Drone Radio Show

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 commer

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 Aviati

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

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 unmanne

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.  Arthu

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 p

How are advanced drone technologies revolutionizing global delivery systems?  For that question, we head to San Francisco to speak with Keenan Wyrobek and Juan Albanell of 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. Keenan Wyrobek is co-founder and head of product and engineering at Zipline.  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

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.

How do we take control of truly dangerous drone situation?   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

How is drone technology making STEM education more accessible and fun for students of all background? 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

Amit Ganjoo is a serial entrepreneur and Founder and CEO of ANRA Technologies, 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 becomes a reality, vertiport design and operation is becoming a 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 with their innovative Vertiport Management System, which integrates disparate data into a single platform to seamless 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.

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 joingin 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.  

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 spear

How will smaller, more powerful radar sensors change the way drones are used in first responder programs? David Cameron ia Field Services Engineer and Lead UAS Pilot at MatrixSpace.  MatrixSpace is a radar sensing company that produces the next generation of AI-enabled sensing that can identify objects and collect data in real time, with no cloud requirements.  The company builds the smallest radar system to provide new levels of integrated outdoor surveillance, monitoring and inspection from both stationary and airborne platforms.  One of promising uses for MatrixSpace radar systems is enhancing drone-as-first-responder or DFR programs for short. David brings 33 years of service with the City of Campbell Police Department, where he held a variety of critical roles, most recently leading the department’s DFR (drone as first responder) operations. He remains a Reserve Officer. As Field Services Engineer and lead UAS Pilot at MatrixSpace he drives the UAS-oriented solutions for this advanced radar company.

Why is it important that we strengthen U.S. competitiveness in the global drone industry? Michael Robbins is Chief Advocacy Officer at the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI).  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. Since joining AUVSI in 2020, Michael leads all advocacy, strategic communication, and cybersecurity initiatives. In 2015, he co-founded a business consulting firm, Intrepid, and serves as its Chief Operating Officer. Prior to starting Intrepid, Michael served as Managing Director of Government and Public Affairs at the Air Line Pilot Association, International. Before that, he spent a decade in the office of the late Congressman John Dingell in Michigan, where he served as the Chief of Staff.   Michael serv

How is Honeywell Positioned to Serve the Advance Air Mobility Market For that question, we head to Phoenix to speak with David Shilliday, Vice President and General Manager of the Unmanned Aerial Systems and Urban Air Mobility business unit at Honeywell Aerospace. Honeywell’s UAS business develops new products and serves as a systems integrator for both airframe makers and operators in this fast evolving market. Its area of responsibility spans aircraft systems like avionics, electric and hybrid electric propulsion and thermal management; flight services such as unmanned air traffic management; and ground operations services such as predictive maintenance analytics.  In November, Honeywell announced its Advanced Air Mobility business unit had secured contracts worth over $10 billion to build advance air mobility components, signifying the growth of AMM as a viable commercial sector for years to come. David has been with Honeywell for over 18 years. Prior to his current role in the Advance Air Mobility Unit

Will we soon be able to talk to our drones via text? Vic Pellicano is CEO and Founder of Avianna, a Chicago-based software company working to bridge the gap between hardware and software excellence in the robotics industry. Avianna offers a suite of products that utilize artificial intelligence to enable drones and other robots to understand human language and operate autonomously.  Their software  enhances mission execution and simplifies data analysis and reporting.  Imagine being able to command your drones or check on the status of your fleet using simple commands in English, such as “find a missing person” or “which drones are scheduled for missions today” Vic is a successful entrepreneur in the software industry.  Prior to starting Avianna, he launch Verenia in 2012, an e-commerce software company.  After a decade of growth, Verenia was acquired by Oracle in 2022. With an interest in robotics, Vic turned his attention to making the interaction of humans and robots more seamless and intuitive.  He launch

How close are we to seeing autonomous air taxis? Brian Yutko is CEO of Wisk Aero, an advanced air mobility company dedicated to delivering safe, everyday flight for everyone. Wisk’s self-flying, electric vertical takeoff and landing air taxi will make it possible for passengers to skip the traffic and get to their destination faster. Headquartered in the Mountain View, California, with locations around the world, Wisk is an independent company backed by The Boeing Company and Kitty Hawk Corporation. With over a decade of experience and over 1600 test flights, Wisk is shaping the future of daily commutes and urban travel, safely and sustainably.  Prior to joining Wisk, Brian served as Vice President and Chief Engineer for Sustainability and Future Mobility at Boeing, where he led a team that leveraged company’s technical expertise in sustainability technologies as well as emerging, advanced aerial mobility applications.  He was the Chief Technologist for Boeing NeXt and sat on the Board of Directors for Wis

Is there an easier way to scale aerial data collection? Janne Hietala is a technology enthusiast and CEO of Finland based, Kelluu.  Kelluu designs, manufactures and operates intelligent airships for persistent aerial monitoring.  Kelluu’s fleet of  hydrogen powered vehicles, capable of staying airborne for 12-hours, is equipped with an array of spectral cameras, sensors, and scanners.  These instruments can gather real-time data on a diverse range of subjects, including terrain, vegetation, and infrastructure. Janne's journey in entrepreneurship is noteworthy, with achievements such as bootstrapping a software company to a remarkable 15 million EUR in revenue, managing a team of 250 professionals across seven countries, and ultimately exiting the venture in 2021. His achievements were recognized in 2012 when he was honored with the prestigious Young Entrepreneur of the Year award.  Founded in 2018, under Janne’s leadership, Kelluu has swiftly established itself as a key player in the creation of digital tw

How is cutting-edge radar technology shaping the future of drones and advanced air mobility? Tom Driscoll is CTO and Founder of Echodyne, a Seattle startup bringing breakthrough radar capability to meet commercial and defense needs across autonomy, security, and intelligence markets.  At Echodyne, Tom leads the company’s world-class R&D efforts.  Prior to Echodyne, Tom was Managing Director of the Metamaterials Commercialization Center at Intellectual Ventures, the technology incubator which launched the world’s first metamaterials-enabled ventures.  Recognized as a  technologist, inventor, and entrepreneur with a drive to advance the art of the possible, Tom is a named inventor on over 100 patents, has co-founded five startups, and serves on the board of directors of three.  He holds a PhD in physics from University of California San Diego, a B.S. in Physics from Harvey Mudd, and is an adjunct professor at Duke University. In this edition of the Drone Radio Show, Tom talks about Echodyne’s innovati