As Romeo Durscher steps again from the drone business, going through retirement attributable to a current well being analysis, he displays on a profession that has formed not solely know-how however lives all over the world. On this interview with DRONELIFE, Romeo shares tales from his outstanding journey—outlined by curiosity, resilience, and a dedication to creating a distinction. From working at NASA whereas additionally “enjoying” with drones, to main public security initiatives at DJI and advocating for open requirements at Auterion, to creating significant and wanted coaching and cellular robotics options at UTAC and FLYMOTION, Romeo’s voice stays a robust reminder of the influence one particular person can have on a whole business. His phrases, barely tailored right here for readability, provide a glance again on the pioneering years of the drone business and a name to future innovators to hold ahead the values of authenticity, ethics, and goal.
Romeo Durscher: A Life in Drones
After greater than a decade within the drone business, I can hardly imagine how far we’ve come. From assembling my first drone whereas working at NASA to watching UAVs revolutionize public security, each step of this journey has felt like watching a completely new world unfold. Wanting again, I see two guiding ideas which have outlined my profession: following curiosity and staying true to goal. These concepts have carried me via a tremendous profession, from creating artwork and testing flight algorithms to rescuing folks in crises.
The Early Days: From NASA to Uncharted Territory
In 2010, once I was nonetheless deeply concerned in NASA missions, Mark Johnson and I started experimenting with a brand new sort of know-how. Multi-rotors had been virtually unprecedented, however we discovered elements from throughout and pieced collectively our personal drones. I vividly bear in mind the primary time we flew one. For Mark, it was clear this could possibly be a robust device for his forensic evaluation enterprise. For me, it unlocked one thing new—a recent perspective from the air. Working with Adobe’s Russell Preston Brown, I created aerial panoramas that had by no means been performed earlier than. And at NASA, we even began utilizing these early drones to check docking algorithms for the Worldwide House Station.
I used to be residing a dream, contributing to NASA missions and supporting human spaceflight. However one thing about this new know-how grabbed me. I knew it had a future past NASA, particularly in public security. The reminiscence of my Swiss army service, wishing for a real-time aerial view, fueled my want to deliver drones to new areas.
Becoming a member of DJI: Constructing Drones for Public Security
Taking the leap to affix DJI as Director of Training felt like plunging into the unknown, however I knew the potential drones needed to change lives. My first purpose was easy—get drones in entrance of extra folks. I needed to indicate the world what they may do, not only for leisure however for actual, life-saving work. Constructing an Training Crew, I made it a precedence to achieve not solely academia but additionally lawmakers and business leaders who wanted to see drones’ potential.
Some moments had been simply unforgettable. We partnered with ABC Good Morning America to broadcast stay from contained in the world’s largest cave system in Vietnam. It had by no means been performed, and the technical challenges had been monumental. However we pulled it off, and folks again within the U.S. might watch that feed stay. Then, there was the primary hearth rescue I participated in. That have reshaped every little thing for me. Quickly after, we developed the primary thermal drone payload with FLIR. It allowed us to see via smoke, into the darkness, and discover warmth signatures—a device that modified how we approached rescue missions.
Each success got here with challenges, although. In 2017, I pushed onerous for a fixed-wing VTOL, considering it might help long-range missions in rugged environments. We constructed a prototype based mostly on the M200 design, and it was virtually prepared to enter manufacturing. Sadly, the timing wasn’t proper, and it was shelved. However working in DJI’s fast-paced setting was exhilarating. Each go to to headquarters in China would reveal one thing new—a prototype right here, a brand new functionality there. It felt like concepts had been turning into actuality in weeks.
Taking Drones to the Entrance Traces of Catastrophe Response
One of the vital defining experiences of my profession got here throughout the huge wildfires in 2017 and 2018 in California. With drones, we might map the devastation, monitor hearth strains, and even find victims, all whereas giving real-time information to CAL FIRE groups on the bottom. One second stands out: we had been capable of assist save animals trapped by the fires, giving a bit of hope amidst the destruction. Every deployment taught me one thing new about how drones could possibly be used to save lots of lives and assist communities in disaster.
