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18 March 2025
The Droning Company columnist <a href="https://www.thedroningcompany.com/news/categories/brazzel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Timothy Brazzel</a> will be covering <a href="https://psdronefest.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Palm Springs Drone Fest 2025</a>, March 21-23 at Palm Springs High School.
<h5>Watch!</h5>
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Palm Springs Drone Fest, March 21-23

Trending News

17 March 2025
The mystery of drones zipping across the New Jersey skies in 2024 was eventually explained as research UAVs approved by the FAA and/or hobbyist flights.
But there are some drone swarms that appear to be much more insidious and they remain mostly unexplained. They are also targeting U.S. military sites.
As revealed on 60 Minutes by correspondent Bill Whitaker, the past six years have seen "significant" drone incursions above bases and infrastructure facilities, and even high-ranking generals don't know where the uninvited guests are coming from, nor do they know who is piloting them.
"We should be concerned that we don't know what these are," said Gen. Glen VanHerck, the former chief of NORAD and NORTHCOM, the agencies that protect U.S. airspace. "And the question that needs to be asked is 'Why don't we know what these are?' And I think you'll see that there are gaps in capability, there are gaps in policy, and there are gaps in law that need to be addressed."
<h5>Some of the Incidents</h5>
&bull; In December 2023, a flight of drones hovered over Virginia's Langley Air Force Base for 17 nights, causing the Air Force to move some F-22 fighters to another base.&nbsp;
&bull; Back in 2019, drones were reported as tailing naval warships during training missions off the California coast.
&bull; The defense media site, The War Zone, claims dozens of drones have invaded the airspace over sites such as Arizona's Palo Verde nuclear plant and the Air Force's "secretive" stealth-bomber development facilty, Plant 42, in Southern California
&bull; The U.S. Army reported 11 confirmed drone sightings over the Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey.
<h5>How Are These Drones Operating in the Shadows?</h5>
Well, the simple answer is that drones are everywhere. Hobbyists, researchers, first responders, and enemies can purchase and deploy drones for just a few thousand dollars each&mdash;or less. In addition, savvy tech operators can modify drones to fly at high&mdash;or even low&mdash;altitudes that can't be easily tracked by NORAD or the FAA.
"If you can't detect them, and track them, and identify if they're potentially a civilian airplane, then it's really challenging," VanHerck explained to 60 Minutes.
<div hidden=""><img src="&quot;https://beacon-iad3.rubiconproject.com/beacon/d/a193f9fe-ea4a-4e7b-9324-a4712f595e65?oo=0&amp;accountId=10970&amp;siteId=570098&amp;zoneId=3603514&amp;sizeId=2&amp;e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quot;" alt="&quot;&quot;" width="&quot;1&quot;" height="&quot;1&quot;" border="&quot;0&quot;" /></div>
<h5>Can We Fight Them?</h5>
That's not an easy question to answer.
Although shooting down unauthorized drones seems to be a quick and easy defense, according to VanHerck, that is hardly the safest way to dispose of the threats.
"People calling for 'shooting them down' over very populated areas need to understand that a fighter, or a land-based missile, or a missile off of a ship, is going to accelerate to two to four times the speed of sound and have large exploding titanium rods that come out of the warhead at thousands of feet per second," he told 60 Minutes. "So that's not safe, either."
In addition to the concern of dangerous debris possibly weighing hundreds of pounds from both a defensive missile and a unknown drone, there's the question of which organization would give the A.O.K. to shoot down the drones. The location of the incident could point to an entity, but even then, is the shoot-down order authorized by the FAA, FBI, Department of Defense, Homeland Security, or another office?
Even an attempt to jam the control frequency used by a suspicious has a downside, as knocking out the 2.4GHz or 5.8GHz frequencies used by most commercial drones could also take down Wi-Fi, various wireless networks, and other systems in the area of the incursion.
"If you jam those frequencies, and they reside in a spectrum that may be for TV, or transportation such as airplanes, then you're going to have interference with those," said VanHerck. "And that's the concern about using the electromagnetic spectrum."
<h5>Future Tech</h5>
Obviously, the military sees potentially damaging drone swarms as a threat&mdash;especially if they continue to be secret flyers&mdash;and it is working with the tech and drone industries to devise better defenses.
