Drone Radio Show

When you’re craving dinner and in a hurry, who do you call? Yariv Bash is the CEO and Co-founder of Flytrex, an on-demand drone delivery company . Flytrex provides a direct-to-consumer autonomous drone delivery service that lets retailers and quick-service restaurants cater to a wider customer base with faster, safer and more economical on-demand deliveries than ever before. Flytrex is currently working with several restaurant chains and retail giant Walmart to deliver food and goods to customers’ front and backyards. Prior to Flytrex, Yariv was Founder and CEO of SpaceIL, a $100M Israeli non-profit organization that launched Beresheet, the first private interplanetary robotic mission to the Moon in 2019. In this edition of the Drone Radio Show, Yariv talks about Flytrex, its innovative hot food drone delivery service and how drones are transforming the home food delivery industry.

Can a drone prevent the loss of life from volcanos? David Adjiashvili is Co-Founder and Vice President of Products at Drone Harmony.  Drone Harmony is a software as a service company that automates mission planning in the most challenging vertical inspection scenarios.  Their software enables cost-effective deployment of drone technology in industries where existing technologies are unable to deliver. And it enables pilots with minimal training to collect high quality, reproducible data. As a Swiss company, Drone Harmony understands that the safety of your data is essential and even deploys their system on your premises. The company was founded in 2016 by a team of problem solvers with a passion for drones, software and automation. In addition to being one of those founders and Chief Scientist, he is also senior scientist at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. His field of expertise is Algorithm Design and Mathematical Optimization, and he has been responsible for algorithmic development of the Drone H

How do you simplify material-failure detection?  If you ask today’s guest, he would say teach a computer to do it. Jonathan Ehrlich is COO of T2D2, a software-as-a-service company that that uses artificial intelligence to identify and assess damage and deterioration to buildings and structures. T2D2 applies data from more than 50 years of building inspection and forensic investigation work. The data is now available to property and portfolio owners and managers as well as municipalities to identify deterioration early and throughout the life of an asset. T2D2 makes it easier, quicker and less expensive to inspect structures by identifying damage and defects before they become major issues.  Their software automatically detects visible damage in concrete, steel and masonry structures. T2D2 was established within Thornton Tomasetti, a global design and engineering firm with more than 50 years experience in structural design.  Initially part of the Core Studio incubator, T2D2 was commercialized as a separate ent

Can An Old Technology Make Industrial Drones Safer and More Effective?  Zach Adams is Co-Founder and Chief Engineer for Pitch Aeronautics, manufacturer of a unique drone for up-close, touch-based, and robotic tasks. Among the most dangerous jobs in the United States is climbing infrastructure to perform inspections and maintenance as well as performing power line maintenance.  While today’s drones are good at taking video, they are not well suited to get close or actually interact with the surface of an object. Consequently, technicians are sent up on ropes, ladders, scaffolding, cranes, and sometimes even hanging from helicopters to perform this work.   Pitch Aeronautics’ Astria Drone is specifically optimized for touch based tasks. It has a unique configuration that can hold a 10 pound payload on a long horizontal arm to keep it away from the rotors and allow it to interact with a building, bridge, tower, wind turbine and powerline.  It’s flown to the area using a first-person-view camera and goggles. Astri

Can Drones Provide Actional Insight into How Wildfires Spread? Dr. Mrinal Kumar is an associate professor in the department of mechanical and aerospace engineering, where he founded the Laboratory for Autonomy in Data-Driven and Complex Systems. Under Mrinal’s direction, Researchers are using autonomous drones to help prevent and mitigate wildfires.  As witnessed by the ongoing blazes across the U.S., wildfires are difficult to predict and fight. Flames can travel up to 14 mph in dry grass and spread in unexpected directions. The Lab received a $1.4 million dollar grant from the National Science Foundation to develop an aerial robotic system.  The “Integration of Autonomous UAS in Wildland Fire Management” project develops real-time situational awareness using drones to monitor the intensity and spread of wildfires. The results should help firefighting experts understand how topographic, atmospheric and forest fuel factors in temperate hardwood forests influence fire intensity and rate of spread through real

