Captain Hans Christian leads one of the most advanced public safety drone programs in the nation as the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Program Manager for the Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACoFD). With over a decade of frontline and leadership experience, he has been at the forefront of integrating UAV technology into large-scale emergency operations, disaster response, and homeland security planning.
Under his leadership, LACoFD’s UAS program has expanded into a mission-critical asset, providing real-time aerial intelligence for structure fires, wildland incidents, mass gatherings, and complex rescue scenarios. He is responsible for flight operations management, regulatory compliance, pilot training, and interagency coordination—ensuring drones are deployed safely and effectively to protect both responders and the public.
In addition to his department role, Captain Christian serves as a task force member with the FBI’s Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (CUAS) initiative, where he works alongside federal partners to develop threat mitigation strategies for unauthorized or hostile drone activity. His CUAS expertise plays a vital role in safeguarding major events and critical infrastructure across Southern California.
Captain Christian’s portfolio includes tactical planning for high-profile events at SoFi Stadium, NFL games, West Hollywood Halloween, and large-scale festivals. He also serves as a lead administrator for the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) grant, helping to fund and expand drone and counter-drone technologies across the region.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration from California State University Fullerton and an Associate of Arts in Fire Technology from Palomar College. Beyond operations, he is a passionate instructor in GPS land navigation, CERT, and emergency response planning.
As a public safety technology leader, Hans Christian brings critical insights into the challenges and opportunities of UAV integration in emergency services and counter-drone operations.