Facebook’s former global aviation policy lead, David Hansell, has joined DJI as the drone company’s new public policy manager.
DJI Hires Former Facebook Aviation Policy Lead David Hansell
In a statement released Tuesday, September 18, DJI revealed Facebook ex-employee David Hansell will be joining their growing team of aviation experts and public policy and standards professionals, which is currently headed by Brendan Schulman, vice president of policy and legal affairs at DJI.
The statement read, “DJI, the world’s leader in civilian drones and aerial imaging technology, has hired aviation policy expert David Hansell as Public Policy Manager, helping guide the development of drone laws and regulations to ensure they help America take full advantage of the benefits of drones.”
A public policy expert who has previously led Facebook’s efforts to incorporate aviation and satellite technologies into the growing global digital economy, Hansell hopes he and the entire team can come up with laws that will help Americans maximize the benefits offered by drones.
Hansell said, “Drones have opened up the skies for businesses, governments, nonprofits, academics and everyone who enjoys seeing the world from above, and the people who use drones regularly understand the importance of a strong regulatory system to support their work. I’m excited that my experience in addressing security concerns, integrating drones into the airspace and explaining drone technology will allow me to advocate for laws and regulations that will allow America to get the most from drone technology.”
According to DJI, the Schulman-headed team Hansell will be joining is formed “to advocate on behalf of drone users for reasonable, risk-based regulations for unmanned aircraft systems, and to collaborate on safety and security solutions.”
Prior to joining Facebook and DJI, Hansell was a member of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), an operating mode of the U.S. Department of Transportation tasked to regulate everything related to civil aviation. This gives Hansell a good grasp of how public policy works especially in relation to global aviation. David Hansell was also the director for transportation security policy on the National Security Council and previously served as an intelligence officer and national security liaison for the FAA and the U.S. Transportation Security Administration.
Before David Hansell, another expert was hired by DJI to join their team of professionals gathered to work on the Chinese technology company’s long-term goals. Former U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Chamber Technology Engagement Center employee Jordan Gross has recently been absorbed by DJI’s government relations team. As the manager of government relations, Gross is expected to work with government agencies and stakeholders to further examine the benefits and applications of drone technology.
