Michael Hill

Considered one of the world’s leading subject matter experts (SME) on drone technology, Michael serves as the principal strategist for Uncrewed Aerospace. In his role, he counsels organizations through the challenges of bringing UAV “drone” solutions into their respective industries which range from equipment and software procurement to pilot vetting and recruiting, regulatory support, and system integrations.

Most recently, Michael worked with a global UAV integrator where he orchestrated a historic cross-border middle-mile UAV cargo operation for an auto manufacturer, an off-shore UAV resupply project for a major oil and gas partner, as well as provided training, integration, and various drone solutions for organizations and public safety agencies globally.

A UAV pilot certified in 3 countries, US FAA Part 107, UK CAA RPAS, and CA RPAS Pilot. He has accumulated over 6000+ hours of UAS flight time with 7800+ incident-free missions as remote Pilot-in-Command. Named the 2021 Tech Titans Technology Advocate, he holds safety and industry certifications from FEMA, OSHA, NIST, and USI.

As a drone industry advocate, he served as chairperson for the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) UAS Taskforce, Legislative & Policy Committee, where he was appointed to both the Texas HB2340- Public Safety UAS and the Texas SB763- AAM Committees. This allowed him to educate politicians, government officials, and large businesses on AAM policies while reforming UAV regulations in Texas.

As a 2nd Lieutenant and Director of Unmanned Operations (DOU) for the Texas Wing of the Civil Air Patrol, Michael became a certified Search and Rescue Drone Pilot covering FEMA disaster missions while training and mentoring his peers to become certified remote pilots.

Michael served on the leadership team for the North Texas Public Safety Unmanned Response Team (NTXPSURT) where he helped establish an organizational presence and offered his experience to help law enforcement, fire departments, and emergency management teams on tasks from event surveillance to flight training.

As a sought-after speaker and industry influencer, Michael shares his expertise on the advancements of UAV technology for operations on the land, in the air, and at sea. His experience ranges from aerial mappings, telecom, and wind turbine inspections to oil and gas, critical infrastructure inspections, search, and rescue missions, state and federal regulatory involvement, and beyond.