Individuals have usually requested what I’m most pleased with, and it’s onerous to say. There’s the primary particular person I helped rescue—that can at all times stick with me. However equally necessary are the instances once I hear that one thing I shared impressed another person to affix this discipline. Realizing I’ve sparked that zeal in others is an unimaginable honor.
A Shift to Standardization with Auterion
At Auterion, I discovered one other distinctive alternative: the possibility to create a real ecosystem the place drones, sensors, and information might circulate seamlessly. I had witnessed the necessity for standardization firsthand at DJI, so Auterion’s mission of open-source growth was one thing I felt drawn to. Constructing this ecosystem, I envisioned a world the place platforms might function within the air, on land, and even at sea, all utilizing a unified management system. We had been attempting to ascertain the “USB” of cellular robotics—plug-and-play know-how that may unlock true interoperability.
After all, it wasn’t simple. Working in a smaller, venture-capital-driven setting got here with completely different sorts of pressures, however I believed in what we had been constructing. At Auterion, we needed to create one thing that may outlast any single firm—a framework the place anybody might take part and innovate.
Studying from Public Security, and Giving Again
One of many privileges of my profession has been working intently with public security professionals. By means of collaborations with organizations just like the European Emergency Quantity Affiliation (EENA), we developed rigorous trials and set a brand new customary for integrating drones into emergency providers. Seeing this know-how work in real-time, saving lives, was immensely rewarding.
And but, this work got here with its personal challenges. In an rising discipline, authenticity and ethics are every little thing. “One of the vital important classes is the significance of authenticity, truthfulness, and ethics,” I usually say. The business has seen its share of exaggerations, with people pushing narratives for monetary achieve, which impacts not simply the business’s repute but additionally the individuals who depend on this know-how. I needed to ensure we constructed one thing that could possibly be trusted, not simply by builders however by the firefighters, law enforcement officials, and emergency responders who use it daily. By default, the highlight is already on them; now with new tech it’s even worse.
The “Web Second” for Drones—and What Lies Forward
At the moment, I actually imagine drones are of their “web second”—a time when this know-how is remodeling how we see and work together with the world. I envision a future the place drones function autonomously, guided by AI and able to working far past visible line of sight. However getting there means embracing open requirements, plug-and-play ecosystems, and actual collaboration throughout the business.
Think about a world the place a single operator manages a number of autonomous drones, tackling advanced missions from environmental monitoring to look and rescue. It’s not only a dream; it’s inside attain, however provided that we keep grounded in authenticity and ethics. That’s the one approach we’ll unlock the complete potential of drones in a approach that serves folks and good points the belief of individuals and governments.
Wanting Ahead
As I step again from my formal profession, I’m grateful for the workforce members, managers, and first responders who’ve been with me alongside the best way. Each achievement, each rescue, and each milestone was the results of unimaginable teamwork. Alone, I might by no means have performed it. The folks on this business, usually working behind the scenes, are those pushing boundaries daily, they usually’re those who will carry this work ahead.
My hope is that as this business grows, it doesn’t simply chase innovation but additionally stays true to goal. The longer term doesn’t want flashy taglines or huge guarantees—it wants actual individuals who need to make a distinction. As I retire, I’m able to see the subsequent wave of leaders rise. My recommendation to them? Be genuine, be true, and at all times do not forget that the work is about greater than know-how—it’s in regards to the individuals who rely on it.
The drone business has given me the chance to contribute to one thing higher than myself, and for that, I’m extremely grateful. I could also be stepping away, however I’ll at all times carry the teachings, recollections, and friendships I’ve gained alongside the best way. I’m excited to see the place this know-how goes subsequent, and I’m assured it will likely be in good fingers.
If you want to attach with Romeo or go away him a message within the guestbook:
Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, an expert drone providers market, and a fascinated observer of the rising drone business and the regulatory setting for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles centered on the industrial drone area and is a world speaker and acknowledged determine within the business. Miriam has a level from the College of Chicago and over 20 years of expertise in excessive tech gross sales and advertising and marketing for brand spanking new applied sciences.
For drone business consulting or writing, E mail Miriam.
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