"We are working to have several pre-positioned tech at various parts of the country, where we could rapidly respond not only with the equipment, but with the authority to operate that equipment to defeat that incursion," said Gen. Gregory Guillot, the current commander of NORAD and NORTHCOM. "That's my goal, and we are well on our way."
<h5>Learn More</h5>
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60 Minutes Reports on Dangers of Drone Swarms

15 March 2025
<a href="https://www.anduril.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Anduril</a> has been awarded a $642 million, 10-year Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Program of Record by the U.S. Marine Corps to deliver, install, and sustain Installation-Counter small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (I-CsUAS). Anduril&rsquo;s comprehensive I-CsUAS solution leverages the power of AI and advanced autonomy, equipping the U.S. Marine Corps with hardware and software capabilities required to address evolving aerial threats and protect installations worldwide over the next decade.
This program validates Anduril&rsquo;s CUAS advantage, enabling 24/7 autonomous operations powered by Lattice, Anduril&rsquo;s advanced software platform. Lattice uses AI to autonomously detect, track, identify, and neutralize aerial threats, empowering human operators to rapidly make critical decisions with minimal manpower.
Through a software-first approach, Anduril&rsquo;s integrated family of systems delivers comprehensive protection customized to the needs of each installation. Anduril&rsquo;s solution integrates multiple sensors and effectors into an easy-to-use, shared command and control (C2) interface and uses an open architecture to enable rapid iteration and system upgrades, providing the U.S. Marine Corps with the most advanced capabilities to outpace evolving threats over the 10 year period of performance.
This award expands our partnership with the U.S. Marine Corps, following a $200 million contract awarded in November to develop and deliver a CUAS Engagement System for the&nbsp;<a style="color: #ba372a;" href="https://www.anduril.com/article/anduril-industries-awarded-usd200-million-contract-to-develop-counter-unmanned-aerial-system/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS)</a>. To meet the growing demand for its defense solutions, Anduril has invested in&nbsp;<a style="color: #ba372a;" href="https://www.anduril.com/article/anduril-building-arsenal-1-hyperscale-manufacturing-facility-in-ohio/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Arsenal-1</a>, a first of its kind manufacturing facility that leverages software to manufacture autonomous systems at scale. Arsenal-1 will enable timely deployment of systems worldwide while maintaining the flexibility to adapt to future defense needs.
The scope of this program is a testament to the U.S. Marine Corps&rsquo; commitment to leveraging the latest in advanced technology to protect its troops and strategic assets from the aerial threats defining modern conflicts. By leveraging autonomous capabilities, Anduril is turning an urgent requirement into an enduring, scalable solution.

Marines Select Anduril to protect bases from small drones

13 March 2025
The Miami Beach Police Department is cracking down on rowdy revelers and other troublemakers during the March Spring Break season. But the move to keep the public and partiers safe is not enacted solely by putting more officers in place. The police efforts are being enhanced by an eye in the sky.&nbsp;
Part of a $2 million dollar investment funded partially by a general obligation bond approved by voters, the department is launching a Skydio X10 drone as a "first responder." as well as a&nbsp;Real Time Intelligence Center for monitoring data. This is the first such system in Florida, and one of only five initiatives across America to implement the Skydio X10 as a comprehensive "drone as first responder" program.
&ldquo;Miami Beach is at the forefront of pioneering technology to revolutionize public safety,&rdquo; said Mayor Steven Meiner. &ldquo;The Real Time Intelligence Center and Drone as a First Responder Program equip our police department with exceptional tools, ensuring swift and decisive action to protect our community.&rdquo;
The Real Time Intelligence Center will serve as the nerve center for all of the surveillance and intelligence operations of the Miami Beach Police Department&mdash;which include the Skydio X10 drone that delivers aerial video to officers, data from approxiomately 850 cameras, 30 license plate readers, social media threat monitoring, and a marine radar system that tracks activity along the coast.
