A Defense Daily Webinar
Originally Aired Tuesday, August 6, 2013
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The Pentagon’s fiscal 2014 budget request shows plateauing if not declining spending on unmanned aerial vehicles. With the war in Iraq at a close and operations in Afghanistan winding down, it appears smaller UAVs are taking a good chunk of the hit.
At the same time, there is a growing domestic demand for the technology that carries the potential for a broad range of missions for smaller UAVs. From policing to firefighting, agriculture, border patrol, or infrastructure monitoring, the possibilities for UAVs seem endless. 
Defense Daily will host a webinar Aug. 6, 2013 featuring a panel of professionals and experts from the UAV industry, law enforcement, government and advocacy groups to address the growing domestic market and how it may offset reduced Pentagon spending.
Under the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, the FAA is required to integrate unmanned systems, including for commercial use, into the national airspace by Sept. 2015. The FAA is moving forward, having earlier this year issued a request for proposals for six test sites nationwide to evaluate the impact of UAVs on national airspace.
The integration of UAVs does have its share of critics, with concerns mainly focused on whether the optical and infrared imaging technology UAVs carry poses a threat to privacy. What are the legal implications and how is the government addressing them?
Only a small number of the military’s portfolio of UAVs are armed, but how have the drone strikes changed perception and public understanding? Where is the Pentagon headed in the use of UAVs and where are its priorities? What is the latest on the integration of UAVs into the domestic market and what are the potentials and limitations?
Defense Daily invites you to join this timely discussion addressing those questions and many more that will surely help shape the debate about the future of unmanned aerial vehicles.
Confirmed panelists include:
Jim Williams is the Manager of the newly established FAA Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Integration Office. UAS is often described as the most disruptive technology in aviation since the invention of the jet engine. The UAS Integration Office has the extraordinary challenge of accomplishing the safe, efficient, and timely integration of UAS into the National Airspace System (NAS) while balancing the political pressure and economic needs of the nation.
Before taking the helm of the UAS Integration Office in March 2012, Jim was the Director of Engineering Services in the FAA NextGen Organization for six years, where he led the coordination and integration of all systems engineering work needed to move the NAS toward NextGen. This work gave him a deep understanding of how FAA research progresses into a mature concept and eventually into the many technologies that become operational in the NAS. His office also led the development of the NAS Enterprise Architecture and NAS-level Requirements. Together these engendered a great appreciation for the interrelationships of the many systems which will be touched by the UAS integration effort.
During his long career with the FAA, Jim has: led the organization tasked with lifecycle management of all FAA communications systems; led the implementation of the Safety Management System in the Technical Operations Service Unit; worked with the FAA Command Center to transition personnel into the Air Traffic Organization; led the team that developed, procured, and installed all air/ground communications services for the FAA; and led the team that designed, procured, and fielded the FAA’s prototype Air/Ground Data Link Communications System.
Prior to 1998, Jim held various FAA positions related to the regulation and certification of avionics systems. During this time, he led the offices responsible for writing standards for all avionics installed in U.S. civil aircraft and the certification standards and guidance for all navigation systems used on U.S. civil aircraft.
Before coming to FAA Headquarters in Washington, DC, Jim worked in the Atlanta Aircraft Certification Office as a systems engineer where his responsibilities focused on approving the avionics installed in the Gulfstream G-IV airplane. He also worked on revisions to the RTCA standards for the development of computer software used in avionics.
Prior to joining the FAA, Jim was a flight test engineer and a production liaison engineer for the Lockheed Georgia Company’s C5, C-141, and C-130 programs. He also worked for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on the U.S. Space Shuttle Program.
A native of Tennessee, Jim is a graduate of The Georgia Institute of Technology with a Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering. He currently lives in Reston, VA, with his wife, son, mother-in-law, and two standard poodles. He enjoys umpiring Little League baseball.
Chris Mailey, Vice President for Knowledge Resources, AUVSIChris Mailey is the Vice President for Knowledge Resources at AUVSI, wherein he leads a small research team developing new products to support the robotics community. Previous to this position, he spent eight years as a civilian working for the US Navy, developing new maritime robotics capabilities and supporting the Office of the Secretary of Defense and OPNAV N2/N6. He has a BSEE from Duke University and a MSEE from Virginia Tech.
Michael P. Corcoran — UAS Course Manager, John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences, University of North Dakota UAS Center of ExcellenceEducational Background
- 2012 – U.S. Army ILE
- 2009 – Master’s Certificate Project Management, ESI International ICW George Washington University and the Department of Homeland Security
- 2005 – National Test Pilot School, Mojave, CA (OT&E short course)
- 2003 – Certified Information Security Professional (CISSP), ISC2
- 1999 – U.S. Army Intelligence Center, Ft. Huachuca, AZ (Military Intelligence Advance Course)
- 1995 – U.S. Army Aviation Center, Ft. Rucker, AL (Army Rotary Wing flight school)
- 1994 – B.A. Criminal Justice Studies, St. Cloud State University; Distinguished Military Graduate
Professional Experience
- 2012 – UAS Course Manager (MALE and HALE), University of North Dakota UAS COE
- 2007 – Director of Air Operations and GFR, U.S. CBP Office of Air and Marine, Predator-B Operations
- 2004 – U.S. Customs Service / I.C.E. / Customs and Border Protection Federal Agent
- 2002 – National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (formerly NIMA), Aviation Analyst
- 1994 – U. S. Army, Aviation and Military Intelligence Officer
Accomplishments and Background
As both a pilot and technical Program Manager, Mike Corcoran brings a broad range of strength to the University of North Dakota’s School of Aerospace Sciences. Massing over 22 years and 3000 hours of flying experience, Mike is dual-rated in rotary and fixed wing aircraft, holding both FAA ATP and Senior Army Aviator certificates. Culminating as the founding Director of Air Operations for Predator-B flight operations at the Grand Forks AFB, Mike leverages combined experience as a Federal Agent and OT&E pilot for DHS aircraft and sensor acquisition programs. As a pilot, the overwhelming majority of Mike’s aviation experience comes from in-the-field activities while performing flight crew duties and senior program leader roles. Dual-branched as an Army Aviation and Military Intelligence Officer, with multiple international deployments in UH60 Blackhawk helicopters and RC12N Guardrail airplanes, Mike sustains a comprehensive, aviation background in government programs which positions him to seamlessly direct technical projects related to UAS/RPA, Remote Sensing, Imagery Intelligence and Signal Intelligence disciplines.
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