The team at Ostrich Air and Firebot Labs has a strong record of overcoming both technological hurdles for robotic systems, and regulatory hurdles for drones. They're true engineers, who get to the real root of a problem - including the human element of any system. Whether that be operational interface, regulatory, or just networking to the end users. They're a fun crew, and this recording brings that forth. They've already become engaged in emergency response, and are currently raising money to develop the next level of the system they've developed with ample feedback from emergency responders in both fire and urban settings.

BattleBot - Discovery: 0 and 2. Am I Through? | BattleBots | Discovery
BattleBot Preview: Ostrich Air - YouTube
Suppression Video: https://youtu.be/LqnWdlH11dA (Demo that they take a multifaceted approach; not single-drone-only mindset.) 

Vienna spent the last 6 years stationed at a Lookout Tower in southern Idaho, interacting across several agencies for all aspects of forest management. She took a round-about path to her career in land management, and shares many thoughtful and balanced viewpoints from her time there, and what she sees coming in the future.  She's been watching while different technologies have been introduced - or at least attempted to be introduced - and the reality of how useful those efforts have become so far. She also brings a valuable perspective on the human career and compensation dynamics that will inevitably be influenced by adopting technologies.

Ziv has built Kaizen Aero by serving a wide array of clients with heavy lift (500 lbs) and long duration drones (up to 5 hours). Clients range from NASA and the Navy, to Google and John Deere, having started in Hollywood using drones for cinema. He has a healthy conviction that "a drone is just a tool" and "we're here to deliver what the experts in the field know they want." His teams have participated in prescribed fire, and other active fire training with multiple agencies in California, but are seeking the right professionals to move deeper into the wildfire space. 

Conversation with Kane Steinbruecker, Chief Fire Warden of Clearwater-Potlatch Timber Protective Association in Idaho. Kane has been in fire his whole career, starting in high school 25 years ago. In this conversation, we get a sense of how the CPTPA organization interfaces with the several other government and private agencies, as well as their ongoing efforts to bring the best technologies they can to their efforts for protecting the land and resources. 

Jeff Baxter is the founder of Baxter Aerospace developing a long-duration drone, giving eyes in the sky all day or all night to incident commanders during active fire. As a former SpaceX engineer, Jeff leads a small team of other SpaceX alumni and experienced long duration drone engineers. Jeff shares a refreshingly candid view of the industry, the hurdles we've overcome and those remaining. Join us for an entertaining and interesting conversation.