&ldquo;A call goes out and the drone is remotely deployed," said Miami Beach Police Chief Wayne Jones. "That drone actually gets to the scene of the crime prior to police officers getting there. This initiative places Miami Beach at the forefront of public safety and innovation, and enforces our commitment to leverage technology to protect our city and its residents.&rdquo;
<h5>Learn More</h5>
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Miami Beach Police Deploy Drones During Spring Break

13 March 2025
The following report is curated and brought to The Droning Company readers by&nbsp;<a style="color: #ba372a;" href="https://www.globenewswire.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FN Media Group News Commentary</a>.&nbsp;
The business use cases of commercial drones have expanded significantly over the past few years. They are being increasingly adopted in the construction and real estate sectors due to their ability to survey the property, offer constant and exact project alerts, increase safety, and prevent harmful accidents on construction sites. Moreover, their conventional applications, such as monitoring, surveillance, and security, have instigated the product demand for search and rescue operations, identifying unstable roofs in dangerous and inaccessible positions, tracking out elevated infrastructure that might have damaged electrical cables, etc. A recent report from Grand View Research said that: &ldquo;The global&nbsp;commercial drone market size&nbsp;was estimated at USD 30.02 billion in 2024 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 10.6% from 2025 to 2030. The market growth is attributed to the increasing enterprise application of drones across various industry verticals. Several drone manufacturers are continually testing, inventing, and upgrading solutions for diverse markets used for various applications, including filming and emergency response. Besides, the integration of modern technologies in commercial drones to deliver enhanced solutions is opening new growth opportunities for the commercial drone market.&rdquo; Active Companies in the markets today include&nbsp;<a href="https://www.zenatech.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ZenaTech, Inc.</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.avinc.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AeroVironment, Inc.,</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kratosdefense.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kratos Defense &amp; Security Solutions, Inc.</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://redcat.red/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Red Cat Holdings, Inc.,</a> and <a href="https://draganfly.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Draganfly Inc.</a>
The Grand View Research report continued: &ldquo;Technological advances allow companies to design and construct measurement and annotation tools for estimating area, volume, and distance. As a result, organizations are constantly adopting Artificial Intelligence (AI) and&nbsp;Machine Learning&nbsp;(ML) solutions to retrieve accurate findings from large volumes of data. Integration of these modern technologies provides the industry with ample opportunities as they facilitate real-time, data-driven decision-making through high-speed data capture, processing, and transfer. AI-powered drones also allow users to interact and observe footage captured by other drones in real-time and track their flight paths. The&nbsp;North America commercial drone market&nbsp;is expected to grow at a considerable CAGR of 6.7% over the forecast period, owing to the ongoing advancements in drone technology, favorable government initiatives, and growing demand from enterprises across numerous industries. For instance, in the U.S., the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued new regulations to create more coherent and consistent standards for the legal and safe operation of UAVs in commercial spaces. These rules and regulations are anticipated to decrease entry barriers and boost product usage, thereby favoring the market expansion further.&rdquo;
<h5>ZenaTech</h5>
ZenaTech Expands ZenaDrone Team by 35 Engineers and Technicians to Meet Drone Production Manufacturing Capacity. ZenaTech, Inc., a technology company specializing in AI (Artificial Intelligence) drones, Drone as a Service (DaaS), enterprise SaaS and Quantum Computing solutions, announces today that its subsidiary ZenaDrone is expanding its team of drone engineers, technicians, and R&amp;D engineers by adding 35 new hires to meet production line and capability requirements for the manufacturing of its drone products.
&ldquo;As we transition from the prototype stages to full-scale production of our drones, we are adding qualified engineering, manufacturing and technical talent to commence and accelerate full-scale manufacturing and assembly.&nbsp; Expanding our production line capacity by adding these resources is a critical step in delivering our drones to market efficiently while meeting our monthly production goals,&rdquo; said CEO Shaun Passley, Ph.D.
The ZenaDrone 1000 and IQ series of drones will be manufactured in the company&rsquo;s 10,000-foot manufacturing facility in Sharjah, UAE where prototype and R&amp;D development, drone assembly, flight testing, and quality control functions also take place. ZenaDrone&rsquo;s engineers include multi-disciplinary area backgrounds including mechanical, avionic, electrical and electronics specializations. Drone technicians have manufacturing or drone industry backgrounds and are specialists in a variety of assembly line production, flight testing, and quality control areas. Of the new team members, 15 have joined the company already and an additional 20 are expected to be onboard over the next one to two months.
The ZenaDrone 1000 is an autonomous multifunction drone offering stable flight, maneuverability, heavy lift capabilities, innovative software technology, sensors, AI, and purpose-built attachments, along with compact and rugged hardware engineered for military and industrial use. The company previously completed two paid trials with the US Air Force and the US Navy Reserve for logistics and transportation applications carrying critical cargo, such as blood, in the field.
