DRONERESPONDERS gives 2026 public safety UAS award to Greg Whiting

DRONERESPONDERS named Texas Military Department aviation leader Greg Whiting the 2026 Eric Talley Public Safety UAS Excellence Award recipient at Commercial UAV Expo in Las Vegas. The honor spotlights his role in building a large-scale drone program that supports border security, disaster response and emergency coordination across Texas.

Why it matters: - Whiting is being recognized for turning UAS into a core public safety tool in Texas, where drones now support border security, disaster response and emergency operations. - The award highlights a model that blends scale, safety and interagency coordination in high-risk missions. - The recognition also keeps attention on Eric Talley’s legacy in public safety aviation.

What happened: - DRONERESPONDERS named Greg Whiting the 2026 recipient of the Eric Talley Public Safety UAS Excellence Award. - The announcement came during the opening keynote at Commercial UAV Expo at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas. - Whiting directs the Texas Military Department’s Technology Integration Cell and manages its small unmanned aircraft systems program.

The details: - For nearly four years, Whiting has led the Texas Military Department’s effort to build a full-time public safety drone program supporting border security. - Texas Military Department program data shows the program has 82 full-time pilots, 97,344 sorties and 29,081 flight hours across public safety, disaster response and border security missions. - Whiting also serves as chief of operations for the Texas Air Operations Center. - In that role, he oversees the strategic coordination and deployment of aviation assets during disaster response operations across Texas. - The Texas Air Operations Center integrates manned and unmanned aircraft resources to support emergency management efforts and aerial response during hurricanes, wildfires, floods and other large-scale incidents. - Whiting is a retired Texas Air National Guard officer and former F-16 pilot. - He established one of the nation’s most comprehensive Safety Management Systems for a public safety UAS operation. - He created a three-week training course that draws on expertise from the Texas Department of Public Safety, local fire departments and the military. - The training model prepares pilots for law enforcement, emergency response, military and interagency missions. - Whiting and his team work with federal, state and local partners. - Federal partners include the U.S. Department of War, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Coast Guard. - State partners include the Texas Department of Public Safety and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. - The team also works with local fire departments. - During the catastrophic July 2025 floods in the Kerrville area, Whiting oversaw manned and unmanned aircraft coordination in difficult operating conditions. - The flood response required airspace deconfliction, disciplined risk management and interagency trust. - UAS teams provided situational awareness while operating alongside other aviation assets.

Between the lines: - DRONERESPONDERS is signaling that mature drone programs are judged less by flashy technology and more by safety systems, training and coordination. - The award framing suggests public safety aviation leaders are being measured on operational discipline as much as mission output. - Chief Charles Werner said Whiting built a disciplined public safety aviation enterprise at extraordinary scale and carried forward Talley’s legacy of courage, professionalism and selfless service. - Christopher Todd said the Texas model shows scale and safety are not competing goals.

What's next: - The award will continue to be used to recognize public safety UAS leaders who show innovation, professionalism and measurable impact. - DRONERESPONDERS said this year’s award is supported by Axon, Esri, Pilot Institute and 2D Dummies. - The organization will keep promoting Eric Talley’s legacy through future recipients.

The bottom line: - Whiting’s award underscores a broader shift in public safety aviation: drones are becoming mission-critical only when they are backed by training, airspace discipline and strong partnerships.