DRONERESPONDERS Add Former DOJ, FAA Official to UAS Training Team
Michael O'Shea has joined the DRONERESPONDERS UAS National Initiative for Training and Education (UNITE) team, according to a statement released by the Airborne International Response Team (AIRT).
O'Shea joins DRONERESPONDERS from the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) UAS Integration Office, where he has been the Public Safety Liaison for the past eight years, helping emergency response organizations and public safety agencies from State, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) partners throughout the United States develop and oversee their public safety drone operations in accordance with FAA regulations. Before that, O'Shea worked for the U.S. Department of Justice for 17 years as an Aviation Program Manager. At first, he worked for the Shawnee County Sheriff's Office in Topeka, KS, as a deputy sheriff.
“I love the DRONERESPONDERS program. It has helped educate countless public safety agencies about the importance of safely integrating UAS technology into their operations,” said O’Shea. “I am excited to continue supporting the public safety drone community through UNITE.”
In addition to engaging with industry stakeholders and other partners on projects that benefit the public safety drone community, O'Shea's role as Manager of UNITE will assist in raising awareness and delivering DRONERESPONDERS training packages.
“Mr. O’Shea is a powerhouse addition to the DRONERESPONDERS team,” said Christopher Todd, Executive Director, AIRT. “His knowledge and experience are a tremendous asset to help us expand the UNITE project with the goal of making the National Airspace System safer for everyone.
Additionally, O'Shea will be the permanent host of the Public Safety Drone Review, a monthly webinar hosted by DroneLife and DRONERESPONDERS that highlights the most recent advancements in the public safety UAS sector. O'Shea will collaborate with co-host Miriam McNabb, editor of DroneLife, and special contributor Charles Werner, Director of DRONERESPONDERS, for the recurring series, which airs live on the first Tuesday of every month at 3:00 p.m. EST. You can watch the recordings of each episode on YouTube.
For additional information about the DRONERESPONDERS UAS National Initiative for Training and Education (UNITE), to register for a class or to explore becoming an instructor, visit, droneresponders.org/training
About the Author
Ryan Baker
Associate Editor
Ryan Baker is a writer and associate editor with prior experiences in online and print production. Ryan is an associate editor for Firehouse with a master's degree in sciences of communication from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. He recently completed a year of teaching Intro to Public Speaking at UW-Whitewater, as part of his graduate program. Ryan acquired his bachelor's degree in journalism in 2023 from UW-Whitewater, and operates currently out of Minneapolis, MN. Baker, also writes freelances for the Ultimate Frisbee Association (UFA) in his free time, while also umpiring baseball for various ages across the Twin Cities Metro Area.