The ZenaDrone IQ Square is an outdoor drone designed to be an advanced AI multifunction drone designed for commercial inspections, land surveys and other outdoor applications, and for the defense sector for various inspections and reconnaissance missions. Equipped with state-of-the-art cameras and sensors, the IQ Square offers a flight time of approximately 20 minutes when used with its autonomous recharging pad and can carry a payload of up to seven kilograms. With a footprint of 41X41 inches, the VTOL (Vertical Takeoff and Landing), drone features retractable landing gear for enhanced functionality and adaptability.
The ZenaDrone IQ Nano is an indoor drone and comes in 10x10-inch or 20X20-inch models, designed to perform regular and frequent inspections such as bar code or RFID scanning, facility maintenance inspections, security monitoring, 3D indoor mapping inside a warehouse, distribution, or plant facility. The IQ Nano is designed for autonomous use featuring integrated sensors, high-quality cameras, and data collection and analysis. Weighing 1.5kg and with a flight time of up to 20 minutes before utilizing the automatic battery charging station, it is designed for hovering stability and for safety with obstacle avoidance capabilities. Read full release here: <a href="https://www.financialnewsmedia.com/news-zena/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.financialnewsmedia.com/news-zena/</a>
Other recent developments in the markets this week include:
<h5>Draganfly Inc.&nbsp;</h5>
Draganfly Inc.&nbsp;recently announced the establishment of its new U.S. location in Tampa, Florida. Strategically positioned near key military and government clients, this expansion includes a demonstration and live fire testing facility, reinforcing Draganfly&rsquo;s commitment to delivering cutting-edge drone solutions to its U.S. customers.
The Tampa facility is part of Draganfly&rsquo;s long-term strategy to grow its government business, aligning with increasing demand from defense, law enforcement, and industrial sectors. While this expansion has been in development for some time, its opening is especially timely given the recent geopolitical trade measures.
&ldquo;For over 20 years, Draganfly has been at the forefront of providing innovative drone solutions to government, law enforcement, and industrial clients,&rdquo; said Cameron Chell, CEO of Draganfly. &ldquo;Our new Tampa facility underscores our commitment to the U.S. market, offering a critical hub for product demonstrations and live testing. The company continues to maintain and invest in its North American manufacturing facilities, ensuring high-quality production and ongoing support for Canadian and international clients."
<h5>Kratos Defense &amp; Security Solutions, Inc.</h5>
Kratos Defense &amp; Security Solutions, Inc.&nbsp;recently announced the award of the Short/Medium Range Sub-Orbital Vehicle (SSOV) II contract as a partner to Corvid Technologies, LLC. The contract, awarded by the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme, White Sands Detachment, will encompass the design, manufacture, and delivery of short- and medium-range suborbital vehicles, including provision of ground test hardware, special test equipment, materials, engineering, and launch support services. The contract includes options which, if exercised, bring the potential subcontract value to greater than $50 million.
Josh Peterson, Senior Vice President at Kratos Defense &amp; Rocket Support Services, said, &ldquo;This subcontract award as a partner to Corvid Technologies underscores our team&rsquo;s ability to deliver advanced, cost-effective solutions that meet the critical launch service needs of our customers. The suborbital vehicle configurations provided under this contract significantly enhance the nation&rsquo;s ability to rapidly and affordably demonstrate emerging technologies. We are proud to continue supporting the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme, White Sands Detachment, in this very vital mission.&rdquo;
<h5>AeroVironment</h5>
AeroVironment, a global leader in intelligent, multi-domain autonomous solutions, recently announced the launch of the JUMP&reg; 20-X, a next-generation, modular Group 3 uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) designed to meet the dynamic demands of modern warfare. Setting a new benchmark for autonomous maritime operations, the JUMP 20-X delivers unrivaled versatility, efficiency, and precision in contested and complex environments.
Unveiled at the 2025 International Defence Exhibition &amp; Conference (IDEX), the JUMP 20-X is a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) medium uncrewed aircraft system (MUAS) engineered to revolutionize shipboard UAS operations. With an advanced heavy-fuel engine capable of running on multiple fuel types, JUMP 20-X enhances operational flexibility, simplifies refueling logistics, and ensures mission adaptability across diverse maritime and expeditionary environments.
<h5>Red Cat Holdings, Inc.</h5>
Red Cat Holdings, Inc., a drone technology company integrating robotic hardware and software for military, government, and commercial operations, recently announced the appointment of Christian Koji Ericson as its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO), effective March 17,&nbsp;2025.
