Dean Barefield is the UAS Program Manager for Southern Company. Originally from middle GA, he entered the United States Army in 1996 and officially retired in February 2018, serving the last 12 years of his military career as an attack helicopter pilot and a UAS Technical Warrant Officer. As a UAS technical expert he was responsible for integrating UAS in support of full spectrum military operations. Dean is a Part 107 certified remote pilot and holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Management As the UAS Program Manager, Dean leverages his prior experiences to successfully integrate UAS into the energy sector and lead the future of the Southern Company UAS Program.