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DRONERESPONDERS Public Safety Summit Preview: Training, Innovation, and Excellence in UAS
Tuesday, August 4, 2026 @ 10 AM PST | 1 PM EST | 6 PM BST | Free Webinar
Join DRONERESPONDERS for an exclusive preview of the Public Safety Summit at Commercial UAV Expo, where leaders in public safety UAS operations come together to share knowledge, advance training, and recognize excellence in the field.
This webinar will provide an inside look at the 2026 DRONERESPONDERS programming, highlighting key sessions, operational insights, and opportunities designed to support public safety drone teams at every level. Attendees will also get an overview of the new Program Managers Course, introduced this year to equip emerging and current UAS leaders with the tools needed to effectively manage and grow their programs.
In addition, we will spotlight the Eric Talley Memorial Award, which honors outstanding contributions to public safety UAS missions and leadership. Learn about the award’s significance and hear firsthand perspective from Matt Rowland, former Ft. Wayne Police Department member and last year’s award recipient.
Whether you’re planning to attend the Summit or looking to expand your agency’s UAS capabilities, this webinar will give you valuable insight into the training, community, and recognition opportunities shaping the future of public safety drone operations.
Speakers
Jay Day, Deputy Director, DRONERESPONDERS
Jason Day is the Director of Unmanned Aircraft at the Texas Department of Public Safety, bringing with him a wealth of experience from his 27-year tenure military, civilian, and public safety aviation. Widely recognized as a subject matter expert in the UAS community, Jason specializes in public safety UAS operations and administration.
In his role as Director, Jason oversees the largest public safety UAS program in the nation with over 370 remote pilots and unmanned aircraft. His primary responsibilities include ensuring compliance with FAA regulations, developing training standards and maintaining the highest levels of safety. Texas DPS stands out as the most active UAS program in the United States conducting 50,000 flights in 2024 and a remarkable 13,000 flight hours.
Matt Rowland, 2025 Eric Talley Award Recipient; Former Ft. Wayne Police Department
Officer J. “Matt” Rowland is a 20-year veteran of the Fort Wayne Police Department (FWPD) located in Fort Wayne, IN. He was a founding member of the FWPD Air Support Unit (ASU) in 2017. He spent 15 years in the Operations division and served 6 years during that time as a hostage negotiator. He is a certified instructor both in the classroom and emergency vehicle driving. He’s held a small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Pilot certificate since 2017, has several hundred flight hours on multiple drone platforms. He has been mapping car crashes and outdoor crime scenes with drones since 2018. Matt has been involved with the FWPD rolling out its Drone First Responder (DFR) since 2021. Matt is NIST Basic and Advanced proctor certified thru APSA.
Involved with the community, Matt helped plan and organize over 300 demos that ASU was a part of since 2018. Matt is the 2nd vice president of FOP Wayne Lodge 14. A 2000 graduate of Indiana Wesleyan University with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and communications with an emphasis in TV production, Officer Rowland is currently assigned as one of two full time sUAS pilots on the Fort Wayne Police department Air Support Unit.
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