Full Name
Susan Roberts
Job Title
VP Strategy & Business Development
Company
Ondas
Speaker Bio
Dr. Susan Roberts is a pioneering executive at the forefront of aviation, unmanned systems, and disaster response innovation. With a track record spanning Fortune 500 leadership, emerging technology ventures, and public safety modernization, Susan brings unmatched insight into the future of emergency response infrastructure.
As Vice President of Strategy and Business Development for Ondas Holdings, Susan is a driving force behind scalable, autonomous aerial solutions that are reshaping how communities respond to crisis. She is a key architect behind the “Drone as a Service” approach, currently deployed in collaboration with Texas state agencies along the Austin 130 Corridor—an initiative designed to enable low-latency, multi-agency, and cost-effective
drone response for public safety missions.
Previously, Susan co-founded AiRXOS, a GE-backed unmanned aviation start-up, and served as Head of Commercial Innovation at Panasonic Avionics, where she led transformations from traditional models to resilient, data-driven services. Her early career in engineering with Honeywell, Orbital Sciences, and BAE Systems centered around high-stakes systems for defense and aerospace—grounding her leadership in mission-critical execution.
Susan holds a Ph.D. in business administration, with research focused on innovation psychology and organizational resilience. She currently serves as Vice Chair for the Board of Directors of AUVSI and is the former President of the Commercial Drone Alliance. Her thought leadership is widely sought at industry panels and government forums on unmanned systems, AI, and emergency operations.
With deep cross-sector experience, Susan speaks powerfully on:
- Autonomous Systems for Disaster Response
- Public-Private Collaboration in Emergency Infrastructure
- AI & Robotics in Scalable Public Safety Operations
- Innovating Government Response Through Technology
A military family native and passionate public speaker, Susan brings clarity, urgency, and visionary thinking to today’s most pressing emergency response challenges.
As Vice President of Strategy and Business Development for Ondas Holdings, Susan is a driving force behind scalable, autonomous aerial solutions that are reshaping how communities respond to crisis. She is a key architect behind the “Drone as a Service” approach, currently deployed in collaboration with Texas state agencies along the Austin 130 Corridor—an initiative designed to enable low-latency, multi-agency, and cost-effective
drone response for public safety missions.
Previously, Susan co-founded AiRXOS, a GE-backed unmanned aviation start-up, and served as Head of Commercial Innovation at Panasonic Avionics, where she led transformations from traditional models to resilient, data-driven services. Her early career in engineering with Honeywell, Orbital Sciences, and BAE Systems centered around high-stakes systems for defense and aerospace—grounding her leadership in mission-critical execution.
Susan holds a Ph.D. in business administration, with research focused on innovation psychology and organizational resilience. She currently serves as Vice Chair for the Board of Directors of AUVSI and is the former President of the Commercial Drone Alliance. Her thought leadership is widely sought at industry panels and government forums on unmanned systems, AI, and emergency operations.
With deep cross-sector experience, Susan speaks powerfully on:
- Autonomous Systems for Disaster Response
- Public-Private Collaboration in Emergency Infrastructure
- AI & Robotics in Scalable Public Safety Operations
- Innovating Government Response Through Technology
A military family native and passionate public speaker, Susan brings clarity, urgency, and visionary thinking to today’s most pressing emergency response challenges.
Speaking At
