Lindsey Dreiling is Owner and CEO of Dreiling Aviation Services, an aviation strategy firm focused on integrating uncrewed aircraft systems and emerging air mobility technologies into complex operational environments. With more than 20 years of experience in crewed and uncrewed aviation, she advises airports, infrastructure owners, public agencies, and enterprise operators on scaling UAS programs within controlled airspace and active aviation ecosystems.
Lindsey brings hands-on experience supporting routine drone operations in Class D airport environments, coordinating directly with airport leadership, air traffic stakeholders, commercial airline representatives, and regulators. Her work centers on aligning operational practice with safety oversight, enterprise risk frameworks, stakeholder communication, and long-term infrastructure planning. She helps organizations move beyond regulatory approval to responsible integration that builds confidence, operational legitimacy, and sustained program growth.
Previously, Lindsey served as Deputy Director of Aviation and UAS for the Kansas Department of Transportation, where she led the state’s nationally recognized UAS program selected for the FAA UAS Integration Pilot Program. She engineered the first Kansas statewide UAS Air Traffic Program, established a UAS Safety Risk Management framework, secured advanced operational authorizations including BVLOS and on-airport approvals, and directed aviation infrastructure coordination with the FAA across 138 public-use airports.
She later served as Executive Director of Aviation Strategy at Kansas State University’s Aerospace campus and as Advanced Air Mobility Manager for L3Harris, further expanding her expertise in AAM integration, infrastructure planning, and cross-sector aviation collaboration. Through her advisory work, Lindsey leads the development and operational launch of aviation and UAS initiatives in controlled environments, translating strategy into implemented programs that align safety, infrastructure, stakeholder confidence, and long-term airspace integration.
A commercial fixed-wing pilot and Certified Flight Instructor holding CFI, CFII, and MEI ratings, as well as an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot certificate, Lindsey combines operational aviation credibility with strategic systems leadership. She holds a Ph.D. in Leadership Communication from Kansas State University and previously served as an appointed member of the FAA Women in Aviation Advisory Board and as an FAA Safety Team Representative. Lindsey’s work bridges operational realism with forward-looking air mobility strategy, supporting safe, scalable, and resilient UAS integration within controlled airport environments and preparing infrastructure owners for evolving airspace operations.