2018 Drone YouTube Predictions - I'm not psychic BUT...

Recently a company reminded me that this YouTube video is online and it has led to some fun and interesting discussions. I had lots of fun doing the interview with Eric Holdeman from the Disaster Zone and I still drink coffee from the mug, which adorns my desk as an appropriate label most days. Its all live, no edits, that’s how Eric works!

In the video we discuss legal and privacy concerns, use cases for drones on fires and other natural disasters. I give a very high-level description of the UAS type certification path and make a few predictions...time to see if they were right!

Happily, we didn’t see as much large-scale and vast destruction last year that we did in 2017 and 2018. When fire season rolls around, I do know that the DOI Department of Interior, specifically Mark Bathrick’s team of UAS Ninjas Steve Stroud and Steve Ramaekers will be at the ready with equipment, personnel and a plan. I signed many 70 and 80 hour/week time cards when ScanEagles were over the Eagle Creek and Tubbs fires in 2017. There were many 18 hour days. Both "Steves” were awake as least as much as we were in support of fire fighting operations. Bravo gentlemen. Good luck this season.

We also cover some ground on the IPP, NASA SOI (now with AATI), BNSF pathfinder activity, and Zipline UAS work in Africa. All of these efforts have blossomed in one way or another and many of them will be hitting milestones this fall. Stay tuned, and PLEASE don’t shoot at drones, that is “a bad idea on ANY day of the week!”