The Security Industry Association (SIA) has appointed Brett Feddersen — vice president of strategy and government affairs at D-Fend Solutions — as chair of the SIA Counter-UAS Working Group.

Today, SIA said many facilities are limited in their ability to establish counter-uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) given the myriad of regulatory nuances and lack of a clear national framework for addressing the topic. The SIA Counter-UAS Working Group was created in 2023 to actively support the work needed to accomplish the recommendations of the Domestic Counter-UAS National Action Plan put forth by the Biden administration and further educate and give authorities options to mitigate UAS attacks. This group collaborates with external organizations and recruit industry experts aligned with this goal; tracks and monitors supportive legislation; and identifies, educates and engages with legislators.

“I am honored to continue the hard work my predecessor, Bill Edwards, led in the Counter-UAS working group,” said Feddersen. “Together with my security industry colleagues, we will advance the critical efforts of air domain awareness and safe drone threat mitigation and advocate for the broad acceptance of innovative counter-UAS technologies.”

In his role with D-Fend Solutions, SIA said Feddersen is responsible for leading the company’s strategy, public policy and government relations efforts and engagements with various branches of the U.S. government, policymakers and regulators. He also plays a key role in supporting business development for D-Fend’s airports and aviation practice by supporting the company’s counter-UAS activities at U.S. airports, the announcement states. Feddersen joined the team with extensive senior leadership experience in major governmental agencies, including the Federal Aviation Administration, the White House’s National Security Council, the Pentagon’s Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Defense Intelligence Agency. He spoke at SIA GovSummit 2024 on the topic of safeguarding sensitive environments in the era of the hostile drone threat. Feddersen is a U.S. Army combat veteran and a retired Pennsylvania state trooper.

“SIA is honored to welcome Brett Feddersen as the new chair of SIA’s Counter-UAS Working Group,” said Don Erickson, CEO, SIA. “While uncrewed systems offer tremendous benefits, they also pose security risks across various sectors, and there is a critical need for technologies to address these challenges and safeguard our drone-powered society. Brett’s deep experience and expertise in navigating the complexities of countering threats will bring great value to the working group’s efforts to inform and educate our members about key topics related to drones and counter-drone technologies and advocate for measures that cater to key requirements while ensuring operational flexibility and continuity. Through Brett’s leadership and the active involvement of working group members, SIA will continue to actively pursue the renewal of counter-UAS authorities and the long-overdue expansion of these policies to help mitigate threats posed by drones.”

The SIA Counter-UAS Working Group’s key efforts and accomplishments have included providing input on counter-drone-related content and leading compelling presentations at top SIA and industry events, producing informative articles on important drone and counter-UAS topics, advocating on behalf of the security industry and engaging with legislators on drone-related concerns, the announcement concluded.