Do Drones Have A Place in the Health Industry? Dr. Manish Kumar directs the Cooperative Distributed Systems Laboratory and co-directs the UAV MASTER Lab at the University of Cincinnati. His research interests include Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, robotics, decision-making and control in complex systems, multi-sensor data fusion, swarm systems, and multiple robot coordination and control. Manish and other university Researchers have innovated a way to integrate basic telehealth services into a drone, potentially expanding the bounds of what previous innovators ever envisioned with these two technologies individually.  The research team collaborated to develop a semi-autonomous prototype that can be dispatched right to people’s homes. The drones are big enough to carry medicine or medical supplies but small enough to maneuver the tight confines of a home using navigational algorithms developed by UC engineers.” A novel aspect is that the drone will also integrate “cameras and a display screen so patients can talk t

Is a perpetual flying drone possible? Fatema Hamdani is Co-Founder/CEO of Kraus Hamdani Aerospace, a San Francisco based leader in ultra long endurance unmanned aerial systems. Founded in 2016, the company has created its flagship product, the K1000ULE, a zero emissions drone flying longer than any other electric aircraft in its category.  Having recently broken the world record for an electric drone in its size and weight category, the K1000ULE can travel longer distances, stay in flight longer and at higher altitudes, making them ideal for jobs that are risky for humans, such as disaster relief efforts, search and recovery, military intelligence and reconnaissance, wildlife anti-poaching operations, and even human trafficking prevention.   Fatema’s experience spans across the aerospace, financial services, life science, telecom, travel, and retail domains. Under her leadership, the company is reinventing ultra-long endurance UAS using artificial intelligence, machine learning, and biomimicry to create drone

If we had 10 minutes to spend with Auterion’s CEO, what would we learn? From the floor of the AUVSI Xponential drone conference in Orlando, Florida, I speak with Lorenz Meier, CEO of Auterion.  Auterion is the premier end-to-end operating system for commercial drones, based on open-standards, flexibility and choice.  As many know, in 2008 Lorenz created and released the PX4 autonomous drone autopilot to the open source community. He is also the creator of Pixhawk, MAVLink and QGroundControl, today’s most commonly used flight control hardware and autopilot software.  Today, Auterion is the leader in open source operating systems. In this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Lorenz talks about the Auterion ecosystem and the opportunities in the drone industry. 

What do investors look for in the UAS Industry?  Vadim Tarasov is founding partner of Advanced Autonomous Solutions Fund, a fund investing in unmanned solutions globally.  The fund believes that automation will play a key role in transformation of the largest industries in the next 2-5 years and only a handful of companies will serve as a backbone for such automation.  One of those companies is UAVOS, which specializes in the design, development and manufacturing of unmanned vehicles and autopilot systems, as well as components such as servo drives, pan-tilt platforms, rescue/emergency landing systems.   In addition to being a partner at Advanced Autonomous Solutions Fund, Vadim is also Chairman of the Board at UAVOS.  He has more than 15 years experience as a board member, investor and executive leader with highly disruptive technology companies.    In this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Vadim talks about Advanced Autonomous Solutions Fund, UAVOS and he provides an investor’s perspective into the UAV marke

Do Autonomous Drones pose ethical questions? Jenn Player is Director of Regulatory Affairs at Skydio, the leading American drone manufacturer and world leader in autonomous flight. The company leverages breakthrough AI to create the world’s most intelligent flying machines for use by consumers, enterprises, and government customers. Founded in 2014, Skydio is made up of leading experts in AI, robotics, cameras, and electric vehicles from top companies, research labs, and universities from around the world. Skydio designs, assembles, and supports its products in the U.S. to offer the highest standards of supply chain and manufacturing security.  At Skydio, Jenn collaborates with customers, regulators, and standards development organizations to unlock safe and effective autonomous and docked drone operations.  Before joining Skydio, Jenn spearheaded an industry-leading regulatory program under the FAA’s Pathfinder Program, capturing a number of breakthrough BVLOS approvals. She has also played a key role suppor

