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Drones: Uses and regulations

Alaska Public Media | By Eric Bork
Published April 16, 2021 at 10:29 AM AKDT
drone operator

Drones, or Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), are becoming more common in Alaska and
elsewhere every month. This past year they were one of the hottest selling outdoor retail items with sales growing around 12% annually according to thebusinessresearchcompany.com. In Alaska, drones are quickly becoming a part of the outdoor experience. The research, photos, and videos they enable help scientists, land managers, trail builders, artists, and others with their work. On the other hand, they have the potential to disrupt wildlife and other people's outdoor experience. We will be discussing drone capabilities, regulations, benefits, and challenges with Bill Billmeier of Corax, Dan Beutel with the State of Alaska's Division of Parks and Recreation, and Heath Schaaf with the U.S. Forest Service.

HOST:  Paul Twardock

GUESTS:

  • Bill Billmeier: Corax
  • Dan Beutel: State of Alaska DNR Division of Parks and Recreation
  • Heath Schaaf: U.S. Forest Service

LINKS:

BROADCAST: Thursday, April 22nd, 2021. 10:00 am – 11:00 a.m. AKT

REPEAT BROADCAST:  Thursday, April 22nd, 2021. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT

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Eric Bork
Eric Bork, or you can just call him “Bork” because everybody else does, is the FM Operations Manager for KSKA-FM. He oversees the day-to-day operations of the FM broadcast. He produces and edits episodes of Outdoor Explorer, the Alaska-focused outdoors program. He also maintains the web posts for that show. You may have heard him filling in for Morning Edition or hosting All Things Considered and can still find him operating the soundboard for any of the live broadcast programs. After escaping the Detroit area when he was 18, Bork made it up to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where he earned a degree in Communications/Radio Broadcasting from Northern Michigan University. He spent time managing the college radio station, working for the local NPR affiliate, and then in top 40 radio in Michigan before coming to Alaska to work his first few summers. After then moving to Chicago, it only took five years to convince him to move back to Alaska in 2010. When not involved in great radio programming he’s probably riding a bicycle, thinking about riding bicycles, dreaming about bikes, reading a book, or planning the next place he’ll travel to. Only two continents left to conquer!
See stories by Eric Bork