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The Energy Drone & Robotics Coalition (EDRC), the leading organization dedicated to improving safety, efficiency, ROI, and security in energy operations through the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV’s) robotics, geospatial data and related technology, has partnered with The Airborne International Response Team (AIRT), the leading 501(c)3 non-profit organization supporting the use of unmanned systems for public safety and disaster response – and official home of DRONERESPONDERS® - to produce the Texas Emergency Management Forum as a co-located event at the 2025 Energy Drone & Robotics Summit (EDRS)

Featured 2025 Presenters:

Schedule:

Tuesday

8:30-8:55 The State of Public Safety UAS Disaster Response

Speaker: Chris Todd (AIRT)

9:00-10:15 Building a UAS Program for Emergency and Disaster Response

Speakers: Aaron Fritch (Texas DPS) & Jason Burnside (Austin FD)

Sponsor: DroneSense (Brandon Karr)

Moderator: Jason Day

11:00-12:30 Securing the Skies: Advancing Drone Detection for Disaster Operations

Speakers: John Kitto (TSA), Kenny Maldonado (FAA LEAP), DJ Smith (Virginia State Police)

Moderator: Aaron Fritch

1:45-3:15 UAS Program Management Strategies for Emergency Managers

Speakers: Greg Whiting (Texas Military Dept), Jason Day (Texas DPS) &

Michael O’Shea (DRONERESPONDERS)

Moderator: Chris Todd (AIRT)

3:30-4:30 UAS Pre and Post Hurricane Landfall Deployment Tactics

Speakers: Michele Wilkins (TxDOT), Kristina Klawin (Texas DPS), Elizabeth Hall (Eversource), Rob

Knochenhauer (Censys)

Sponsor: Censys

Women DRONERESPONDERS highlight

Wednesday

8:30-9:20 Clearing the Skies: Manned and Unmanned Airspace Coordination

Speakers: Aaron Fritch (Texas DPS), Jared Vandenheuvel (Texas DPS), Kerry Fleming (FAA ret.)

Moderator: David Lewin (Echodyne)

Sponsor: Echodyne

9:20-10:00 GIS Product Workflows with Aerial Drone Data

Speakers: Chris Todd (AIRT)

11:00-1:00 Drone-In-A-Box Program Concepts for Security and Emergency Response

Speakers: Jason Day (Texas DPS), Susan Roberts (Ondas Holdings), Jeff DeCoux (Autonomy Institute)

This year’s DRONERESPONDERS Texas Emergency Response Forum will unite public safety, emergency management, and energy professionals to explore key areas impacting all stakeholders.

Thank You to Our 2025 Sponsors

A Peek at Last Year’s Forum & Co-Located EDR Summit:

Forum Discussion Topics Include:

1) Preparedness - using UAS for various disaster response missions, including condition assessment, foliage overgrowth, etc.

2) Response - using UAS to document infrastructure, assess damage, restore power, and save lives. Latest on DFRs technology and use cases.

3) Recovery & Resilience - UAS for long-term recovery and rebuilding, infrastructure hardening, and security.

4) Regulations/Policy - regulations and policy impacting first responders, critical infrastructure operators, and emergency management professionals, including latest on COAs and COWs updates.

You will hear and interact directly with SMEs such as:

• Public safety officers

• Law enforcement officers

• Emergency response managers

• Disaster response teams

• EH&S directors

• Sector focused Tech Solutions & Service providers

• Energy/Industrial asset owners

* Special Discounts for Government, Public Safety, Academic & First Responders

*All Forum Delegates receive access to Energy Drone & Robotics Summit sessions, Expo, lunches & receptions

If you are interested in getting involved we have limited opportunities for speakers and sponsors, please contact Jason Day, jason.day@texgru.org or Christopher Todd, ctodd@airt.ngo