Jason Burnside is a Firefighter and Program Manager for the Austin Fire Department’s Robotics Emergency Deployment (RED) Team, where he leads the integration of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and robotics into fire service operations. With over a decade of experience in the fire service, he has been instrumental in advancing drone capabilities to support emergency response, situational awareness, and firefighter safety.

Burnside has played a key role in growing AFD’s RED Team into a nationally recognized public safety UAS program, supporting operations ranging from structure fires to disaster response while helping other agencies build their own capabilities. He is an active contributor to industry standards and collaboration efforts, serving on the IAFF/IAFC Robotics Working Group and participating in regional and national public safety UAS initiatives.

He holds both FAA Remote Pilot and Private Pilot certifications and is pursuing a Master of Science in Uncrewed and Autonomous Systems from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.