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Max moved to the New River Valley in 2017 to attend Virginia Tech where he obtained a Bachelor of Science in Fish & Wildlife Conservation. After graduating in 2021, he was hired as a Deputy Sheriff in Montgomery County, Virginia and attended Cardinal Criminal Justice Academy. Max went on to obtain his Part 107 License on his own in 2023, resulting in him joining the Sheriff’s Office drone team and gaining secondary employment as an agricultural drone pilot in Galax, Virginia. Working as an ag drone pilot, Max obtained his Virginia Registered Technician Certificate.

In early 2025 he took over as the Team Leader of the Sheriff’s Office drone team and went on to start Overwatch Drones in the middle of the year. He was then contracted as the Virginia Field Application Specialist for Unmanned Vehicle Technologies, serving as a subject matter expert for public safety agencies on the implementation of drones in that field.

Through his law enforcement experience Max has become extremely effective at identifying thermal signatures in all conditions. Whether it is an 80-degree day or a 20-degree night, he has created a near 100% success rate for his operations if it is identified that what he is looking for is in the area, and not inside of a structure.

When it comes to flying drones, we always encourage clients to hire a drone expert to complete their project, not just some guy with a drone. Flying mini lithium battery bombs through the air over you or your client’s property should always be done by a skilled drone pilot!