Hurricane Response, De-escalation & NDAA: The Future of Public Safety Drones with DJI's Wayne Baker

Episode notes

[This episode was recorded on June 27, 2025. Some references may reflect information available at that time.] Innovation in emergency response rarely happens in controlled environments. More often, it emerges during disasters where traditional methods are no longer enough. Chief Wayne Baker shares a powerful example from hurricane response efforts in Asheville, North Carolina. Massive flooding left entire areas inaccessible, trapping victims who could not be reached by ground crews. Drones were immediately deployed to locate survivors in areas rescuers physically could not reach. But the response didn’t stop at search and rescue. In one remarkable moment, farmers brought in heavy-lift agricultural drones and adapted them on the spot. Using modified baskets attached to the drones, they delivered food, water, and medications to stranded victims waiting for help. Smaller drones first identified the victims and determined what supplies were needed. Larger drones then carried the aid directly to them. It was an improvised solution in the middle of a disaster, but it demonstrated something profound: drones are no longer just eyes in the sky.