Pilots of the Caribbean Podcast

June 2026: Caribbean Drone News

Code: CARIBBEAN100 Discount: $100 off an Exhibit Hall Only Pass or a Full Conference Pass Direct registration link (code pre-applied): https://www.xpressreg.net/register/UAVA0926/landing.php?sc=CARIBBEAN100 [https://www.xpressreg.net/register/UAVA0926/landing.php?sc=CARIBBEAN100] Devon McKellop episode  [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2204353/episodes/16857114] Brian Smith episodes - Episode 1 [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2204353/episodes/14453820] | Episode 2  [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2204353/episodes/18792390] Ram Fish / 19Labs episode [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2204353/episodes/16900523] The Caribbean drone industry had a big June.  In this month's Caribbean Drone News, Alan Gabriel covers four stories from Jamaica and Guyana that are quietly reshaping what's possible for UAS operators in the region. Jamaica's national drone soccer team returned from California undefeated, defeating teams from the US, Canada, Mexico, and Kazakhstan.  Jamaican competitor Omar Cockett is heading to the World Skills Competition — one of the largest vocational skills events on the planet — to compete in the unmanned aerial systems category.  In Guyana, Dragonfly Drones formally launched an international joint venture with Canadian firm Automox Offshore.  The Ministry of Health completed drone-supported medical deliveries to riverine communities along the Mahicony River as part of a broader logistics rollout. Tune in to get the full breakdown, the context behind each story, and why these developments matter for the wider Caribbean drone space. The Pilots of the Caribbean Podcast recommends the Pilot Institute - Part 107 Made Easy course [https://learn.pilotinstitute.com/a/aff_5x275ft0/external?affcode=245841_6szcosjj] for anyone looking to prepare to sit the part 107 exam and become a licensed commercial drone operator. Website: https://pilotsofthecaribbeanpod.com [https://pilotsofthecaribbeanpod.com/] Email: pilotsofthecaribbeanpod@gmail.com [pilotsofthecaribbeanpod@gmail.com] All our links: https://linktr.ee/pilotsofthecaribbeanpod [https://linktr.ee/pilotsofthecaribbeanpod] * Affiliate disclaimer: some of the above links maybe affiliate links, which may generate a sales commission.*

What the Drone Industry Is Actually Talking About in 2026 | Matt Collins

COMMERCIAL UAV EXPO 2026 — EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNT Use code CARIBBEAN100 to save $100 on an Exhibit Hall Pass or Full Conference Pass. Register here (code pre-applied): https://www.xpressreg.net/register/UAVA0926/landing.php?sc=CARIBBEAN100 [https://www.xpressreg.net/register/UAVA0926/landing.php?sc=CARIBBEAN100] Matt Collins has spent the last year learning the commercial drone industry from the inside — as the man who shapes the program at Commercial UAV Expo and runs editorial at Commercial UAV News. In this episode, he gives an unfiltered read on where the industry stands in 2026. We get into the real gap between AI marketing and actual field use, why the FCC Covered List's biggest threat is the hobbyist-to-professional pipeline, what the Part 108 NPRM got wrong, and why Caribbean drone operators are still missing from global industry data — and what to do about it. Matt also walks through what's new at Commercial UAV Expo 2026 (September 1-3, Las Vegas): roundtable sessions, the Level Up Lounge, a new focus on agriculture, and a state of the industry keynote with Pilot Institute's Greg Hughes. Tune in to discover how to get the Caribbean drone community into the global conversation — straight from someone who writes and edits that conversation daily. --- CONNECT WITH MATT COLLINS LinkedIn: Search "Matt Collins Commercial UAV" on LinkedIn Website / Event: https://www.expouav.com News: https://commercialuavnews.com Contact: info@commercialuavnews.com --- Get the Drone Pilot Checklist [https://pilotsofthecaribbeanpod.com/checklist-2/]! The Pilots of the Caribbean Podcast recommends the Pilot Institute - Part 107 Made Easy course [https://learn.pilotinstitute.com/a/aff_5x275ft0/external?affcode=245841_6szcosjj] for anyone looking to prepare to sit the part 107 exam and become a licensed commercial drone operator. Website: https://pilotsofthecaribbeanpod.com [https://pilotsofthecaribbeanpod.com/] Email: pilotsofthecaribbeanpod@gmail.com [pilotsofthecaribbeanpod@gmail.com] All our links: https://linktr.ee/pilotsofthecaribbeanpod [https://linktr.ee/pilotsofthecaribbeanpod] * Affiliate disclaimer: some of the above links maybe affiliate links, which may generate a sales commission.*

