We are Lantern UAS, a trusted partner for law enforcement and national security agencies.
OUR LEADERSHIP
David Hansell
CEO, Co-Founder
Pioneering the Future of Drone Aviation
David Hansell is a globally recognized leader in drone policy, regulation, and integration. With a career spanning military service, national security, and cutting-edge aerospace innovation, he has been instrumental in shaping the global framework for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and advanced air mobility (AAM).
David’s journey began in the U.S. Air Force as an air traffic controller and aircrew member in Special Operations Command. He later served as an intelligence officer and national security liaison for both the FAA and TSA, culminating in his role as Director for Transportation Security Policy on the National Security Council during the Obama administration.
While at the White House in 2016, David played a pivotal role in ushering in the FAA’s Part 107 rule, the landmark regulation that opened the door for commercial drone operations across the United States. His leadership helped balance innovation with national security, laying the foundation for today’s thriving UAS industry.
In addition to shaping drone policy, David has been a licensed drone pilot for nearly 9 years, certified both under the FAA in the United States and as a Specific Category remote pilot under the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). His hands-on experience operating drones globally gives him a unique perspective that bridges both policy and practical application.
Transitioning to the private sector, David led global aviation policy initiatives at Facebook, focusing on high-altitude, long-endurance drone operations where he led the adoption of new high altitude drone operations principles by ICAO. He later served as the Global Head of Aviation Regulation and Policy at Loon, an Alphabet subsidiary, where he worked to harmonize international regulations for stratospheric balloon operations, collaborating with civil aviation authorities worldwide.
Currently, David is the Co-Founder and CEO of Lantern Solutions, a firm dedicated to providing innovative government services. He also chairs the Flight Safety Foundation’s ARPAC Advisory Committee, focusing on AAM safety challenges.
David holds a Bachelor of Science in Professional Aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and a Master of Arts in International Relations from the University of Oklahoma. He is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society and continues to influence the evolution of drone aviation through his leadership, expertise, and piloting skill.
Ben Rohrbaugh
President, Co-Founder
Ben Rohrbaugh is the Chief Operating Officer Lantern UAS. He is a Senior Fellow at the Robert Strauss Center for International Security and Law at the University of Texas-Austin, and the author of More or Less Afraid of Nearly Everything: Homeland Security, Borders, and Disasters in the Twenty-first Century, published by the University of Michigan Press in 2020. He is a named inventor on two U.S. patents and one E.U. patent for drone-based critical infrastructure security systems. He was previously a Senior Advisor in the Department of Homeland Security Office of Policy. From 2014 to 2016, he served as the Director for Enforcement and Border Security at the National Security Council in the White House, where he was responsible for global supply chain security and border management with Mexico and Canada.
Previously he worked as a Senior Advisor to the Commissioner of Customs and Border Protection, where he handled engagement on customs, migration, and security cooperation with the Government of Mexico and negotiated the first entirely privately financed border crossing. Prior to this, Ben was Counselor to the Special Representative for Border Affairs at the Department of Homeland Security, where he focused on border management, cross border infrastructure, and communications interoperability. He also served as the Director for National Security within the White House Office of Presidential Personnel, where he was responsible for political appointments within the Departments of Homeland Security, State, and Defense, and international development organizations. He received a B.A from the University of California at Davis in 2003 in History and Political Science.