Unmanned Safety Institute (USI) today announced the formation of its first Industry Advisory Board, bringing together leaders from across the unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) ecosystem to help align education, training and industry-recognized credentials with the workforce demands of a rapidly evolving industry.
The board will provide strategic insight, practical guidance and candid feedback as USI evaluates existing programs and develops new pathways for students, educators, operators and employers. Members will be asked to challenge assumptions, identify emerging skills and roles, and help ensure that learning outcomes remain connected to real-world operating environments.
The timing is significant. The Federal Aviation Administration's proposed Part 108 framework is intended to create a more predictable pathway for routine, scalable beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations. The proposal addresses far more than piloting: it includes operating authorizations, aircraft airworthiness, separation from other aircraft, security, recordkeeping, third-party services and organizational responsibilities. As the industry awaits final action, employers and educators face a shared question: how should the workforce prepare for operations that are more automated, more distributed and more closely integrated with the National Airspace System?
"The strongest training programs are built with the people responsible for putting technology to work safely. This board is not ceremonial. We are asking these leaders to examine our assumptions, challenge our priorities and help us keep education aligned with what employers and operators will actually need as the industry moves into its next phase."
Josh Olds, CEO, Unmanned Safety Institute
A workforce challenge, not only a regulatory change
Part 108 will not simply introduce another set of rules. If finalized broadly as proposed, it could accelerate the transition from individual flights to repeatable programs that use fleets, remote operations, automation and UAS Traffic Management services. That transition will require professionals who can operate within safety management systems, maintain aircraft and systems, coordinate missions, manage data, assess risk and lead accountable programs.
Those needs reach beyond commercial operators. High schools and colleges need clearer signals about the knowledge and capabilities employers will value. Companies need reliable ways to identify and develop qualified talent. Individuals need pathways that connect learning to credible career opportunities. The advisory board will help USI interpret those signals and translate them into practical education and workforce-development decisions.
The board's charge
The Industry Advisory Board will advise USI in four primary areas: validating curriculum against current operating practice; identifying emerging job roles and skill gaps; strengthening the connection among education, credentials and employer expectations; and maintaining an aviation-grade focus on safety as technology and regulation change.
USI will also use the board's feedback to evaluate where programs should evolve, where new learning pathways may be needed and where industry expectations are still unsettled. The board will serve in an advisory capacity; USI will remain responsible for curriculum, certification and program decisions.
Introducing Inaugural Industry Advisory Board
Andrew Spiegel
Andrew Spiegel is Senior Vice President and Head of Unmanned Aircraft Underwriting at United States Aircraft Insurance Group (USAIG), specializing in aviation risk, unmanned aircraft systems, and emerging aviation technologies. With extensive experience across aviation, insurance, safety, and flight operations, he brings a unique perspective on managing risk as unmanned aviation continues to evolve. Andrew is an FAA-certified Commercial Pilot, Certified Flight Instructor, and Remote Pilot, and holds a degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
Calvin Rieb
Calvin Rieb is a Senior Director and Global Remotely Operated Systems Leader at Cargill, specializing in drone program strategy, safety, and operations. With more than 25 years of aviation experience, he has led Cargill’s global drone program for seven years and serves on the NBAA Emerging Tech Committee and Flyability’s Product Advisory Board.
Drew Talley
Drew Talley is the Head of Flight Operations at Skyways, where he leads autonomous cargo aircraft operations and operator hiring and training. A U.S. Army veteran and commercial helicopter pilot, he has flown unmanned aircraft commercially since 2017, with extensive experience in UAS operations supporting pipelines and energy infrastructure.
Jim Ogletree
Jim Ogletree is Chief Pilot at Amazon Prime Air, where he is involved in the flight operations supporting Amazon’s commercial drone delivery program. His experience provides a unique perspective on the operational, safety, and workforce considerations involved in deploying autonomous UAS at scale and integrating drone delivery into the broader aviation ecosystem.
Joseph Keck
Joseph Keck is the Aviation Safety and Drone Manager at MGM Resorts International, specializing in aviation operations, safety, training, and emerging drone technologies. A certified helicopter instructor with commercial and instrument airplane ratings and an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate, he brings extensive hands-on aviation experience to the field of UAS.
Kyle Miller
Kyle Miller is the Head of Infrastructure Markets at Censys Technologies, where he focuses on applying long-range UAS technology to infrastructure and industrial applications. He brings extensive commercial drone experience in BVLOS operations, remote drone operations, utility infrastructure, and enterprise UAS deployment.
Matt Gulsvig
Matt Gulsvig is a technology innovator and UAS aviation leader who pioneered the use of drones within American Tower’s operations. As the founder and Chief Pilot of the company’s UAS Program, he built and scaled a nationwide enterprise drone operation and continues to drive innovation across aviation, robotics, and telecommunications.
Nate Robie
Nate Robie leads unmanned systems strategy and operations at Dominion Energy, specializing in deployment, safety, regulatory operations, and complex airspace environments. With more than 17 years of aviation experience, he built Dominion Energy’s unmanned systems program from the ground up and serves on the FAA’s BVLOS Aviation Rulemaking Committee.
Rita Castonguay-Hunt
Rita Castonguay-Hunt is a pilot and program director specializing in crewed and uncrewed aviation operations, standardization, procedures, training, and safety. A certified commercial pilot, flight instructor, and Part 107 remote pilot, she has extensive experience in aviation safety and regulatory operations and teaches FEMA’s UAS in Disaster Management course.
Toni Drummond
Toni Drummond is the Founder and Managing Director of Future Flight Global, where she works to advance electric, hybrid, and unmanned aviation and the broader advanced air mobility ecosystem. She brings more than 20 years of experience in flight operations, air charter, logistics, regulatory compliance, fleet management, and strategic business development.
Will Dawson
Will Dawson is the Founder of the Agricultural Drone Initiative, an organization focused on advancing agricultural drone use and development in the United States. His work centers on agricultural UAS policy, regulatory reform, domestic drone development, and expanding opportunities for farmers and operators to adopt drone technology.
Will Wheeler
Will Wheeler is the Principal, UAS for Southern Company, where he helps lead enterprise uncrewed aircraft strategy, operational governance, and advanced aviation integration across one of the nation’s largest energy companies. He has spent years securing and executing complex FAA approvals for utility and critical infrastructure missions, moving advanced UAS operations from regulatory concept into repeatable field work across transmission, distribution, pipeline, generation, and storm-response environments.
To learn more about USI's Advisory Board, please visit us at: https://www.flyusi.org/about/advisory-board