DroneUp Shares Live Mission Demo at the Virginia Governor’s Transportation Conference Innovation Summit
November 1, 2018, (Chesapeake, VA) — DroneUp, LLC attended The Virginia Governor’s Transportation Conference (GTC) at The Hilton Main in Norfolk, Virginia for the states annual gathering of transportation professionals. Attendees gather each year to be updated on the latest developments in the industry from both the private and public sectors.
CEO, Tom Walker, was one of five panelists alongside Cathy McGee the Acting Director of Innovation for the Virginia Transportation Research Council; Mark Flynn, Director of the Virginia Department of Aviation; Jon Greene with the Virginia Tech Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership; and, Shawn Talmadge, Assistant Secretary of Public Safety for Homeland Security. The session deemed “Eyes in the Sky”, spoke to the emerging technology of sUAS operations and workforce collaboration.
The main event for this session was provided by DroneUp with the launch of three simultaneous, live missions. Walker, mission commander, streamed footage from DroneUp’s Chief Pilot, in San Diego, California and two additional Pilot Engagement Specialist; one stationed in Northern Virginia, and the other near the conference in the Tidewater area.
The missions were displayed on the ballrooms’ main monitors, as Walker explained utilizing DroneSenses’ live-stream OpsCenter to the audience and instructing DroneUp’s team. The team demonstrated a search and rescue (SAR) mission, a crash scene investigation and the use of thermal imaging to locate a fugitive. Walker continued to showcase how data collection from these missions and others similar to these across sectors will provide private and public organizations with timely deliverables and responsive services.
Visitors to the GTC Innovation Summit, most for the first time, were able to witness how drone operations benefit our collective workforce technologies with efficiency of time and use of resources. Walker stated, “The critical leave behind is that drones present a powerful new asset in our communities. It is incumbent upon our industry to engage government agencies in shared learning projects that will streamline the integration of this innovative technology. Doing so will save lives, reduce costs, and create real ROI. We hope demonstrations of real-world operations, like those today, help that process move forward.”
Picture caption: Mr. Walker discussing the thermal mission at the 2018 Governor’s Transportation Conference Innovation Summit in Norfolk, Virginia. Photo courtesy: DroneUp, LLC.