Daniel Cross

Daniel Cross is a UAS Operator and GIS Technician who joined the CMI staff in January 2010 while attending Radford University, where he received a B.S. in Geography with an environmental concentration. Since 2010, he has been mapping wetlands for the U.S. Fish and Wild Service (FWS) National Wetland Inventory (NWI) project, where he is a member of the quality control team. Since 2015, he also acts as the UAS operator for both CMI and the Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservations (FREC).  In this role, he serves as the point of contact with the FAA, navigating the regulatory world of UAS (acquiring Section 333 exemption and COA’s), flying sUAS, and maintaining the sUAS fleet. 

Daniel has worked on a number of projects, including UAS mapping of the Cocobolo nature reserve in Panama, UAS mapping of the historic Clermont Farm Clarke County VA, northern bobwhite habitat mapping for the VA Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF), storm water tax mapping for the Town of Harrisonburg, VA, and deer trapping and monitoring.  His professional interests include aviation, UAS operation to support natural resource management, GIS, and remote sensing.  Daniel holds an FAA issued private pilot certificate and is the author of CMI’s ever evolving UAS policy and procedure manuals.