The Unmanned Safety Institute (USI) has announced the formation of its first Industry Advisory Board, a strategic move to ensure that education, training, and industry-recognized credentials keep pace with the rapidly evolving unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) sector. The board, which held its inaugural meeting on September 2, 2026, at the Commercial UAV Expo in Las Vegas, brings together leaders from across the UAS ecosystem to provide guidance and feedback as USI evaluates and develops programs for students, educators, operators, and employers.
The timing of this initiative is critical. The Federal Aviation Administration's proposed Part 108 framework aims to create a predictable pathway for routine, scalable beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations. This proposal goes far beyond piloting, encompassing 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 challenge: preparing a workforce for operations that are more automated, more distributed, and more closely integrated with the National Airspace System.
Josh Olds, President and CEO of USI, emphasized the board's substantive role: "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."
Part 108, if finalized broadly as proposed, could accelerate the shift from individual flights to repeatable programs using fleets, remote operations, automation, and UAS Traffic Management services. This transition will demand professionals capable of operating within safety management systems, maintaining aircraft and systems, coordinating missions, managing data, assessing risk, and leading accountable programs. Consequently, high schools and colleges need clearer signals about the knowledge and capabilities employers will value, companies need reliable ways to identify and develop talent, and individuals need pathways that connect learning to credible career opportunities.
The 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 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 serves in an advisory capacity, with USI retaining responsibility for curriculum, certification, and program decisions.
The inaugural board members include Andrew Spiegel of USAIG, Calvin Rieb of Cargill, Drew Talley of Skyways, Jim Ogletree of Amazon Prime Air, Joseph Keck of MGM Resorts International, Kyle Miller of Censys Technologies, Matt Gulsvig of American Tower, Nate Robie of Dominion Energy, Rita Castonguay-Hunt, Toni Drummond of Future Flight Global, Will Dawson of the Agricultural Drone Initiative, and Will Wheeler of Southern Company. Their collective expertise spans insurance, agriculture, cargo delivery, energy, infrastructure, and advanced air mobility.
For more information about USI's Advisory Board, visit https://www.flyusi.org/about/advisory-board.
