#78: Drone Constellation for Critical Infrastructure

Earthlings 2.0 Podcast

Hello Earthlings! For this week’s episode, we take a deeper look into a fascinating new realm of Earth observation, not from outer space but from the "low sky." We are joined by Keith Miao, the CEO of Birdstop, a company pioneering the use of autonomous drones to monitor critical infrastructure. These drones operate beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) at low altitudes, providing high-detail monitoring at scale. This technology has immense potential to enhance how we monitor power grids, telecom networks, and even respond to natural disasters like wildfires and hurricanes.

We explore how Birdstop's constellation of drones delivers the best of both worlds: the comprehensive coverage of satellite imagery and the fine detail you'd expect from on-the-ground inspections. Keith shares his journey from working at Google on real-time decision-making models to launching Birdstop, along with insights on the future of drone-based infrastructure monitoring.

Key Points

• Low Sky Observation: How Birdstop’s drone-based solution fills the gap between satellite and ground-level inspections by offering detailed, scalable data.
• Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS): Unlocking the potential of drones to operate remotely without the need for human operators on-site.
• Critical Infrastructure: How Birdstop helps monitor power grids, telecom networks, ports, and airports, allowing companies to remotely assess and address issues before they become larger problems.

Voices on The Show:

• Keith Miao, CEO of Birdstop
• Linkedin
• Lisa Ann Pinkerton, Earthlings 2.0 Host, CEO of Technica Communications, and Founder of Women in Cleantech and Sustainability
• LinkedIn: Lisa Ann Pinkerton
• X - Lisa Ann Pinkerton
• Instagram - @LisiAnni
• Technica Communications
• Women in Cleantech and Sustainability

Web Resources:

• https://www.birdstop.io/

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