S WEEK’S KEY QUESTION

“What’s involved with scaling up Unmanned Traffic Management systems?”

THIS WEEK’S GUESTS

Pharns Genece is CEO and Founder of Unmanned Systems Operation Group, a pioneering logistics solutions company specializing in unmanned systems and secure drone delivery missions.  The company’s autonomous systems are integrated with a next-generation electric delivery truck, which features a control center for an unmanned aerial vehicle operator and an auto-launch and recovery system located on the vehicle’s rooftop.  Pharns is a former US Air Force Medevac with 18 years’ experience as a highly trained flight nurse, certified to administer critical and emergency care for patients during flight rescue operations.

Formerly an Audio Engineer and Technical Lead at The Walt Disney Company in Anaheim, CA. Pharns’ interest in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles goes back many years.  He has integrated and flown numerous UAV platforms.  He is a graduate of the MiraCosta College UAV/ROV Operators and Technicians program, an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot, holds an FAA Daylight Waiver for night operations, and is a TOP Certified Pilot and a member of the FAA Safety Team.  Phans has combined his medical and technical skills with a passion for UAVs and founded Unmanned Systems Operations Group. The company recently embarked a pilot project to deliver prescriptions from a pharmacy to customer’s at home.

WHAT WE LEARN

Pharns talks about Unmanned Systems Operation Group, the exciting new drone delivery pilot project and the future of drone delivery

IN THIS EPISODE

  • Introduction. Unmanned Systems Operation Group (USOG) is an air medical logistics company delivering medical assets.  A critical need in the medical industry is ensuring chain of custody of assets – the idea that at every point in the process they know where the location and holder of the asset.  That huge interest to pharmacies, because, if one can assure a chain of custody frompoint A to point B, their insurance is drastically reduced. Hence it’s a profit winning opportunity for everyone. The key to USOG’s services is the integration of various components and systems and a top-notch team.  The company’s goal is, number one – save lives and ensure public safety.  USOG seeks to create a synergistic fit that strategically works to support clients needs and specifications. Even though they have many parts, it’s one whole unit, working together seamlessly and efficiently.
  • The Drone Delivery Pilot Project.  USOG will soon begin a pilot project to deliver medications from a pharmacy to customer’s doorsteps.  When a pharmacy gets an order, it will be scanned and placed on a USOG mobile operations command center where it will be loaded onto a drone.  The drone will be launched.  The client gets a notification that the package is in route.  The route is pre-programmed to fly along a minimally obstructed route to the customer’s property.  Because there are still restrictions on flying, the USOG mobile vehicle must maintain visual line of sight with the drone.  But the long term goal is to prove the safety case and receive authorization to fly beyond visual line of sight.  The pilot project is set to run 6 months, after which, the lessons learned will be evaluated and integrated into best practices.
  • Closing. Pharns closes by saying that drones are here to stay and encourages those in the industry to take the time to educate those who are curious. The industry is still young. He compares it to “pagers”, which were the precursor to cellphones and then smart phones.  There’s a lot of growth to be seen and it’s incumbent upon all of us to fly safe, to do the due diligence when you’re out there flying and be the ambassador and be the standard bearer for what’s happening.

Source: Drone Radio Show