been part of numerous government-industry partner teams to bring key capabilities such as backbone communications, video teleconferencing, next-generation smaller and lighter tactical platforms, cloud computing, and counter unmanned aerial systems to Department of Defense, federal civilian, and commercial customers. Ms. Faber earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She also holds a master’s degree in Business Administration from the Foisie School of Business at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. |
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Dr. R. Michael Guterres Michael is a key leader at The MITRE Corporation's Center for Advanced Aviation System Development. His primary area of activity is Unmanned Aviation. He is responsible for a portfolio of programs in unmanned systems integration in the national airspace system. These have included the FAA UAS integration Pathfinder Program, the White House Drone Integration Pilot program, the FAA’s BEYOND program, and multiple state and local government level initiatives in UAS operations and integration. Before joining MITRE Dr. Guterres was a Director at Textron Systems where he led unmanned aircraft product development, strategy, and engineering. He spearheaded the development of UAS currently in use by US DOD and international partners that have accrued over 1.5 million operational flight hours. Dr. Guterres has co-authored articles and holds multiple patents in unmanned systems. He received a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Maryland at College Park in Aerodynamics and Propulsion. |
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Kevin Jinks Kevin Jinks is Senior Counsel in the Office of Legal Policy at the U.S. Department of Justice, and leads a team of lawyers for the UAS, Counter-UAS, and Artificial Intelligence practice areas. He retired from the Army in 2019, spending his last three years as the senior legal advisor for the Army Special Mission Unit at Fort Bragg, NC. As an Infantry officer assigned to the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment, The Old Guard, Fort Myer, Virginia, he spent the night of September 11, 2001, at the Pentagon attack site and then led his platoon there over the next three weeks conducting body recovery, debris removal, and security. As a Judge Advocate, he was a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia and in the District of Columbia, deployed six times to Iraq and once to Afghanistan, and advised at the tactical, operational, and strategic levels, including: 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division; 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne); 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault); and U.S. Cyber Command. He is a graduate of the University of the Notre Dame (1999), the University of Florida Levin College of Law (2006, Cum Laude), and Georgetown Law School (National Security LL.M., 2015, With Distinction). |
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Deepu John Deepu John joined Skydio in 2021 after retiring from 20 years of service as a Detective in the New York City Police Department (NYPD). While at the NYPD, he was assigned to the Technical Assistance Response Unit, where he worked on cutting-edge technologies that could improve crime-fighting and enhance officer safety. In 2017, Deepu was tasked with developing the NYPD Drone program, which launched in 2019 and now has over 30 pilots. |
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Kevin Kelly Kevin Kelly serves with the U.S. Air Force at Hanscom AFB focused on technology development and innovation. He has a wide range of experience in software development, radar, and cyber security and is optimistic about the potential for the next generation of intelligent and autonomous systems to improve public safety and security. |
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Flavio Leo Flavio Leo is the Director of Aviation Planning and Strategy at the Massachusetts Port Authority where he is responsible for near and long term aviation planning and policy development related to airport physical planning, airfield and airspace safety and efficiency initiatives; noise and emissions policy and testing\adoption of new airfield technologies at Massport’s three airports -- Boston Logan International Airport, L.G. Hanscom Field and Worcester Regional Airport. Flavio earned Master’s Degrees in Business Administration and in Economics from Boston University and his Bachelors of Arts Degree in Economics from Brandeis University. |
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Mack Martinez Mack Martinez is currently at the FAA Office of Unmanned Aircraft Systems; Safety and Integration Division. As a Member of the BEYOND Program (previously IPP) Mack serves to enable state, local, and tribal governments, in collaboration with industry to advance more complex UAS beyond visual line of site (BVLOS) operations in the National Airspace System (NAS). Prior to the FAA, Mack spent over 20 years working in the aviation industry as a mechanical systems/structures engineer and FAA certification programs manager for various aircraft OEM and airline vendors. Mack resides with his wife and two kids in Chicago, Illinois. He is a graduate of The University of Alabama with a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering. |
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Michael O'Shea Michael O’Shea is a Program Manager for the FAA’s UAS Integration Office’s, Safety and Integration Division where he serves as liaison, facilitator, and resource for both public and civil unmanned aircraft integration efforts. Before joining the UAS Integration Office, Mr. O’Shea was a program manager for 17 years in the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Office of Science and Technology, where he managed the law enforcement aviation technologies program among other duties. As part of his duties at DOJ, Mr. O’Shea sat on the Small UAS (Part 107) and Remote Tracking/ID Aviation Rule Making Committees and was the co-author of the MOU between the FAA and DOJ that initiated public safety COAs for UAS. Prior to working at DOJ, Mr. O’Shea spent almost 15 years as a uniformed law enforcement officer. Mr. O’Shea is a graduate of Baker University (Kansas) with a degree in Business and Marketing. Mr. O’Shea holds an FAA Light-Sport Pilot Certificate (Fixed Wing, Gyroplanes, and Powered Parachutes) and a Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate. |
