Marke F. Gibson, Maj Gen (Ret)

Principal

Major General Marke F. “Hoot” Gibson (ret) currently serves on a number of Boards including the Association of Unmanned Systems International (AUVSI), InterDrone, and the Virginia Governor’s Commercial Space Commission. He also runs his own UAS Consulting company which focuses on finding solutions to Commercial, Defense, and Counter UAS challenges.

He most recently served as the President and Chief executive officer of the NUAIR Alliance in Syracuse, New York. In that role, Gibson directed the organization’s efforts to safely integrate unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) into the national airspace system (NAS) to include UAS operations being conducted in New York, Massachusetts and Michigan. He also oversaw $30M of investment by New York State to put the region at the forefront of the UAS industry.

Gibson has more than four decades of experience in aviation and a proven track record of strong leadership. Prior to NUAIR, he served as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Senior Adviser on UAS. Gibson has served as executive director of the NextGen Institute, which provides professional services to the UAS Joint Program Development Office. He also owned an aviation consulting firm.

Gibson retired from the U.S. Air Force in 2011 after 33 years of service. He held numerous senior command and staff positions earning him the rank of Major General. Gibson retired as the Air Force’s director of current operations and training where he led the startup of a new cyber career field and its integration into Air Force operations. He also worked on behalf of the Air Force secretary and chief of staff on ways to better integrate unmanned aerial vehicles into the national airspace. As the director of current operations and training, Gibson was also responsible for the startup of a separate career field and unique training path for those who fly Air Force remote piloted aircrafts today.

Gibson holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from the United States Air Force Academy, an MBA from the University of Northern Colorado and a master’s degree in National Security Affairs from the National War College.