RIP Romeo Durscher – a real pioneer within the drone subject – sUAS Information

By Scott Simmie

The drone business has misplaced a real visionary. Romeo Durscher, who revealed final 12 months he had terminal most cancers, handed away peacefully in his sleep March 3.

However whereas he’s gone, he actually – actually – won’t be forgotten. He leaves an unimaginable and admirable legacy. His work, and persona, touched numerous individuals on this sector.

As most of you’ll know, Romeo was an early champion for the usage of drones in First Responder work. That zeal would finally affect the design of a number of DJI drones and broaden use-case situations. He labored carefully with police departments, tactical businesses, emergency responders and even Interpol over time. His contributions had been recognised with a number of honours.

In reality, in December of 2024, the Legislation Enforcement Drone Affiliation honoured Durscher with its first-ever Lifetime Achievement Award.

“This prestigious honor is a testomony to Romeo’s visionary management and extraordinary contributions to public security via the adoption of drone know-how,” mentioned LEDA in its announcement.

“Lengthy earlier than drones grew to become integral instruments for saving lives and defending communities, Romeo foresaw their transformative potential. With unwavering ardour and dedication, he turned that imaginative and prescient into actuality, revolutionizing public security operations all over the world.”

And he will likely be very a lot missed.

“He had a approach of lighting up a room, of creating everybody really feel seen and valued,” wrote Airwards Founder Richard Nichols in a submit on LinkedIn. “His ardour for drones and the facility of their potential to do good was infectious, and he impressed numerous individuals to pursue their very own goals on this business. He leaves behind a legacy of innovation, kindness, and real human connection.”

Under: Romeo receiving an award on behalf of DJI on the 2019 Aerial Evolution Affiliation of Canada convention

THE ROAD TO RPAS

Romeo clearly didn’t begin out within the drone world. RPAS as we now know them, didn’t exist when the Swiss-born (and multilingual) Durscher began out on this planet of banking. He started as an intern and it wasn’t lengthy earlier than he was promoted to the place of Funding Banker. Just a few jobs later (together with working as a rock promoter, even organising excursions) and he landed at Stanford College. He spent practically 13 years there, the place his curiosity in know-how had an opportunity to flourish.

Romeo was Stanford’s Senior Supervisor on its Photo voltaic Dynamics Observatory – a partnership with NASA. He usually spoke fondly of these years, and would later inform DroneLife it was there that he first constructed a multi-rotor.

“In 2010, after I was nonetheless deeply concerned in NASA missions, Mark Johnson and I started experimenting with a brand new type of know-how. Multi-rotors had been virtually unprecedented, however we discovered parts from throughout and pieced collectively our personal drones. I vividly keep in mind the primary time we flew one. For Mark, it was clear this may very well be a robust device for his forensic evaluation enterprise. For me, it unlocked one thing new—a contemporary perspective from the air,” he instructed the web site.

“One thing about this new know-how grabbed me. I knew it had a future past NASA, particularly in public security. The reminiscence of my Swiss army service, wishing for a real-time aerial view, fueled my need to deliver drones to new areas.”

DJI

Drones had been nonetheless of their very early phases, however Durscher might see the potential. This was the area he needed to pursue. He joined DJI in January of 2015 as Director of Schooling, again within the days when a GoPro hooked up to the first-generation Phantom was seen as just about state-of-the-art.

Because the know-how superior, so too did use-case situations. And Durscher was on the forefront, turning into the Senior Director of Public Security Integration. That job entailed working carefully with fireplace rescue, EMS, legislation enforcement, tactical businesses – you identify it. And never solely did he assist broaden their capabilities, he additionally spent infinite hours listening to these First Responders. What different use-cases would possibly drones be useful for? What different options – whether or not {hardware} or software program – would possibly make these instruments much more helpful?

He took that suggestions immediately again to the engineering groups at DJI in Shenzhen. That intel immediately influenced the ultimate model of lots of DJI’s Enterprise sequence of drones. The Mavic 2 Enterprise, with its choices of thermal imaging, a loudspeaker, and a brilliant gentle, owes a lot of its heritage to Romeo Durscher. He additionally performed a task within the design of the M200, M300 and even the third-party Epson Moverio AR glasses.

However that’s not all. Durscher additionally constructed a repute for getting down within the trenches when vital. In November of 2018, the devastating Camp Hearth broke out in California. Inside 12 hours, that wildfire had consumed 55,000 acres and 1000’s of properties. Greater than 100 individuals misplaced their lives.

Durscher and DJI instantly jumped in, working with a number of businesses in essentially the most bold high-resolution drone mapping venture in historical past at the moment. Your entire devastation was mapped – offering a necessary device for First Responders, city planners – and even residents who needed to see what had occurred to their neighbourhood. It was a completely immense process, and Durscher was a key lynchpin for the general group and implementation.

And but, in true Romeo vogue, he downplayed his personal position – as a substitute extending credit score to all of these concerned and the know-how itself. Those that knew Romeo will recognise this as a personality trait.

The huge map database of the Camp Hearth

AFTER DJI

Romeo left DJI in December of 2020 with an already unimaginable legacy. However he wasn’t achieved but. From there it was off to Auterion, the place he grew to become a champion of Open Supply and broader robotics integration as Senior Vice President of Technique. He additionally served as a Director at FLYMOTION, labored hands-on as an operator and advisor with Florida’s Pasco Sheriff’s Workplace, and spent a number of years as a Strategic Advisor with UTAC, which carries out rigorous drone and floor robotics coaching occasions for First Responders at its purpose-built facility.

Plus, in fact, there was hardly ever a convention or business gathering the place Durscher wasn’t a sought-after speaker. He was a completely sensible communicator, breaking down even extremely advanced processes or ideas into straightforward to digest narratives. He was, along with every part else, a born storyteller.

He was additionally, to these fortunate sufficient to know him, a buddy. InDro’s Scott Simmie, who knew Romeo for a few years, reconnected on the AUVSI convention in Florida, the place the image under was taken. It’s adopted by an prolonged interview carried out when Scott was operating DroneDJ

ROMEO’S TAKE

We’ve tried to the touch on the highlights, however it’s unattainable to seize all of them. Anybody within the drone world is aware of that Romeo’s contributions had been immense. However when it got here to Romeo’s personal evaluation of his life, he didn’t deal with profession accomplishments because the factor that counted most. It was his connections, his friendships.

When Romeo discovered he had terminal most cancers, he arrange this web site. He might have used it to listing his many profession highlights. He didn’t. It was, and is, relatively a celebration of a life well-lived, and of classes discovered. In that spirit, we go away the ultimate phrases right here to Romeo himself.

“I suppose all of us have questioned how we might react and what we might do if ever confronted with this form of problem,” he wrote. “I’m hoping that by sharing my very own journey I will help others perceive and recognize how vital it’s to dwell passionately and freely for the second. Certainly, now so lots of even the smallest of incidents and minor pleasures all through my life come again to me as welcome reminiscences and heat reminders of all of the fantastic lives which have intersected with my very own….

“I’ve been blessed with so many pals who’ve cherished me and helped me attain so many targets. I consider and hope I can persuade you that pursuing your goals must be a relentless motivation all through your life. That pursuit — and the experiences you have got and folks you meet within the course of — gives you nice presents which might be extra valuable than any materials positive aspects. Of all of the issues on this world that I’m grateful for, my friendships are on the very high of the listing. True wealth is measured by friendship – not cash.”

Amen. And Godspeed, Romeo.

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