Arizona Public Sector Drone Day: Train, Fly and Plan What's Next

Hosted by Chandler-Gilbert Community College (CGCC) UAS programs with Adorama Business Solutions, this is the start of a long-term, standardized training partnership built with Valley agencies, for Valley agencies.

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.

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

Improve the consistency and the bandwidth of current agency training programs by partnering with a trusted source for standardized supplemental training for UAS pilots in public sector operations.

Breakfast and lunch included.

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

Mike leads the development of drone training that connects students to real world careers across the public sector and commercial industry. Across his 36 year law enforcement career, he’s worked with drones as an emerging technology and now supports UAS operations as a reserve officer with the Mesa Police Department. Today, he brings that experience to the classroom with one goal: Improving safety by standardizing training for UAS pilots in public sector operations.

Questions? Please email isabelb@adorama.com.