23 Feb Global drone awards platform announces 2021 judges
Airwards, the global drone awards platform, is pleased to unveil its line-up of judges for the scheme’s inaugural year. Judges include global leaders, pre-eminent drone experts and industry specialists from the US, UK, India, Australia, South Africa, Senegal, Malawi and Switzerland. The not-for-profit also announces that its awards are now free to enter this year, in order to ease budget pressures companies are facing as a result of the pandemic.
Airwards’ mission is to champion best practice drone work from around the world. The judging line-up is designed to reflect the breadth of differing disciplines and pioneering industries recognised by the first-of-its-kind awards programme. The award categories span a number of uses and sectors, including specific Industries/Fields, Technology, Operations, Supporting Services and Giving Back, with a People’s Choice category voted for by the public.
Airwards judges 2021
Gemma Alcock, Founder, SkyBound Rescuer
Wayne Baker, Director of Public Safety Integration, DJI
Will Barnes, UAS Service Lead, Frazer-Nash
James Bell, Acting Innovation Strategy Lead, CAA Innovation Hub
Gareth Beverley, Managing Director, Consortiq
Dr. Olivier Defawe, Director, VillageReach
Romeo Durscher, Vice President, Auterion
David Guerin, Safety, Operations, & Regulations Adviser, African Drone Forum
Mahmood Hussein, CEO, Global Drone Solutions
Louise Jupp, Founder, Terreco Aviation
Duncan Lees, 3D Scanning Specialist, Visualskies
Manu Lubrano, Co-Founder, INVOLI
Ellie Mackay, Founder, Ellipsis Earth
Dr. Pippa Malmgren, Economic Advisor and Author
Eugene Maseya, Co-Founder, MamaBird
Queen Ndlovu, Drone Author and CEO & Co-Founder, QP Drone Tech
Stephen Oh, Founder, XM2 PURSUIT
Anna Plaster, Director, OASIS
Tiamiyou Radji, Director, Senegal Flying Labs
Simon Ritterband, Founder, Moonrock Drone Insurance
Smit Shah, Director of Partnerships, Drone Federation of India
Will Stamatopoulos, Airline Pilot and Director, In Motion Aero
Hannah Tew, Innovation Lead, Future Flight at Innovate UK
Prof. Antonios Tsourdos, Director of Research, Cranfield University
Charles Werner, Director, DRONERESPONDERS
Gareth Whatmore, Co-Founder & CEO, DronePrep
Richard Nichols, Airwards founder, says: “We’re extremely proud to announce this year’s Airwards judges. We’re committed to recognising best practice drone work across a large number of fields and disciplines. We believe our year one judging line-up reflects the diverse range of innovation and incredible work being accomplished by the global drone industry.
“We’ve also been aware that the past year has been tough for most people, as well as for businesses, so we decided to make all award entries free for our inaugural year as a way to alleviate any financial barriers to entering. Airwards is open to all and we can’t wait to champion our winners demonstrating how drones are changing the world for the better.”
