Drones In America: A New Podcast Exploring UAV Technology and Policy

On New Year’s Eve 2019, the Federal Aviation Administration released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for Remote Identification of drone users.

“It was 88,000 words of seemingly good intention, and 87 pages of common sense,” Tom Walker said. “There wasn’t any thing in there [the NPRM] that should have surprised anyone.”

Drones continue to disrupt various corners of the private sector that very few people predicted. Presenting Drones in America an all-new podcast by MarketScale centered around drones.

Every week, Drones in America will introduce listeners to guests who are leaders, influencers, and experts from various areas to talk about America’s drone industry.
Topics discussed will include the history of drones, new technology, policy, and the rapidly-growing commercial market.

Tom Walker is Founder and CEO of droneUp, a company that provided “end-to-end aerial data collection services for large, autonomous missions.” He appeared on the inaugural episode of Drones in America to talk about the FAA’s NPRM, how he got into the drone industry, and the relationship between policymakers and drone users.

“When I was first exposed to the consumer drone market… I felt like there were two key issues,” Walker said. “First, there would be a person in the unnamed space. Second, most organizations would be unable to manage the fleet of equipment and pilots.”

In short, Walker saw a need for a scalable drone platform, so he founded droneUp in 2016.
droneUp worked with local emergency response services for wildfires in the West and Hurricane response in the Southeast.

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

 

Coming Later This Spring! A New MarketScale Original Series

 

Transportation. Surveillance. Geo-Mapping. First Response. Counterterrorism. One piece of technology is powering these varied markets like no other: the drone. Drones have finally won the tool vs. toy debate in the commercial world, & now they have to prove themselves to each industry as the best solution for a diverse set of jobs. Still, questions remain. Are they safe? Are they reliable? Are they profitable?

On Beyond Line of Sight MarketScale is going around the U.S. to meet face-to-face with the innovators determined to take drones mainstream.

Delivering the Future

In Plainfield, Illinois Valqari is trying to revolutionize the “the last mile” of the supply chain. The startup is building an infrastructure across America to improve product deliveries using drones and mitigating the rising issue of package theft. Can they do it?

 

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

Mission
Why Is the Mission of Benchmark So Important
December 23, 2025

As pharmaceutical innovation accelerates, the margin for error narrows, making quality assurance not just a regulatory necessity but a public good. Benchmark’s mission sits at the intersection of progress and protection—helping manufacturers stay aligned with FDA standards so life-saving therapies reach patients faster and safer. By keeping cleanrooms compliant and companies out of trouble, Benchmark…

Read More
Benchmark
What Is It Like for You to Be Part of the Benchmark Products Teams Now
December 23, 2025

Being part of the Benchmark Products team today means working at the intersection of precision manufacturing and deeply human collaboration, especially in the high-stakes world of cleanroom and sterility assurance solutions. As the organization grows, employees describe a culture that still feels familial—one where clear communication, personal accountability, and genuine care for customers drive…

Read More
Cleaning
Do Your Friends Ever Ask You For Cleaning Tips
December 23, 2025

In a media landscape increasingly shaped by privacy constraints, data clean rooms have emerged as a quiet but powerful way for brands to collaborate without exposing sensitive information, even if, as Will Sepsis quips, some partners would still prefer that “ignorance is bliss.” That tension—between curiosity and caution—captures the moment we’re in, where understanding…

Read More
Clean
Do You Friends Ask You For Cleaning Methods or Clean Their Home
December 23, 2025

At Benchmark Products, where cleanroom precision is part of everyday work, professionals often discover that specialized knowledge doesn’t always translate neatly into casual conversations—especially when friends jokingly wonder if you’ll critique their homes or turn them into germaphobes. The reality is that cleanroom science is about controlled environments and risk mitigation at an industrial scale,…

Read More