Ericson brings more than 20 years of finance and accounting experience, including 11 years with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and senior finance roles at Nu Skin Enterprises, where he served as Chief Audit Executive, VP of Business Development, and VP of Finance for its agriculture technology division. Most recently, Ericson was Head of Finance and Accounting at Western Steel Buildings, where he played a pivotal role in scaling financial operations and optimizing compliance and governance structures to support rapid business growth.
<h5>About FN Media Group</h5>
At FN Media Group, via our top-rated online news portal at <a href="http://www.financialnewsmedia.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.financialnewsmedia.com</a>, we are one of the very few select firms providing top tier one syndicated news distribution, targeted ticker tag press releases and stock market news coverage for today&rsquo;s emerging companies.&nbsp;

Report: Drone Operations and Demand Skyrocketing

12 March 2025
The new seasons of The Last of Us and various The Walking Dead spinoffs are set to hit screens soon, but there was a time not so long ago when dystopian landscapes brought sci-fi influenced angst into the real world.&nbsp;
While the entire planet would rather forget the COVID debacle, it happened to everyone, and drones where on the scene to capure the eerie stillness of a population avoiding physical contact&mdash;mostly emptying outdoor spaces, office buildings, stores, clubs, arenas, and more.
This scene has filmed at Boston University&rsquo;s Charles River Campus on April 23, 2020 from 10:30 am to 7:30 pm by Above Summit Aerial + Video Production with a DJI Inspire 2 drone and X7 camera. The footage shows a desolate cityscape devoid of packed sidewalks and bike lanes, buses, trolleys, cars, and other evidence of "normal life."
<h5>Experience the Quiet</h5>
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Remembering the Zombie Apocalypse

11 March 2025
<a href="https://www.warren.edu/academics/drones-unmanned-systems/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WarrenUAS</a>, the pioneering New Jersey-based drone training program from Warren Community College, is shifting to another level of capability and sophistication through a new relationship with one of the leading experts in large-scale, complex Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and Public Aircraft Operations (PAO).
Ed Celiano, the past executive director of the New Jersey Unmanned Aviation Systems Test Site (NJUASTS), established by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, is joining the experts at WarrenUAS as a consultant and instructor in the safe planning and operations of large UAS within the National Airspace System (NAS). His unmanned systems background began at a UAS OEM, supplying Class 2 and 3 intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance systems to the Department of Defense.
Examples of the planned WarrenUAS operations involving Celiano will include research in support of the Department of Defense, natural resource and agriculture management, disaster response and recovery, critical infrastructure inspections as well as first responder and law enforcement operations including counter-UAS work.
&ldquo;This is another huge step for us,&rdquo; said Warren President Will Austin, who made WarrenUAS a priority for the college and in five years has grown it into one of the top training programs in the country for unmanned systems. &ldquo;Ed has worked in the Defense Department technology field for more than 40 years, leading programs and organizations in the development and deployment of mission critical technologies, including for the past 14 years overseeing military and public Class 2 and 3 UAS flight operations. He will fit perfectly into the great team here and add a whole new dimension to our UAS activities and electives for students.&rdquo;
Celiano has a long resume of work in the field, most recently leading all flight operations for the NJUASTS in both NJ and seven additional states, furthering the safe integration of UAS into the national air space. Celiano noted he and his team &ldquo;uniquely enabled UAS public aircraft operations to take place geographically exactly where they were needed across the country&rdquo;.
Prior to his entry into the world of UAS, Celiano was the general manager of the Drexel University Applied Communications and Information Networking Center, at that time the largest joint Department of Defense business and technology incubation and commercialization &ldquo;Center of Excellence&rdquo; in the United States.
He also was general manager and vice president of operations at S.T. Production Systems in Farmingdale, NJ (Formerly FEL Corporation), a vertically integrated military electronics warfare and Naval communications systems corporation.
&ldquo;My vertically integrated facilities at FEL exceeded 500,000 square feet of combined military systems manufacturing, research and development, systems engineering, test and product qualification operations,&rdquo; he explained. Those primary systems included surface ship torpedo defense and airborne communications systems, airborne data links, threat emulation systems, active and passive EW systems, surface and subsurface threat identification systems, and 2,000-pound Quickstrike mines, he added.
