Adam Zylka
Assistant Director for UAS, Spatial Analysis Laboratory
PRONOUNS he/him
- B.S., Environmental Engineering, University of Vermont, 2014
Area(s) of expertise
Unoccupied Aircraft Systems (UAS) or 'drones,' geospatial technology, remote sensing, disaster response and emergency management.
BIO
Adam is an Unoccupied Aircraft Systems (UAS) Research Engineer and UAS Team Lead at the Spatial Analysis Lab, bringing together his extensive academic and industry experience in leveraging UAS technology for disaster response, conservation, engineering, and humanitarian applications.
As one of the earliest members of the University of Vermont’s UAS Team, Adam graduated from UVM in 2014 with a degree in Environmental Engineering and a Geospatial Technologies minor after completing an undergraduate thesis focused on potential applications of UAS technology for disaster response. He then became the first American employee of Swiss UAS manufacturer senseFly, serving a critical role in establishing and expanding the company's North American presence. In addition to managing senseFly's industry-leading Customer Service & Satisfaction team, Adam served as a technical trainer and consultant for enterprise partners, federal agencies, research universities, and Fortune 500 corporations.
Adam returned to UVM in 2019 where he leads UAS operations, training, and research, including UVM’s core-membership in the FAA’s Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence (ASSURE), alongside 23 of the world's leading research institutions and 100 industry and government partners. Consortium members together provide the expertise and infrastructure needed to help the FAA conduct the research and testing necessary to make laws that keep the skies safe. As part of the FAA’s Center for Excellence, the UVM SAL UAS Team researches the use of UAS for emergency response, providing the agency with data for their safe operations in times of disaster.
Beyond UVM, Adam is a member and the former Vice President of Drones For Earth, an international NGO that focuses on demonstrating and promoting the great potential of UAS to protect our planet and support local communities. He has conducted a variety of UAS missions across the globe for environmental monitoring, infrastructure inspection, humanitarian aid, and historical preservation.
Bio
Adam is an Unoccupied Aircraft Systems (UAS) Research Engineer and UAS Team Lead at the Spatial Analysis Lab, bringing together his extensive academic and industry experience in leveraging UAS technology for disaster response, conservation, engineering, and humanitarian applications.
As one of the earliest members of the University of Vermont’s UAS Team, Adam graduated from UVM in 2014 with a degree in Environmental Engineering and a Geospatial Technologies minor after completing an undergraduate thesis focused on potential applications of UAS technology for disaster response. He then became the first American employee of Swiss UAS manufacturer senseFly, serving a critical role in establishing and expanding the company's North American presence. In addition to managing senseFly's industry-leading Customer Service & Satisfaction team, Adam served as a technical trainer and consultant for enterprise partners, federal agencies, research universities, and Fortune 500 corporations.
Adam returned to UVM in 2019 where he leads UAS operations, training, and research, including UVM’s core-membership in the FAA’s Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence (ASSURE), alongside 23 of the world's leading research institutions and 100 industry and government partners. Consortium members together provide the expertise and infrastructure needed to help the FAA conduct the research and testing necessary to make laws that keep the skies safe. As part of the FAA’s Center for Excellence, the UVM SAL UAS Team researches the use of UAS for emergency response, providing the agency with data for their safe operations in times of disaster.
Beyond UVM, Adam is a member and the former Vice President of Drones For Earth, an international NGO that focuses on demonstrating and promoting the great potential of UAS to protect our planet and support local communities. He has conducted a variety of UAS missions across the globe for environmental monitoring, infrastructure inspection, humanitarian aid, and historical preservation.