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Rob Neuner: Charting a Course for UAS Industry Growth

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Rob Neuner, Jr.’s rich and varied career has taken him across the world. 

A former Naval Aircrewman with 12 years of distinguished military service, Rob later transitioned to Boeing, where he piloted 500-pound uncrewed helicopters with the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM). Following this, he served as a Site Leader for Nordic Unmanned, joining the world’s first-ever emissions monitoring flight crew—a groundbreaking achievement in aviation and environmental innovation.

Upon returning to the U.S., Rob became Director of Training at DroneUp, where he led the development of the first nationwide last-mile delivery training program, spanning six states—another groundbreaking achievement and an industry first, setting a new standard for drone delivery operations.

In addition to his extensive UAS experience, Rob is also a skilled pilot of crewed aircraft, holding both Commercial and Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) ratings. His manned aviation experience enhances his understanding of flight operations, safety protocols, and aircraft performance, which he applies in both manned and unmanned settings.

Now serving as the Operations Director at the University of Maryland’s UAS Research and Operations Center (UROC), Rob has taken on a critical role during a transformative period for the industry. In the coming years, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is anticipated to implement sweeping regulatory changes for UAS operations, including the long-awaited clearance for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) flights.

These advancements have the potential to ignite what UROC Director John Slaughter describes as the "third aviation revolution," with the industry poised to embrace the opportunities this new era will bring.

"We’re going to see a massive expansion in terms of applications and capabilities, and it’s likely to happen very quickly."

Rob Neuner, Operations Director and Chief Pilot, UMD UAS Research and Operations Center

“We’re going to see a massive expansion in terms of applications and capabilities, and it’s likely to happen very quickly,” Rob said. In the near future, we could see a sharp increase in goods and cargo being transported by drones. Looking ahead, air taxis may emerge as a revolutionary alternative to services like Lyft or Uber, transforming the way people travel.

Emerging drone operations are set to revolutionize public safety and disaster management. Instead of a five or ten-minute drive to an incident scene, police can deploy a UAS to quickly assess the situation. In disasters like hurricanes or earthquakes, first responders will leverage drones to pinpoint the most urgent needs, streamlining efforts to save lives and allocate resources effectively.

Ahead of the expected regulatory overhaul, UROC’s pilots and engineers have already been helping to usher in the coming changes, including through the establishment of a UAS routing corridor that runs the length of the Chesapeake Bay, linking northern and southern Maryland.

With two industry firsts on his resume, Rob was naturally drawn to the opportunity to drive further innovation and transformation at UROC. “It’s a tremendously exciting time to be in the UAS field, and UROC is a great place to be,” he said.

His objectives at the center include making sure that its two main activities, engineering and flight operations, remain well-integrated as it takes on innovative, ambitious new projects.

Rob’s prior professional experiences at organizations both large and small have led him to value company culture as a key variable for success. It’s an outlook he maintains in his new role. “We want our team members to be happy and also be in a position to grow their skill sets,” he said. 

“We’re on an amazing journey together,” he said. “I want to help provide team members with the best tools available to help them grow into whatever they want to be, and be a guide for them as they move forward in their personal and professional lives.”

Published December 12, 2024