Regulations, Policy, and Public Perception in the Commercial Drone World

Each week, Drones in America introduces listeners to guests who are leaders, influencers and experts from various areas to provide key insights about America’s drone industry.

Topics discussed include the history of drones both overall and in America, emerging technology, policy guiding drone use, and the rapidly growing commercial market.

On this episode, host Grant Guillot was joined by Gretchen West, President and CEO at Schiebel Aircraft, Inc., for a discussion ranging from the explosive growth in drone use to regulatory challenges, COVID-19’s impact, and more.

“I think we’ve come a very long way. Back when I first started in this industry, it was mostly just military drones that everyone was talking about,” West said. “I think people knew that the commercial drone market was going to be huge, but I don’t think anyone really saw what it’s become today.”

In particular, West said the potential future for Urban Air Mobility, or UAM, solutions, as well as Unmanned Aircraft Systems, or UAS, is bright.

However, to get there, challenges surrounding regulatory best practices and more will need to be ironed out.

“That’s where we’ve come a long way, but I do think we’re still really struggling with how to integrate technologies from a regulatory perspective, from a public perception perspective, and from a privacy perspective,” West said. “I think we’ve come a long way, but we have a long ways still to go.”

The duo also touched on how COVID-19 has transformed the conversation around drones, particularly regarding unmanned delivery, and how the upcoming presidential election could set the course for the industry as a whole.

Catch up on previous episodes of Drones In America!

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

Image

Latest

mentorship
WAVIT’s Mentorship Program: Cyndie Nelson on Building Careers Through Guidance
July 19, 2025

The AV industry, like many others in tech, often thrives on innovation—but it’s mentorship that sustains it. Behind every successful professional is often a mentor who provided guidance, shared hard-earned lessons, and opened doors that might have otherwise stayed shut. Programs like WAVIT (Women in AV/IT) bring this spirit of mentorship into focus by intentionally…

Read More
mentorship
Empowering Innovation: Kim Porter’s Role in the WAVIT Mentorship Program
July 19, 2025

In an industry where innovation often hinges on experience, mentorship is the bridge that connects the wisdom of the past with the promise of the future. Engineering, especially in the mechanical domain, is traditionally seen as a discipline of precision, but its culture is just as vital as its calculations. That’s why programs like WAVIT’s…

Read More
mentorship
Passion, Power, and the Mentorship Paradigm Shift in Tech
July 19, 2025

In today’s rapidly evolving tech world, mentorship has emerged as more than a professional development tool—it’s a powerful human connection that fosters resilience, purpose, and authenticity. Particularly for women in engineering and STEM, mentorship isn’t just about career guidance; it’s a lifeline to navigating environments where their voices may still fight to be heard. While…

Read More
AV
Lessons in Leadership: Mitek’s Cyndie Nelson on the Power of Mentoring Women in AV Technology
July 19, 2025

Mentorship has long been considered a cornerstone of professional development, but in the fast-evolving world of AV technology and sales, its value has never been more evident. The unspoken nuances of tradecraft—those bits of wisdom not found in textbooks—are often only accessible through the lived experience of mentors. Particularly for women in traditionally male-dominated industries,…

Read More