OAIRE and Oklahoma National Guard host second annual UAS Symposium

Tuesday, February 25, 2025

Media Contact: Cody Cramer | Associate Director of Communications | 405-613-2838 | ccramer@okstate.edu

The Oklahoma National Guard and Oklahoma State University’s Oklahoma Aerospace Institute for Research and Education recently hosted the second annual Unmanned Aerial Systems and Launched Effects Symposium at OSU’s Hamm Institute for American Energy in Oklahoma City. 

The event united top experts in UAS policy, defense and research focusing on evolving UAS threats and the importance of collaboration between the National Guard, Department of Defense, academia and private industry to enhance national security. Dr. Jamey Jacob, OAIRE executive director and a featured speaker at the event, emphasized the rapid advancements in drone technology and the need for innovative defense strategies. 

"We are currently at a nexus of rapid change with disruptive innovations growing at an exponential rate," Jacob said. "These include a confluence of technologies such as AI, onboard computing, 3D printing and sensors that will allow drones to become ever more powerful. While these systems will be used for many lifesaving and beneficial commercial applications, they also pose a significant threat that we are currently unprepared to defend against. This event was a great opportunity to bring thought leaders together and share the great things Oklahoma is doing to lead development of solutions for this area critical to not only our nation's defense, but also our prosperity." 

The event covered critical topics such as integrating UAS into interagency operations, maneuver training, advanced air mobility and counter-UAS initiatives. Lt. Col. Brent Hill, deputy director of the OKNG UAS/LE program, stressed the importance of building strong partnerships with academia and private industry to ensure the U.S. military remains ahead in UAS-based warfare. 

Col. Shane Riley, director of the OKNG UAS/LE program, highlighted the National Guard’s unique role in advancing UAS technology and training.  

"The National Guard has a big opportunity in the space that OAIRE operates in because of our dual-use nature,” Riley said. “We can do domestic response, homeland protection and warfighting just like the rest of the DoD. This enables us to partner with universities, industry leaders and aviation entities within the state and federally. The partnerships we have in Oklahoma — test sites, state agencies and academic institutions — allow us to push forward in ways that are more challenging for other DoD entities." 

Riley also emphasized how Oklahoma’s well-developed ecosystem makes it a leader in UAS innovation.  

"The symposium is a unique platform,” he said. “We focus on operational-level activity and how we enable our forces to perform their mission effectively. There is not another National Guard organization doing this kind of work at this scale. The partnerships we've developed in Oklahoma make us a superpower in this environment." 

The OKNG’s counter-UAS initiative aims to provide guardsmen with cutting-edge training and technology to prepare for future challenges. Riley noted that learning from past conflicts is critical to accelerating defense strategies.  

"The most important thing for us is enabling our service members to be ready for the future,” Riley said. “What do the threats to the homeland look like? How do we prepare for those challenges before they become catastrophic events? We’ve seen in past conflicts how long it took to adapt to new threats. By leveraging the partnerships we have today, we can get ahead of that learning curve and build a stronger, more prepared force." 

With ongoing advancements in UAS technology, the OKNG and its partners continue to position Oklahoma as a leader in aerospace innovation. The symposium served as a vital forum for collaboration, ensuring that military personnel, researchers and industry leaders work together to develop strategies that keep the U.S. at the forefront of counter-UAS capabilities.