Creating Highways in the Sky: Drones In America

Welcome to this week’s episode of “Drones in America,” a MarketScale podcast hosted by Grant Guillot.

Guillot leads the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Practice Team for Adams and Reese, a law firm that practices across the Southern U.S. and in Washington, D.C.

On “Drones in America,” Guillot and industry leaders, influencers and experts explore the rapidly growing commercial drone industry in the U.S., guiding you through the complex web of technology, policy and more.

In this week’s episode, Guillot is joined by Michael Healander, President and CEO of Airspace Link.

The Airspace Link platform is an all-in-one FAA-certified, cloud-based platform simultaneously connecting all constituents involved in legally flying a drone. In addition to airspace safety, Airspace Link focuses on ground-based risks and provides a municipal-planning platform that is already finding success with various communities, including the cities of Taylor, Michigan, and Ontario, California.

State & local governments use the Airspace Link portal to define areas of risk, special ordinance and event restrictions within the community. Drone pilots plan and submit operations to the FAA through Airspace Link, enabling faster approvals and a stronger mitigation plans for complex flights (BVLOS, inspection, package delivery). With the combined data, Airspace Link is building new drone airspace infrastructure (similar to toll roads).

Guillot and Healander discuss Healander’s history providing geospatial technology services to the defense, logistics, precision agriculture, retail, and transportation industries. They also chat about Healander’s experience working with state and local governments to develop permitting systems and asset management systems.

With Airspace Link, Healander now utilizes spatial technology to assist government agencies with the integration of drone into the national airspace and local communities.  Airspace Link’s cloud-based platform, AirHub, focuses exclusively on merging the needs of state and local government with the operational planning tools pilots already use.

Healander explains that despite public perception concerns regarding the privacy and safety aspects of drones, many government agencies are ready and willing to incorporate advanced operations into their respective communities. Agencies are envisioning a “connected smart-city infrastructure that they can offer businesses,” Healander says.

Airspace Link is also an FAA-certified LAANC provider, and drone pilots can now use Airspace Link to apply for instantaneous approval to fly in restricted airspace. Healander notes that “this combined authorization and integration with FAA, state, and local data makes for the safest possible mission.”

Join host Grant Guillot of the law firm, Adams and Reese for Drones in America with new episodes available where ever podcasts are found.

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