NUAIR’s Stewart reelected president of the Commercial Drone Alliance

Ken Stewart, president and CEO of NUAIR, will also continue serving as president of the nonprofit Commercial Drone Alliance (CDA).

NUAIR (Northeast UAS Airspace Integration Research Alliance Inc.) is a Syracuse–based nonprofit that provides expertise in uncrewed-aircraft systems (UAS). NUAIR manages New York’s 50-mile UAS corridor between Syracuse and Griffiss International Airport in Rome. A UAS includes a drone and equipment used to control its flight. A drone is also referred to in the industry as an uncrewed aerial vehicle, or UAV.

The Commercial Drone Alliance is a Washington, D.C.–based nonprofit that’s led by key members of the commercial drone industry. Stewart is among the slate of officers who will lead the CDA in 2023, per a Feb. 9 CDA announcement.

These industry leaders will work collectively with federal policymakers and industry stakeholders to “reduce barriers” and enable the expansion of the commercial uncrewed aircraft systems and advanced air mobility (AAM) industries.

The CDA brings together commercial drone end-users, manufacturers, service providers, AAM companies, drone-security companies, and vertical markets, including oil and gas, precision agriculture, construction, security, communications technology, infrastructure, newsgathering, and filmmaking.

The CDA works with all levels of government to collaborate on policies for industry growth and seeks to educate the public on the “safe and responsible use of commercial drones to achieve economic benefits and humanitarian gains,” per the CDA announcement.

Prior to joining NUAIR, Stewart served as the CEO of AiRXOS, a GE aviation company, where he led innovation, development, and commercialization of UTM (unmanned traffic management) services platform. While at AiRXOS, Stewart also served as the chair of the CDA board of directors, the CDA said.