How Does Drone Technology Deliver Value? For that question, we head to Virgina Beach to talk with Tom Walker, founder and CEO of DroneUp.  DroneUp is the leading complete drone services provider, transforming businesses and government organizations with drone technology solutions. A short-list of DroneUp’s diverse suite of products includes flight services, data analysis, training and drone delivery Recognized as a UAS industry pioneer with patented mobile app technology and a commitment to research and development, DroneUp fuels invention and application across private and public sectors. With its people, services, and innovative solutions, the company delivers on operational challenges with efficiency, reliability, and safety.   Tom is a former military officer, and is a recognized pioneer in military and government digital reform. He managed the extensive programming and web enablement of computer systems to support both U.S. and International Special Forces.  He has also served as an advisor to the White

What’s involved in performing validation and testing of BVLOS and Safety protocols? For that question, we turn to Andy Thurling, Chief Technology Officer of the Northeast UAS Airspace Integration Research Alliance.  NUAIR, as its commonly known, is a New York-based nonprofit with a mission to safely integrate uncrewed aircraft systems into the national airspace, enabling scalable, economically viable commercial drone operations.  NUAIR manages operations of the FAA-designated New York UAS Test Site at Griffiss International Airport, Rome, NY on behalf of Oneida County and is responsible for the advancement of New York’s 50-mile UAS Corridor between Rome and Syracuse, NY. Andy leads technical research on current and future UAS technologies.  He also evaluates potential paths to implementation, industry standards for approval by regulators, and test techniques to verify compliance. Prior to NUAIR, Andy was Director of Product Safety and Mission Assurance at AeroVironment where he led airworthiness, certificatio

What is the best way to get your message out? Dawn Zoldi is a retired Colonel from the United States Air Force.  She is also a licensed attorney and the founder and CEO of P3 Tech Consulting.  P3 Tech Consulting connects people who have a passion for advanced tech platforms with the plans, programs, policies and information they need to succeed. Prior to starting P3 Tech Consulting, Dawn spent nearly 25 years of active duty as a member of the Judge Advocate General’s Corps as a military attorney, where she performed a myriad of duties at various command echelons in the continental U.S. and deployed forward. Dawn holds a number of distinctions.  She is an internationally recognized expert on unmanned aircraft systems and advanced air mobility law and policy, listed in the eVTOL Insights 2022 Powerbook, one of the Top Women in Aerospace and Aviation to Follow on LinkedIn 2021 and a recipient of the Woman to Watch in UAS Leadership Award 2019. Her endeavors in the drone law, regulatory and policy arena include r

How is Texas Advancing Urban Air Mobility? Michael Hill is CEO and Founder of Cumulus Technologies, a drone technology company based in the Dallas / Ft. Worth area.  Michael is one of the top subject matter experts in the areas of Advanced Air Mobility and their integration on the land, in the air and at sea. He is a Part 107 Pilot with over 1,980 hours of flight time, a consultant helping companies use Drones and Ai to create safer, more efficient working environments and has helped NASA and the FAA develop Unmanned Traffic Management protocols for our National Airspace. In 2021, the Texas Legislature passed SB 763 – which established a new committee charged with identifying potential changes in state regulations  needed to facilitate the development of Urban Air Mobility operations and infrastructure in Texas.  The committee must report its finding and recommendations Texas Transportation Commission and legislature by Sept. 1, 2022. Michael is a member of the Texas Urban Air Mobility Advisory Committee and

How is it possible to stop a rogue drone when there are crowds of people nearby? Jeffrey Starr is Chief Marketing Officer at D-Fend Solutions.  D-Fend Solutions is a technology company that supports the growth of safe and secure drone adoption with innovative solutions that defend against rogue drone threats.  The company’s  EnforceAir system has protected some of the world’s most important leaders, gatherings and organizations from the threat of rogue drones, including the G7 Summit and championship sporting events with tens of thousands of fans in attendance.  This non-jamming, non-kinetic solution has been selected as a best-in-class radio frequency (RF), cyber-takeover system.  In September 2021, a rogue drone appeared over a large public Mass led by Pope Francis in Slovakia.  The threat was neutralized by EnforceAir without any disruption. Jeffry brings a track record of generating revenue and building market leadership through visionary business strategies.  Prior to joining D-Fend Solutions, Jeffrey se