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Marilyn G. Pearson Marilyn Pearson is an ATP-rated pilot in Single and Multiengine Land and Seaplanes; commercially rated in Rotorcraft and Gliders; holder of a Remote Pilot Certificate with a small UAS rating. Additionally, Marilyn holds instructor ratings for single, multiengine, land, sea, glider, gyroplane, and instrument with over 40 years of experience as an aviation professional. Marilyn served as a corporate pilot in several jet aircraft types before taking a position as an Aviation Safety Inspector with the FAA. Marilyn worked as a Principal Operations Inspector in the Bradley Flight District Office (CT) for 15 years, providing oversight for all aspects of aviation, including parts 135 and 121 operations as well as serving as a National Resource Inspector in several aircraft and as the airshow coordinator. Marilyn transitioned to a staff specialist at FAA Headquarters where she was tasked with unmanned aircraft operations, serving on several rulemaking teams as well as developing guidance and policy for part 107 operations, issuing Advisory Circulars, waivers, and exemptions for new entrant operations. She was a co-chair for the FAA Weather Community of Interest and lead for the UAS Special Weather Action Team. Marilyn retired from the FAA and currently holds a position with CAE as a Global Regulatory Affairs Specialist in AAM/eVTOL/UAS where she serves on various industry committees and with Civil Aviation Associations recommending policy for new entrant aircraft, pilot training, and simulator certification. Marilyn is the co-chair for SAE International G-35, Modeling, Simulation and Training for Emerging Aviation Technologies and Concepts. |
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Peter H. Schmidt Peter H. Schmidt, Co-Founder and COO of Transcend Air, is an entrepreneur and executive with startup, turn-around, and large enterprise experience. Schmidt’s aviation roles have included sUAS test pilot, with two first flights; President & COO of Linear Air, Eclipse 500 operator and Part 135 online charter marketplace; COO of Jet Advisors, a business aviation consultancy; and SVP of National Aviation Academy, the second largest Part 147 aviation mechanic school in the U.S. In his pre-aviation career, Schmidt led several networking and embedded systems companies, including as CTO North America for Ipanema Technologies, CEO of Echo Engineering, Division Manager of Teradyne, and Co-Founder and President of Midnight Networks. An aerobatic pilot, Schmidt did his undergrad in computer science and his master's degree in management, both at MIT. He currently serves as Chair of the Electric Flight Test Committee of the E-VTOL Flight Test Council. |
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Vijay Somandepalli, Ph.D., PE Dr. Vijay Somandepalli is the CTO and Co-Founder of American Robotics. As a highly motivated technologist and innovator, Dr. Somandepalli founded American Robotics to harness the power of robotics and bring technology-driven sustainability and efficiencies to energy, agriculture, transportation, industrial infrastructure, and beyond. Bringing together over 20 years of varied experience in industry and a deep technical background, Dr. Somandepalli champions innovative technology and insightful policy to drive the American Robotics team towards growth while solving the world’s most challenging problems. |
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Jonathan Songer Jonathan Songer is an unmanned systems subject matter expert and leader who works with industry partners to integrate advanced air mobility (AAM) concepts into the NextGen airspace in the skies above Massachusetts. Jonathan understands how building a coalition of State, Federal, and industry partners is essential to helping Massachusetts lead at the technology forefront of AAM. Jonathan has worked in the defense industry with medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aircraft for the past four years as an instructor, evaluator, and lead pilot. He also served in the United States Air Force as an Air Mobility pilot and MQ-1/MQ-9 RPA squadron commander, instructor, and evaluator pilot. During his time in the USAF, he was the Chief of Unmanned ISR at US Air Forces Central Command and helped the USAF write the UAS Flight Plan 2009-2047, a roadmap for unmanned systems. Jonathan is a certified single/multi-engine commercial pilot and also holds an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate. Jonathan holds a B.S in Physics from The Citadel and an M.S. in Military Operations from Air University. |
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Dr. Scott A. Uebelhart Scott A. Uebelhart, Ph.D. joined the Aeronautics Division of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) in 2017 as Chief Scientist of the Drone Program. In this capacity, Dr. Uebelhart guides strategy and planning for the adoption of drone technologies at MassDOT and connects with government and industry leaders across the Commonwealth to help drive air vehicle innovation. He has built a team of technologists, analysts, and UAS operators who are demonstrating how UAS can provide useful, actionable information to state agencies and who are exploring how the state can support expanded air operations. Prior to this, Dr. Uebelhart worked in a technology startup and served on the technical staff at MIT Lincoln Laboratory where he conducted systems analysis of U.S. space architectures for the Air Force. Dr. Uebelhart served as a postdoctoral associate with MIT's Program in Science, Technology and Society where he helped establish the cross-disciplinary Space, Policy, and Society research group, applied technical expertise to human spaceflight policy, and briefed senior Congressional and NASA leaders. Scott earned his SB, SM, and Ph.D. from the MIT Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics in the area of structural dynamics and control. |
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Benjamin Wenger Ben Wenger is the Chief Revenue Officer at Dedrone. Dedrone delivers smart airspace security to protect people, property, and information against drone threats. Spanning a two-decade career in security technology, Ben leads Dedrone’s global counter-drone technology sales and advises on the safe integration of sUAS integration into the national airspace, and the development of smart airspace security programs to keep our skies clear for drone innovation and the productive uses of drones. |
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Chief Charles Werner (Emeritus-RET) Chief Charles Werner is a 47-year public safety veteran starting his career as a volunteer in 1974. He then spent 37 years as a career firefighter with the Charlottesville Fire Department, the last ten years as fire chief. Upon retirement, Charles served two years as technical advisor and acting deputy state coordinator with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management. Chief Werner has served in numerous leadership roles at the local, state, national and international levels. He presently serves as the director/founder of DRONERESPONDERS Public Safety Alliance, Chair - Virginia Secure Commonwealth UAS Sub Panel, FAA certified Remote Pilot, Virginia Fire Chiefs Technology Advisor, the IAFC Technology Council, Virginia CIT Unmanned Systems Advisory Board, and Airborne International Response Team Board of Advisors. Chief Werner is a contributing editor for Firehouse Magazine, a contributor to Urgent Communications, Domestic Preparedness Magazine, sUAS News, FireRescue1, Editorial Board - Crisis Response Journal, Editorial Advisor – Carolina Fire and EMS Journal, Industrial Fire World Magazine, Editorial Advisory Board – Homeland Security Today Magazine and other publications with a combination of over 500 nationally/internationally published articles, webinars, podcasts, and national/international presentations. |
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