Owen McAree

Owen McAree has a diverse range of work experience in the fields of aviation, drone technology, and autonomous systems. Owen is currently the Director & Principal Consultant at Aerofirm Ltd, where they provide advisory services. In addition, McAree is an Advisory Board Member at Luffy AI.

In terms of their previous roles, McAree has worked as the Head of Research and Development at Neuron Innovations, where they led technical development in aviation sensor hardware integration and embedded hardware/software development. Owen was also a Principal Research Engineer at the same company, focusing on sensor integration and firmware development.

Prior to that, McAree served as a System Safety Engineer at Zipline, where they developed risk simulation models for drone operations and facilitated the development of a certification safety case. Owen also worked as a Research Fellow at Liverpool John Moores University, where they contributed to a project on drone technology and biodiversity conservation.

McAree has held positions at LiveLink Aerospace Ltd as the Chief Technology Officer, overseeing drone sensor development, and as a Senior Aerospace Engineer, leading the development of a passive radar network.

Furthermore, McAree held the role of Senior Research Officer at Liverpool John Moores University, where they were responsible for drone research and flight operations. Owen has also worked as a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Sheffield, focusing on autonomous decision making and vehicle verification. Additionally, they served as the Chief Small Unmanned Aircraft (SUA) Pilot within the Sheffield Robotics research group.

Earlier in their career, McAree worked as an Education Technical Specialist at The MathWorks, collaborating with universities and developing teaching materials in MATLAB and Simulink. Owen began their research career as a Research Associate at Loughborough University, specializing in artificial situation awareness for unmanned aerial systems.

Overall, Owen McAree has a strong background in aviation, drone technology, and autonomous systems, with experience in technical research, leadership, and advisory roles.

Owen McAree's education history begins in 2004 when they enrolled at Loughborough University to pursue a Bachelor's degree in Aeronautical Engineering. Owen successfully completed this program in 2009, earning a Master of Engineering (MEng) degree.

After completing their undergraduate studies, Owen continued their education at Loughborough University, where they pursued a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in Unmanned Aerial Systems. Owen embarked on this doctoral program in 2009 and completed it in 2013.

In addition to their formal education, Owen McAree has also obtained several certifications. In 2003, they received a Private Pilots Licence (Aeroplanes) from the Civil Aviation Authority. Furthermore, in 2016, they obtained the Unmanned Aircraft Pilot Qualification (Multirotor <20kg) from Whispercam and the First Aid at Work (FAW) certification from the Health and Safety Executive. In 2018, Owen obtained a Certificate of Practical Flight Assessment (Fixed-wing) from the Drone Pilot Academy.