DRONERESPONDERS is once again accepting nominations for the Eric Talley Public Safety UAS Excellence Award, recognizing the individuals and teams whose leadership is shaping the future of drones in public safety.

The award honors Boulder Police Officer Eric Talley, who served as Boulder PD's UAS Program Manager and was tragically killed in 2021 while responding to an active shooter incident. Since then, DRONERESPONDERS has presented the award each year to a public safety professional who has demonstrated exceptional leadership in advancing drone operations at the local, state, or national level. 

The organization says that the award, by bearing Officer Talley’s name, “not only commemorates that legacy but also challenges recipients to carry it forward, using emerging technology responsibly and effectively while upholding the values of service, integrity, and sacrifice that define the public safety community.”

Nominations are being accepted through July 31, and anyone in the public safety UAS community can submit one. DRONERESPONDERS encourages nominators to start early and build a complete picture of their nominee, including specific examples of program impact, letters of recommendation, certifications, and media coverage that demonstrate how the nominee has gone above and beyond in advancing their agency's UAS capabilities. The selection committee will review submissions in early August, with the recipient notified shortly after and the winner publicly announced later that month.

The award will once again be presented live at Commercial UAV Expo, taking place September 1-3 in Las Vegas. The recipient receives airfare and hotel accommodations to attend, along with a range of sponsorship contributions from supporting organizations across the industry.

Last year's recipient was Officer Matt Rowland, a 20-year veteran of the Fort Wayne Police Department in Indiana. Rowland helped launch the department's Air Support Unit in 2017 as one of its founding members, laying the groundwork for what has become one of the most forward-thinking public-safety UAS programs in the country. In 2024, Rowland and his team made history by working with DRONERESPONDERS and the FAA to secure the first FAA-approved Part 107 DFR waiver, a milestone that opened the door for agencies nationwide to pursue new operational capabilities for their own drone programs. 

Officer Rowland will appear in a webinar alongside DRONERESPONDER’s Jason Day on Commercial UAV News next month.

Submit your nomination for the Eric Talley Public Safety UAS Excellence Award today.