Arizona Public Sector Drone Day: Train, Fly and Plan What's Next
About this Event
The drone landscape is shifting fast. Is your program ready?
Foreign drone rules are changing, fleets need a plan, and training standards are rising. Spend one hands-on day getting ahead of it, and leave with a long-term training partner for Valley agencies.
Arizona Public Sector Drone Day gives your team one place to get ahead of it.
Spend the morning assessing where your program stands and getting clear answers on the foreign drone question and NDAA-compliant platforms. Spend the afternoon in the flight cage, putting those platforms, thermal techniques and DFR planning into practice.
And it doesn't end when the day does. Hosted by Chandler-Gilbert Community College UAS Programs with Adorama Business Solutions, this is the start of a long-term, standardized training partnership built with Valley agencies, for Valley agencies.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
Size up your program. Walk through policies, procedures and fleet roadmap, and leave with a self-assessment worksheet.
Get ahead of the foreign drone question. What's changing, and how to budget for fleet replacement over the next 5 to 10 years.
Compare NDAA-compliant platforms side by side, then fly them in the cage.
Sharpen your thermal skills with search and rescue techniques you can use on your next call-out.
See what it takes to launch a Drone as First Responder (DFR) program.
Shape what's next. Tell us what training your agency needs in 2027.
AGENDA
9:00 AM | Breakfast and Check-In
Grab breakfast and explore the gear on display.
9:30 AM | Welcome
Mike Bellows, CGCC UAS Programs
9:45 AM | The Public Sector Drone Landscape
Where training stands today, and the case for a standardized, sustainable model built hand in hand with the agencies it serves.
10:30 AM | Break
10:45 AM | Where Does Your Program Stand?
Policies, procedures and fleet roadmap, plus a self-assessment worksheet to take home.
11:30 AM | The Foreign Drone Question
What's changing and how to budget for fleet replacement over the next 5 to 10 years.
11:50 AM | Platform Comparison
Flying DJI today? See NDAA-compliant platforms side by side.
12:15 PM | Lunch and Platform Showcase
NDAA-compliant platforms on display ahead of afternoon flying.
1:00 PM | In the Cage: Thermal Optimization
Palettes, settings and search and rescue techniques you can use right away.
1:45 PM | In the Cage: Platform Fly-Offs
Learnt to fly various NDAA-compliant platforms.
2:30 PM | Standing Up a DFR Program
Hardware, waivers and software for Drone as First Responder.
3:00 PM | Where Do We Go From Here?
A live, interactive session on the training your agency needs in 2027.
3:30 PM | Open Cage and Gear Floor
Stick around to fly any platform you didn't get to, try the gear, and talk one on one with James and Mike. Come and go as you like.
4:30 PM | Close
SPEAKERS
James Bushey
Director of Pro Services, Adorama Business Solutions
A former Chief of Police, James served with the Town of Linn Police Department in Wisconsin from 2006 and led the department as Chief from 2016 to 2021. He holds FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot certification, AUVSI Trusted Operator Program (TOPS) pilot accreditation and ITC Certified Thermographer credentials, along with ALERRT Level 1 and 2 Terrorism Response, FEMA public safety and Wisconsin LESB Academy Instructor certifications, plus SWAT training. With hundreds of logged flight hours across public safety, conservation and commercial imaging, James helps agencies nationwide choose compliant drone platforms and build reliable workflows for thermal, search and rescue, mapping and scene documentation.
Mike Bellows
Faculty, Leadership Development and UAS Programs, Chandler-Gilbert Community College
A former Mesa Police Department commander with 34 years in law enforcement, Mike still serves Mesa PD as a reserve officer and Higher Education Liaison. At Chandler-Gilbert, he teaches the college's FAA Remote Pilot Certification course, leads its Leadership in Public Safety program, and is building a public sector drone workforce course shaped by the agencies it serves. His goal: give Valley public safety programs a standardized, sustainable place to train their people.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
Police, fire, sheriff and public safety agencies
Municipalities, public works and municipal airports
Commanders and program managers who approve training and equipment
Pilots and operators who fly the missions
WHY IT MATTERS
We're not here to run your program. We're here to give you a trusted place to send your people, and to give you some of your bandwidth back.
Hosted by Chandler-Gilbert Community College UAS Programs with Adorama Business Solutions. Breakfast and lunch included.
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 0.00
