DRONERESPONDERS Announces Addition of Former DOJ, FAA Official to UNITE Public Safety UAS Training Team

Mike O’Shea brings subject matter expertise gleaned from over 25 years working with Federal, state, and local public safety aviation partners

Michael O'Shea

WEST PALM BEACH, FL, USA – April 7, 2026 – AIRT, the leading 501(c)3 non-profit organization supporting Drones For Good® and AAM For Good®, and home to the DRONERESPONDERS Program advancing unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), counter-UAS (cUAS) and Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) technologies for public safety agencies and emergency response organizations, today announced the addition of Michael O’Shea to the DRONERESPONDERS UAS National Initiative for Training and Education (UNITE) team.

O’Shea joins DRONERESPONDERS from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) UAS Integration Office where for the past eight years he served as the Public Safety Liaison, assisting public safety agencies and emergency response organizations from State, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) partners across the U.S. in developing and managing their public safety drone operations in compliance with FAA regulations.  Prior to that, O’Shea spent 17 years as an Aviation Program Manager with the U.S. Department of Justice.  He originally entered government service as a Deputy Sheriff with the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office in Topeka, KS. “I love the DRONERESPONDERS program.  It has helped educate countless public safety agencies about the importance of safely integrating UAS technology into their operations,” said O’Shea.  “I am excited to continue supporting the public safety drone community through UNITE.” As Manager of UNITE, O’Shea will help increase awareness and delivery of DRONERESPONDERS training products, while also working with industry stakeholders and other partners on projects that benefit the public safety drone community.

“Mr. O’Shea is a powerhouse addition to the DRONERESPONDERS team,” said Christopher Todd, Executive Director, AIRT.  “His knowledge and experience are a tremendous asset to help us expand the UNITE project with the goal of making the National Airspace System safer for everyone.”

O’Shea will also serve as a permanent host of the Public Safety Drone Review, a monthly webinar highlighting the latest developments in the public safety UAS sector presented by DroneLife and DRONERESPONDERS.  O’Shea will team up with co-host Miriam McNabb, DroneLife editor and special contributor Charles Werner, Director of DRONERESPONDERS, for the recurring series which is broadcast live on the first Tuesday of each month at 3:00 p.m. Eastern.  Each episode is also available via recording on YouTube.  O’Shea will make his debut appearance on today’s episode with featured guest George Lindy of the City of Lanai, Hawaii.  For more information or to register for the webinar, visit dronelife.droneresponders.org

For additional information about the DRONERESPONDERS UAS National Initiative for Training and Education (UNITE), to register for a class, or to explore becoming an instructor, please visit: droneresponders.org/training

About AIRT

AIRT, Inc is the leading 501(c)3 non-profit organization advancing the use of Drones For Good® and AAM For Good℠ for public safety and emergencies.  AIRT offers a range of educational programming, training events, and mission-critical initiatives that help people prepare for, respond to, and recover from complex emergencies and major disasters.  AIRT is the official home of the DRONERESPONDERS® program advancing public safety UAS, cUAS, and Advanced Air Mobility.  For more information, visit http://airt.ngo