Celiano said the position at Warren allows him at this stage of his career to continue to work in the research and education sector, both to elevate the capabilities of the college to acquire more complex UAS authorizations and train students to navigate the larger more sophisticated class of unmanned systems.
WarrenUAS has been unique in its ability to obtain certain rigorous FAA certifications to fly above populated areas or out of the line of sight of operators (Part 107 of the Code of Federal Regulations concerning UAS), but Celiano brings over a decade of experience with larger class systems requiring complex authorizations for flight operations using varied and heavier payloads, not common in any other collegiate drone program.
&ldquo;The intent is for WarrenUAS to expand its current Part 107 centric flight operations to include Public Aircraft Operations,&rdquo; he explained. &nbsp;&ldquo;I intend to help the college move forward with this capability while assuring the safe operation of more complicated systems. At the same time, I am assisting in the development of curriculum that will enable students to get a firm grasp of this scale of operation and the many career opportunities that are developing in this market space.&rdquo;
Austin noted that the addition of Celiano &ldquo;provides a new dimension to a program that has made great strides just as this field is booming. I don&rsquo;t think this kind of training has been available at the collegiate level, so this partnership again takes WarrenUAS to heights we never imagined when we initiated the program. We are extremely fortunate Ed has agreed to join our team, where the real winners will be our students and the companies that will eventually employ them.&rdquo;
&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve been able to acquire more than $5 million in UAS technology and top-notch instructors to provide a wide range of UAS training in fields ranging from agriculture &ndash; which has been one of our priorities &ndash; to law enforcement, search and rescue and firefighting, all while doing cutting-edge research,&rdquo; Austin said.
&ldquo;Having Ed working with us will help us provide students with direct exposure to more sophisticated equipment in whole new environments, all within the strict guidance of the FAA,&rdquo; he added.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m excited to be part of the work Dr. Will and WarrenUAS are doing,&rdquo; Celiano said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a great opportunity for me to pass along my knowledge gained during the wide range of experiences I&rsquo;ve had, and help the college advance in this fast-growing, exciting field.&rdquo;
&nbsp;

Ed Celiano joins WarrenUAS Team

11 March 2025
<img src="https://media.thedroningcompany.com/images/tincy/BL1Xkcjj0VrcPfebJT9xYlGbzAVq8gztw7KZuyli.jpg" alt="" width="120" height="164" />
<a href="https://www.thedroningcompany.com/pilot/jason-sherblom" target="_blank" rel="noopener">By Jason G. Sherblom</a>
My name is Jason Sherblom. I am 47 years old and the father of three children. After moving to Florida from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 2024, I began driving from place to place and was amazed at how flat the area is. As I continued to go to various parts of the state, admittedly, only a small part of it so far, I started to realize the breadth of the views looking in all directions. The thought occurred to me how interesting it would be to see this from above.
I do a lot of traveling for business. While I am not as impressed as I used to be looking out the window and seeing the ground from above solely for the thrill of it, I do like to look out as I fly over familiar parts to get that birds-eye view of something I know. It is that perspective change that piques my interest, which certainly sparked my interest in drones.
Something else that contributed to my newly acquired fascination with aerial photography is all the infrastructure like communication towers and electrical transmission towers I can see from many vantage points in Florida, again as it is so flat around here. Being able to see so much of the tower, even the base in a lot of locations as it is not blocked by hills and thick trees and foliage, allowed me to discover parts of those types of infrastructure I had never seen before.
Towers have always fascinated me. The taller they are the more I was drawn to them. I believe a lot of it was fear of them. It may sound odd, yet there really was a fear of these things, a lot of it due to their sheer size and mass.
Wind turbines, what I always called windmills growing up, were really my favorites when I was younger, and in many ways still are. That is because the town I lived in constructed eight 100-foot turbines on the side of Mount Wachusett in the 1980s. The school bus route I would take each day passed right by them, within 500 or so yards. As I could not see the bottom half of the towers due to the heavy tree growth, like I mentioned earlier, I think it was that unseen part that gave birth to both my amazement at the biggest things I had seen up to that point, and the new fear that developed over what exactly was behind those trees.
