Melissa Swisher is Chief Revenue Officer of SkySafe, a San Diego-based company specializing in drone detection and airspace intelligence. SkySafe provides organizations with the technology and information needed to detect drones, identify their flight patterns, and better understand the activity occurring in the airspace around sensitive facilities. Its customers include government agencies, law enforcement, airports, and operators of critical infrastructure.

In 2016, Congress passed Section 2209 of the FAA Extension, Safety, and Security Act, directing the FAA to establish a process for restricting drone flights over certain sensitive facilities. Now, ten years later, the FAA has proposed regulations that would allow eligible critical infrastructure operators, including energy facilities, refineries, and other sensitive sites, to request restrictions on drone operations over their properties.

But while Section 2209 could provide an important new layer of protection, it also raises questions about how these restrictions would work in practice. How would facilities qualify? How would unauthorized drone flights be detected and documented? And perhaps most importantly, what can facility operators actually do when a drone enters restricted airspace?

As Chief Revenue Officer of SkySafe, Melissa works with organizations seeking to better understand and manage drone activity around their facilities. SkySafe's technology uses a network of sensors and airspace intelligence to identify drones, track flight activity, and provide historical data that can help security teams recognize patterns and investigate potential threats.

In this edition of the Drone Radio Show, Melissa talks about FAA Section 2209 and what it means for critical infrastructure operators, the role of drone detection and airspace intelligence in protecting sensitive facilities, and the challenges of enforcing drone restrictions as the nation's airspace becomes increasingly crowded.

FAA Section 2209: Protecting Critical Infrastructure from Drones – Melissa Swisher, SkySafe

Drone Radio Show

FAA Section 2209: Protecting Critical Infrastructure from Drones – Melissa Swisher, SkySafe