What’s the latest in UAS Flight Controllers? Kirill Shilov is Founder and CEO of Sky-Drones Technologies.  Sky-Drones creates professional full stack UAV avionics solutions, such as flight control, ground control and communication systems as well as a cloud based management platform. The company helps its global customers build and operate drones for security and commercial applications. The company has an outstanding background in research and development, as well as manufacturing and delivering products and solutions for the future UAV market. With a Masters in Aerospace Engineering, Kirill majored in Flight Dynamics and Control. His professional areas of interest include flight control systems, unmanned aerial vehicles, autopilot systems, electronics, software and embedded programming.  Before starting Sky-Drones Technologies he worked as an engineer at ACSL in Tokyo and Perspective Robotics in Zurich. In this edition of the Drone Radio Show, Kirill talks about Sky-Drones Technologies, the company’s flight

What does real time autonomous UAS operations look like? Barry Alexander is Founder and CEO of Aquiline Drones, a drone manufacturing and full service UAS company based in Hartford Connecticut.  Aquiline offers full-service, UAV solutions with equipment, personnel and cloud infrastructure for a multitude of use cases. They have redefined the entire unmanned aerial vehicle landscape by developing a unified, real-time cloud with autonomous flight capabilities, edge computing and AI enabled data insights.  This includes drone manufacturing, air carrier service, autonomous UAS services, insurance, training and UAS cloud computing services. Driven by the Aquiline Cloud, a dedicated hybrid-cloud services platform, their solutions provide increased applicability across industries and environments.  Barry brings over 25 years’ experience as an aviator and licensed aircraft technician for both airplanes and helicopters.  He has spent most of his career working as an Airline Captain for various airlines, with over 22,0

What does the mailbox of the future look like? Dan O’Toole  is a serial entrepreneur and business leader who is among the first in the United States to secure patents for a smart mailbox designed to securely accept packages delivered by drone.  With those patents he founded and is the CEO of DroneDek.  The phone, the automobile, air travel and all of the other conveniences of our day-to-day lives have been updated, but mailboxes have not been disrupted since 1858 when they were first introduced.  Drone delivery will increase efficiency, lower costs, raise convenience and speed, but that only solves half of the equation. To complete the final mile solution there must be a safe, secure, weatherproof receptacle, that is capable of housing items and notifying customers of their delivery. That’s where DroneDekcomes in.  DroneDek brings the mailbox into the 21st-century and completes the last mile solution through its smart mailbox, app-driven solution and marketplace. In this edition of the Drone Radio Show, Dan t

Can a drone help build a better solar roof?  Sinuhe Montoya is CEO and founder of Drone Quote, a web-based solar roofing company.  Drone Quote works with drone pilots throughout the country to provide easy and precise estimates of solar roof installation projects.  After the solar installation is complete, the pilots conduct a final inspection flight to verify the quality of the work performed.  The company’s unique approach is driving solar adoption and it illustrates just one more innovative way that drones are providing real value.   In this edition of the Drone Radio Show, Sinuhe talks about Drone Quote, the use of drones to promote solar and how he built a successful drone based business.  

Is there a way to protect whole cities from drone incursions?  Aaditya Devarakonda (AD) is CEO of Dedrone, a world leader in protecting organizations from malicious drones by securing the airspace using advanced hardware and software technology.   Today’s security requires a layered approach that keeps up with the evolution of drone technology. Dedrone’s sensors, software and communication technology detects, classifies, and protects against drone threats, including localizing the drone. Their passive and active countermeasures can be triggered, tailoring the defense mechanism to the severity of the threat.  The company works with smart city customers as well as those across public safety, critical infrastructure, governments, correctional facilities, and enterprises to protect against unwanted drones.  As CEO of Dedrone, AD oversees the company's global growth and continues to build on its reputation as the market leader in smart airspace security.  He brings a deep understanding of regulatory environme