Foreword To 2nd Edition

by Alysia Starkey, Ph.D., KSUP CEO & Dean

I am delighted to write the forward for the second edition of Unmanned Aircraft Systems in the Cyber Domain:  Protecting the USA’s Advanced Air Assets. The first edition was published in 2018 and quickly established itself as a must-have text for academic programs and individuals looking to expand their knowledge in this emerging cyber discipline. Thanks to that text, conversations at conferences and other professional networking events this year were easy and spirited. As soon as Kansas State University was spotted on my name tag, individuals asked if I knew of the book and were eager to share their experiences.

The fact that the second edition follows so quickly after the first is indicative of the rapid pace in which the manned and unmanned airspaces continue to converge and the need to fully understand the direct impact on the civilian market. During the past year, I watched and listened as the authors electronically discussed and passionately debated the topics of national interest presented in this text. Their collective intellect coupled with the depth of their professional experience challenged my assumptions and continued to do so as I read the completed second edition.

As an educator, I appreciate that the second edition is structured in the same way as the first. Each chapter starts with the student learning objectives found therein, include value-added graphics, and concludes with scenarios and discussion questions for in-class use. This brings increased efficiency when creating a course syllabus or developing content-related assessments. The second edition further expands on the topics presented in the first edition.  Prior knowledge of manned and unmanned aviation regulations, military/civilian/commercial unmanned applications, and basic cybersecurity concepts is beneficial for the reader to fully engage with the material.

It is my expectation that this text will provide an effective learning experience and become a referenced resource for students and professionals working to secure the national airspace and reduce known and unknown threats with this developing technology.

Alysia Starkey, Ph.D.
Interim CEO and Dean
College of Technology and Aviation
Kansas State University Polytechnic
Salina, KS