11 Months to 1 Week: Charles Werner on Empowering DFR with New Breakthrough FAA COA Rules
Dronecast: Rethinking Public Safety, One Drone at a Time · 2025-04-29 · 41 min
Episode notes
In this episode of DroneCast, host Joe Kearns sits down with Charles Werner, Aviation Technology Adviser for the Virginia Department of Aviation, Director of Drone Responders, and an experienced storm chaser. A seasoned leader with extensive expertise in emergency services, unmanned aerial systems, and severe weather response, Werner shares firsthand insights into the revolutionary FAA regulatory changes that are accelerating public safety drone deployments. He explains how the new DFR (Drone as First Responder) COA process has drastically reduced approval timelines from 11 months to just one week, reshaping the speed and efficiency of public safety operations. Werner also discusses the simplified four-document submission process, the transition from COA to COWA (Certificate of Waiver and Authorization), and the operational impacts of allowing departments to fly drones at 200 feet using only ADS-B receivers. The conversation delves into the evolution of public safety drones from "toys" to mission-critical tools, with drones now resolving up to 25% of calls before ground units even arrive.