Announcing the 2024 EDVY Judging Panel

With online voting ramping up, Civil+Structural Engineer Media is excited to announce the group of experts who will be joining the Engineering Drone Video of the Year (EDVY) competition in 2024 to serve on its judging panel.  This year’s panel features some familiar faces as well as some new ones, but each member of the panel brings a unique perspective and understanding of how drones and UAVs are shaping the future of the AEC industry.

After the online voting period closes, the five videos who received the highest number of votes will be given over to the judging panel.  Using criteria to determine the effectiveness of elements such as flight performance and post-processing imagery, the judging panel will select the top video for the 2024 EDVY competition.

Judging Panel:

Luke Carothers
Editor-in-Chief, Civil+Structural Engineer Media

Luke has been writing about drones and UAVs for Civil+Structural Engineer Magazine since 2019, and has written countless articles about the applications for drones/UAVs in the AEC industry.  As an EDVY judge for half a decade, Luke has witnessed firsthand the growth of drone/UAC technology in the AEC industry, and looks forward to seeing how drones continue to change the way we do things.

Bryan Baker
Drone Pilot, Leica Geosystems

Bryan Baker has been the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Sales Manager for Leica Geosystems Inc. since 2014.   Bryan has been in the Geospatial Industry for his entire career starting at Nikon Instruments as a software developer in the mid 1980’s and has held multiple technical and sales positions over the years.  Additionally, Bryan is an ASPRS Certified Mapping Scientist for UAS (CMS-UAS).  On the aviation side, Bryan is a Commercial Pilot, Certified Flight Instructor, Advanced Ground Instructor, and Remote (UAS) Pilot.   When not working and traveling for Leica Geosystems, Bryan enjoys traveling, giving flight lessons, flying his personal aircraft, and volunteering in the aviation community.  Bryan is a volunteer Drone Pro for FAASafety.gov, a volunteer pilot for Lighthawk, Pilots and Paws, Angel Flight, and a volunteer and flight crew member with the Commemorative Air Force.  He is returning for his second year to the EDVY Judging Panel.

Bryanna Sikes
Marketing Coordinator, Zweig Group

Bree Sikes joined Civil+Structural Engineer Media as an intern in August of 2022, and has since risen to the role of Marketing Coordinator for Zweig Group and Civil+Structural Engineer.  Bree is responsible for creating and executing promotional content for Zweig Group, C+S, and its clients.  She has been an integral part of the Engineering Drone Video of the Year Competition since joining the C+S team.  Bree is also joining the EDVY Judging Panel for the first time.

Will Anderson
Mergers & Acquisition Advisor, Zweig Group

As an advisor in Zweig Group’s Mergers & Acquisitions Advisory Group, Will Anderson’s diverse background in operations, engineering, and marketing enables him to recognize productive synergies between companies and quickly process empirical data.  Will is passionate about aviation after having grown up in a family-owned helicopter business.  He has his private and remote pilot’s licenses and serves as a representative on the FAA Safety Team.  Will is also returning to the EDVY Judging Panel for the second time having participated in 2021.

Alexander Lopukhov
Co-founder and Head of Business Development, TOPODRONE SA

Alexander Lopukhov helped cofound TOPODRONE, and has since been responsible for partner relations and boosting the TOPODRONE brand promoting new technologies and products at global events including Geo Week and Intergeo.  Alexander is a first-time participant in the EDVY Judging Panel.