During the UAVSI XPonential 2019 show last week, we had the chance to talk with three key people from the North Carolina Department of Transportation about drones were used in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence.
Basil Yap, UAS Program Manager, North Carolina DoT
Bobby Walston, Director North Carolina DoT
Darshan Divakaran, UAS Program Engineer North Carolina DoT
Interview AUVSI XPonential 2019 North Carolina DoT
Haye Kesteloo / DroneDJ: So, we're here at AUVSI, and one of the things that DJI's doing is sponsoring the Humanitarian awards. A lot of that stuff is happening in North Carolina as well. We're here with three people from North Carolina, who are going to talk about this. We are going to start with you. Maybe quick introduction, and then talk more about what actually is happening in the drone industry in North Carolina.
Basil Yap: Sure. So, my name is Basil Yap, UAS Program Manager for the drone department within the department of transportation. We are found within the division of aviation, thinking all things aviation. With me is our director, Bobby Walston. Our role is to facilitate and manage immigration of drones or UAS into North Carolina.
Bobby Walston: Hi, Bobby Walston, director of the division of aviation under our department transportation. North Carolina is unique with our DoT, and that we manage, we own and operate, all the highways, the roads, the bridges, and have many other modes. The ferry division, public transportation, biking pit, the rail division, and then aviation.
Bobby Walston: It was logical when it came time to start looking at this technology, and how to integrate it into our state. Working with our state legislators is DoT stepping up to take the lead in it, for the entire state with all state agencies. In that process of doing that, we embraced the technology, started utilizing platforms like DJI, to start doing response, start to educate the public. So, looking at all purposes, and values for both public safety, as well as other commercial purposes for it.
Bobby Walston: Taking the lead in that, we can not just focus on public safety, but we can focus on all these other purposes as well. We're fortunate to be put in that position, and kind of all things aviation, as Basil said in our state. So, that's our focus now. Not just manned, but unmanned as well. Geographically where North Carolina is, on the East Coast of the United States, we're prone to a lot of hurricanes, so that's what led us into this situation with hurricane Florence in the fall of last year.
Haye Kesteloo / DroneDJ: Is it fair to say that, the unfortunate events of hurricanes were in a way a breakthrough for drones, and that people realized that drones can actually do a lot of good as well, and are more than just toys.
Bobby Walston: It absolutely was, and being one of 10 selected by FAA to be on the integrated pilot program. We already had a lot of great things happening with FAA, to lay the groundwork to make things happen very fastly. So, when we started to ramp up for this storm, and looking at all aviation assets. We were well suited with private companies that were ready to get flying, and operate for us, as well as the state agencies like our highway patrol, and public safety.
For a full transcript of this video go to DroneDJ.com
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