DRONERESPONDERS has announced a new chapter of their organization, the North Carolina Chapter of DRONERESPONDERS (NCGRU). The official introduction of this chapter’s leadership team will take place at the upcoming NC DRONE CON in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, on September 22–23, 2025.

After Hurricane Helene brought catastrophic damage to the state of North Carolina, public safety agencies in the area turned to drones to help in rescue and recovery efforts. While those efforts haven’t stopped, it became clear how valuable drones are for such emergencies. Thus, establishing the need for advanced training in drone operations for public safety agencies of North Carolina. As stated in the press release, the NCGRU will “provide local first responders and public safety agencies with training, resources, and networking opportunities to strengthen drone operations that enhance community safety and resilience.”

DRONERESPONDERS set out to establish a leadership team of drone professionals to aid this training. The chapter will be made up of Co-Chairs from the Central, Eastern, and Western regions of the state. Leading the Central region is Captain M. Knight, of the Winston-Salem Police Department Criminal Intelligence Bureau. Leading the Eastern region is Emergency Management Coordinator Zach Shean of Harnett County. Leading the Western region are Captain Brandon Moore, Co-Chair and Douglas Oeser, Co-Chair, both from the Asheville Police Department. Each Co-Chair has additional representatives from the area. Full details on chapter members can be found in the press release.

“On behalf of DRONERESPONDERS, we are excited to launch the NC Chapter leadership team at NC DRONE CON,” said Charles Werner, DRONERESPONDERS Director. “This milestone represents an important step in building a strong statewide network to support safe, effective, and innovative use of drones in public safety.”

Source: Press Release