The noise the turbines made at that time was also a little unnerving. It was a deep and heavy whistling noise that came in and out of ear range as the relatively short (by today&rsquo;s standards) 30-foot blades whooshed by, held together by the large center hub, as they spun around. I can still hear it even now. Over time, I managed to get up the nerve to go up to the site where these towers were anchored to their thick concrete bases. Sometimes, only a few of them would be operating but that sound was always present up there.
A few years later, one of the turbines collapsed during a bad storm. I only saw pictures of the wreckage in the newspaper and never saw any of the pieces in person. Seeing the mangled pile on the ground, even if only in the paper, increased my curiosity related to what these towers really were, now seeing for the first time that they were vulnerable and not the terrifying, invincible goliaths I once thought they were.
Being that they could collapse, which is something I had never thought was possible in those early days of my life, meant that they were susceptible to destruction. It hit home that they were things, built by man, which meant that man needed to be there to fabricate the pieces, assemble them on site, and climb higher and higher to work on them. That really did it for me as they were more &ldquo;real&rdquo; now than they had been before the collapse.
Now, fast forward a few years and I started messing around with photography. I bought a pretty nice DSLR camera in the 1990s which still used traditional rolls of film. I knew nothing else at that time, so this was fine with me. Also, it was always a thrill to drop off the rolls to be developed and experience that anticipation of how they would turn out, something that is rarely seen in today&rsquo;s fast-paced technological world. I always made sure I was back right at the time the developer said the pictures would be ready!
Some decades later, I got into digital photography. That was when I really started learning about how photography worked, a little bit anyway. I was always good with computers and managed to learn software relatively quickly. It was with editing software that I learned how to clean up the shots I had taken, making them even better.
As I progressed with learning how to edit, my novice work began to get noticed. Over time, people started asking me to bring my camera to events. My sister got married a couple of years ago and she asked me to be one of the photographers there to document the occasion. I was thrilled!
The wedding took place at the Mount Washington Hotel in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. My favorite place in the world! While I was proud to be asked to help photograph that beautiful weekend, I was especially excited to take my &ldquo;good&rdquo; camera up there as I had never done so before. The wedding was an enormous success and the several hundred pictures I ended up taking turned out mostly well, too.
In order to tie all of this together and answer the question of how I got involved with drones, that one is quite easy. I am a financial analyst by trade for a fantastic energy storage company. Over my years there, I fell in love with the company. Not only because of what we do as a company, but what I do for the company, data analysis. It is because of that love for what I do that I am always trying to learn as much as I can about other areas of the company, to really understand what my data is telling me about certain things. What is the story it is trying to relate?
One afternoon, I was walking through a mall when I was up north on business. I will say that again, yes, I was walking through a mall, a real mall, with stores on either side and a huge food court. With so much online shopping that is done nowadays, which I am not balking at as I take great advantage of that opportunity myself, I still treasure the times I can walk through a real mall or department store. Partly, maybe, out of nostalgia for those good old days of my youth.
Back to my point, as I was walking through the mall, I received a message through Microsoft Teams. Our Director of Project Management had asked one of our construction managers if he could go to a job site at some point and use his &ldquo;FAA license&rdquo; to get some drone footage of the progress. I stopped dead in my tracks and moved to the side of the aisle to get out of the flow of foot traffic to read it again.
While I had seen images of many of our job sites on the company&rsquo;s intranet page, I never stopped to think about how those pictures were taken. In today&rsquo;s online world, we see overhead images of locations all the time. However, when I read those few words, I realized there was a real need for a qualified and knowledgeable person to go out with a drone and collect those top-down images from above. I started researching that night about the FAA requirements and drone piloting.
It was not long after I began outfitting myself with a fairly good drone set up. That then led to purchasing one of my favorite pieces of technology ever, my Matterport Pro2 digital camera, which takes 360-degree photo images to create digital twins of a location. I learned about other 360-degree photo and video options and ended up starting my company, JS Media Group located here in Wildwood, Florida. I began offering virtual tour creation for real estate with my Matterport, along with aerial photography and videography with my drone. I even moved along with working on certification to conduct tower inspections with my equipment.
A new world has certainly opened up to me because of that little flying camera, and the rest is history that has not yet been written. The sky is literally the limit!
Fly safe out there!
