Clearing the air in a changing airspace
As a double major in UAS Operations and Political Science, Leader in Action Greyson Orne is ready to combine piloting with policy
As unmanned aircraft technology advances, regulation is often left to play catch-up — a gap Greyson Orne has built his academic path around understanding.
A double major in Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operations and Political Science at the University of North Dakota, Greyson has combined technical aviation experience with public policy training, preparing for a future where innovation, regulation and national security increasingly overlap.
Greyson initially transferred to UND as a commercial aviation major but changed course after an internship with UND’s Northern Plains UAS Test Site exposed him to the complexity behind unmanned aircraft operations.
“What really stood out to me wasn’t just the technology,” he said. “It was how many unanswered questions there still were — why certain operations weren’t allowed, why some things worked on paper but not in practice. It really showed me how difficult it is to integrate unmanned systems into national airspace. …
“My capstone project is about UAS, but it’s a political science capstone,” he said. “I’m able to use that political science background to tie it in with my UAS degree, and UND has made that really seamless.”
Read and watch more about Greyson and his successful career at UND.
