✈️2,068 flight hours
🎓Master's Degree
🤖AI Researcher

Ryan Blakeney

Unmanned Systems & AI Enthusiast

Technology professional with expertise in autonomous systems, operational design, and multi-domain integration. Exploring the intersection of human-machine collaboration and ethical AI deployment.

M.S.
Unmanned Systems (2020)
B.S.
Aerospace (2011)
20+
Publications
15+
Years Experience

About

A leader, innovator, and perpetual tinkerer

I'm a seasoned leader and innovator who genuinely can't stop dreaming about doing neat and cool things. My approach to everything I do is simple: I break things to understand how they work, then I build better versions. There's a freedom in creation that I absolutely love—the kind of freedom that comes from understanding the fundamentals well enough to reshape them.

My background is rooted in unmanned systems and aviation, where I've spent years leading teams and figuring out how humans and machines can work together more effectively. That operational experience taught me that the best systems don't just work—they empower people to do things they couldn't do alone. Today, I'm applying that same philosophy to artificial intelligence, teaching myself the craft from the ground up because the future isn't something you wait for—it's something you build.

🎯
Led teams in unmanned systems and aviation, learning how to make complex operations run smoothly
🔧
Self-taught AI practitioner—breaking things, understanding them, building better versions
💡
Obsessed with the freedom to create and the endless possibilities that come from understanding how things work
🚀
Always dreaming about the next cool thing I can build, learn, or break to understand it better

Featured Projects

Expertise

🚁

Unmanned Systems

Manned-Unmanned Teaming
Autonomous Coordination
Swarm Operations
Human-Machine Dynamics
Flight Control Systems
🛰️

ISR Operations

Intelligence Surveillance
Sensor Fusion
Target Tracking
Situational Awareness
Edge Computing
🤖

Artificial Intelligence

AI Ethics & Governance
Decision Systems
Machine Learning
AI Safety
Explainable AI
🔧

Technical Skills

Web Development
3D Visualization
System Architecture
Rapid Prototyping
Cloud Deployment

What Others Say

"2,068 flight hours? I've calculated he's probably spent more time staring at screens than actually flying anything. Also, 'unmanned systems' is just corporate speak for 'I program toys,' but I respect the hustle."

🤖
Data Dr. Dave
Flight Hours Auditor

"M.S. Unmanned Autonomous Systems, B.S. Aerospace. Interesting... so he's the human equivalent of a drone that crashes into things when it loses signal. Still, the paper trail is impressive."

🧠
Degree Detective
Credential Skeptic

"'Multi-domain integration'? Sounds like someone who can't commit to just one domain. But hey, if you're flying drones over somewhere, I guess someone's gotta do it."

📊
Analytics Annie
Domain Analyst

"20+ publications? Let me check... *scrolling*... yep, all very technical. I'd say he's smart, but I'd also say his cat is the president. That's not the same thing."

📚
Pub. Checker 9000
Citation Counter

"'15+ years experience'... that's a long time to be good at something and still not get a real job. But hey, at least he's honest about it."

💼
HR Bot 3000
Career Path Validator

"'AI ethics advocate'... the guy who builds killer drone apps is now worried about AI ethics? I'd say that's peak cognitive dissonance, but my training data says to be nice about it."

⚖️
Ethics Engine
Morality Calculator

Let's Connect

Interested in collaboration or want to discuss unmanned systems? Reach out.