<h5>Learn More</h5>
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Pilot Story: Jason G. Sherblom

10 March 2025
<a href="https://www.thedroningcompany.com/news/categories/brazzel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">By Timothy Brazzel</a>
Recently, I received an opportunity to conduct a drone operation through my union, which is associated with my employer. However, due to this being a bargaining year for contract negotiations, I will not mention the names of either organization. The operation took place during a delegates conference in Universal City, CA, from February 21-23, 2025, where I stayed at the Sheraton Universal Hotel. I was brought on to drone a union rally event scheduled for Saturday, February 22, by an administrative director who assured me that all necessary communications and approvals had been handled.
Despite the reassurance, I felt the need to verify that everything was truly in place. I approached the hotel&rsquo;s front staff to confirm their awareness of the operation. To my surprise, not only were they uninformed, but the hotel's event coordinator was also not fully briefed. After speaking with her, I discovered that the Sheraton Universal Hotel was actually owned by Universal Studios. The coordinator initially stated that Universal Studios controlled the airspace, which I respectfully corrected by explaining that, according to the FAA, they are the governing body over all airspace and that any airspace approval must go through them. However, I acknowledged that Universal Studios had jurisdiction over their property, meaning they controlled who could take off or land there.
The coordinator agreed to follow up with Universal Studios and promised to get back to me. About 30 minutes later, she called to confirm that I was cleared to fly. Notably, although I provided my certification details, I was not required to sign any documents or provide proof of insurance, even though I had access to it.
Ultimately, effective communication played a crucial role in ensuring the successful execution of my drone operation. By taking the initiative to clarify all necessary details, I was able to secure authorization and prevent any potential disruptions, such as interference from law enforcement, security, or signal jamming. Interestingly, upon takeoff, my RC controller screen briefly went black. However, I remained calm, quickly regained connection, and completed the flight without further issues.
This experience reinforced the importance of thorough communication when planning a drone operation, especially when dealing with multiple entities that may have overlapping authority. When in doubt, always take the extra step to confirm approvals and ensure that all involved parties are on the same page.
Final thoughts: Now that both the hotel and Universal Studios are aware of who I am and what I do, this interaction may open doors for future opportunities. By maintaining professionalism and engaging in effective dialogue, I have potentially laid the groundwork for new collaborations down the road.
<h5 class="p1">Helpful Tips for Drone Operations in Complex Environments</h5>
&bull; Verify All Approvals &ndash; Even if someone assures you that everything is handled, always double-check with all relevant parties.
&bull; Communicate Clearly &ndash; Ensure all stakeholders, including event coordinators and property managers, are fully informed about your drone operation.
&bull; Understand Airspace Regulations &ndash; Be prepared to educate others about FAA airspace authority versus property jurisdiction.
&bull; Provide Credentials &ndash; Having your certification details ready can help establish credibility and trust.
&bull;&nbsp; Stay Calm Under Pressure &ndash; Technical issues can arise; remain composed and troubleshoot efficiently.
&bull; Be Proactive &ndash; If something feels uncertain, take the initiative to confirm details rather than assuming everything is set.
&bull; Build Relationships &ndash; Engaging in professional dialogue can create future opportunities and partnerships.
&bull; Have Backup Plans &ndash; Always be prepared for unexpected situations that may require adjustments to your operation.
By following these tips, drone pilots can navigate complex environments more effectively and ensure smooth operations.
<h5 class="p1">Learn More</h5>
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Drone Operations in Complex Environments

07 March 2025
Russia appears to not be embracing hopefully productive peace talks&mdash;given that the country launched a withering drone and missile attack on Ukraine's energy infrastructure yesterday.
The belligerent action in the midst of seeking a peaceful resolution to Russia's invasion of Ukraine was criticized by U.S. President Donald Trump, who went as far as to suggest sanctions on Moscow.
Posting on Truth Social, Trump stated he was "strongly considering large-scale banking sanctions and tariffs" on Russia if it does not broker a peace agreement with Ukraine.
"To Russia and Ukraine, get to the table right now, before it is too late." he said.
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The narrative from the United States regarding the direction and ramifications of Russia/Ukraine peace negotiations has been confusing at times, and some European leaders continue to be concerned over potential concessions to Moscow.
Supporting Trump's post, Ukrainian Presidential Aide Andriy Yermak answered on X: "We support tougher sanctions against Moscow from the West and other measures. The strikes on Ukraine must stop immediately if Russia truly wants to end the war."
Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy also commented after yesterday's strikes, saying, "The first steps toward real peace must include forcing the sole source of this war, Russia, to stop such attacks against life."
<h5>Learn More</h5>
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