Coming Home With a Vision: The Story of GuyDrones with Ershad Mahamed

Ershad Mahamad walked away from a 20-year career maintaining aircraft for Caribbean Airlines and Bombardier — and came home to Guyana to build the country's first commercial drone company. What followed was five years of regulatory groundwork, ExxonMobil certifications, 12-subject training programmes, and a 31-person operation covering agriculture, oil and gas, mining, and now drone delivery. In this episode, Ershad breaks down what it actually took to get Guy Drones certified by the GCAA, the EPA, and a major oil major — all at once — and why he believes drone pilots deserve the same professional recognition as manned aircraft pilots. He also shares the company's expansion into underwater ROVs, the Unitree robot dog, and an incoming drone delivery service built around Guyana's unique geography. Tune in to discover what building a world-class drone operation in the Caribbean really looks like — from rice fields to oil rigs. Get the Drone Pilot Checklist [https://pilotsofthecaribbeanpod.com/checklist-2/]! The Pilots of the Caribbean Podcast recommends the Pilot Institute - Part 107 Made Easy course [https://learn.pilotinstitute.com/a/aff_5x275ft0/external?affcode=245841_6szcosjj] for anyone looking to prepare to sit the part 107 exam and become a licensed commercial drone operator. Website: https://pilotsofthecaribbeanpod.com [https://pilotsofthecaribbeanpod.com/] Email: pilotsofthecaribbeanpod@gmail.com [pilotsofthecaribbeanpod@gmail.com] All our links: https://linktr.ee/pilotsofthecaribbeanpod [https://linktr.ee/pilotsofthecaribbeanpod] * Affiliate disclaimer: some of the above links maybe affiliate links, which may generate a sales commission.*

How Speedbird Aero Is Scaling Drone Delivery Across 14 Nations

Manoel Coelho has built what most drone founders only talk about: a commercially operating delivery network flying in 14 countries, powered by aircraft his company manufactures and never sells. As CEO of Speedbird Aero — Latin America's first BVLOS-certified drone operator — Manoel walks Alan through how a telemedicine startup in Arizona became the company powering the Royal Mail's first permanent UK drone service and the world's longest-running commercial food drone delivery program. We get into the full DLV aircraft lineup, the wet-lease business model, ship-to-shore cargo delivery in Singapore and Brazil, and what Part 108 could mean for drone delivery companies finally entering the US at scale. For any operator thinking about island logistics, BVLOS operations, or what commercial drone delivery actually looks like in practice — this one is essential listening. Tune in to discover how the most advanced drone delivery network in Latin America was built in a country with the world's highest interest rates. Get the Drone Pilot Checklist [https://pilotsofthecaribbeanpod.com/checklist-2/]! The Pilots of the Caribbean Podcast recommends the Pilot Institute - Part 107 Made Easy course [https://learn.pilotinstitute.com/a/aff_5x275ft0/external?affcode=245841_6szcosjj] for anyone looking to prepare to sit the part 107 exam and become a licensed commercial drone operator. Website: https://pilotsofthecaribbeanpod.com [https://pilotsofthecaribbeanpod.com/] Email: pilotsofthecaribbeanpod@gmail.com [pilotsofthecaribbeanpod@gmail.com] All our links: https://linktr.ee/pilotsofthecaribbeanpod [https://linktr.ee/pilotsofthecaribbeanpod] * Affiliate disclaimer: some of the above links maybe affiliate links, which may generate a sales commission.*

Running the World's Largest Energy Drone & Robotics Network | Sean Guerre, EDRC

Discover how one global network is quietly shaping the future of drones, robotics, and AI across the entire energy industry — and why the Caribbean is more connected to this movement than you might think. Sean Guerre, Executive Director of the Energy Drone and Robotics Coalition (EDRC), sits down with Alan to trace the organisation's journey from a 150-person event to a global network of over 20,000 professionals and 200+ energy and utility companies. Sean unpacks what's happening right now in autonomous operations, the regulatory shifts that will affect every drone operator, and why the next decade looks very different from the last. Key topics covered: * How the EDRC grew from a small meetup to the world's premier industrial drone and robotics network * The current state of autonomous operations in oil, gas, and energy — including Level 4 automation in the field today * What Caribbean professionals can expect at the Energy Drone & Robotics Summit (June 22–24, Houston) * Key regulatory developments — NDAA/FCC supply chain rules and FAA Part 108 — and what they mean for operators * How humanoids, drone-in-a-box systems, and physical AI are changing energy operations right now Guest: Sean Guerre, Executive Director, Energy Drone and Robotics Coalition EDRC Website: edrcoalition.com [https://edrcoalition.com] Get the Drone Pilot Checklist [https://pilotsofthecaribbeanpod.com/checklist-2/]! The Pilots of the Caribbean Podcast recommends the Pilot Institute - Part 107 Made Easy course [https://learn.pilotinstitute.com/a/aff_5x275ft0/external?affcode=245841_6szcosjj] for anyone looking to prepare to sit the part 107 exam and become a licensed commercial drone operator. Website: https://pilotsofthecaribbeanpod.com [https://pilotsofthecaribbeanpod.com/] Email: pilotsofthecaribbeanpod@gmail.com [pilotsofthecaribbeanpod@gmail.com] All our links: https://linktr.ee/pilotsofthecaribbeanpod [https://linktr.ee/pilotsofthecaribbeanpod] * Affiliate disclaimer: some of the above links maybe affiliate links, which may generate a sales commission.*