By Scott Simmie
The drone industry has lost a true visionary. Romeo Durscher, who revealed last year he had terminal cancer, passed away peacefully in his sleep March 3.
But while he’s gone, he certainly – truly – will not be forgotten. He leaves an incredible and admirable legacy. His work, and personality, touched countless people in this sector.
As most of you will know, Romeo was an early champion for the use of drones in First Responder work. That passion would ultimately influence the design of several DJI drones and expand use-case scenarios. He worked closely with police departments, tactical agencies, emergency responders and even Interpol over the years. His contributions were recognised with multiple honours.
In fact, in December of 2024, the Law Enforcement Drone Association honoured Durscher with its first-ever Lifetime Achievement Award.
“This prestigious honor is a testament to Romeo’s visionary leadership and extraordinary contributions to public safety through the adoption of drone technology,” said LEDA in its announcement.
“Long before drones became integral tools for saving lives and protecting communities, Romeo foresaw their transformative potential. With unwavering passion and dedication, he turned that vision into reality, revolutionizing public safety operations around the world.”
And he will be very much missed.
“He had a way of lighting up a room, of making everyone feel seen and valued,” wrote Airwards Founder Richard Nichols in a post on LinkedIn. “His passion for drones and the power of their potential to do good was infectious, and he inspired countless people to pursue their own dreams in this industry. He leaves behind a legacy of innovation, kindness, and genuine human connection.”
Below: Romeo receiving an award on behalf of DJI at the 2019 Aerial Evolution Association of Canada conference
THE ROAD TO RPAS
Romeo obviously didn’t start out in the drone world. RPAS as we now know them, didn’t exist when the Swiss-born (and multilingual) Durscher started out in the world of banking. He began as an intern and it wasn’t long before he was promoted to the position of Investment Banker. A few jobs later (including working as a rock promoter, even organising tours) and he landed at Stanford University. He spent nearly 13 years there, where his interest in technology had a chance to flourish.
Romeo was Stanford’s Senior Manager on its Solar Dynamics Observatory – a partnership with NASA. He often spoke fondly of those years, and would later tell DroneLife it was there that he first built a multi-rotor.
“In 2010, when I was still deeply involved in NASA missions, Mark Johnson and I began experimenting with a new kind of technology. Multi-rotors were practically unheard of, but we found components from all over and pieced together our own drones. I vividly remember the first time we flew one. For Mark, it was clear this could be a powerful tool for his forensic analysis business. For me, it unlocked something new—a fresh perspective from the air,” he told the website.
“Something about this new technology grabbed me. I knew it had a future beyond NASA, especially in public safety. The memory of my Swiss military service, wishing for a real-time aerial view, fueled my desire to bring drones to new spaces.”
DJI
Drones were still in their very early stages, but Durscher could see the potential. This was the space he wanted to pursue. He joined DJI in January of 2015 as Director of Education, back in the days when a GoPro attached to the first-generation Phantom was seen as pretty much state-of-the-art.
As the technology advanced, so too did use-case scenarios. And Durscher was at the forefront, becoming the Senior Director of Public Safety Integration. That job entailed working closely with fire rescue, EMS, law enforcement, tactical agencies – you name it. And not only did he help expand their capabilities, he also spent endless hours listening to those First Responders. What other use-cases might drones be helpful for? What other features – whether hardware or software – might make these tools even more useful?
He took that feedback directly back to the engineering teams at DJI in Shenzhen. That intel directly influenced the final version of many of DJI’s Enterprise series of drones. The Mavic 2 Enterprise, with its options of thermal imaging, a loudspeaker, and a bright light, owes much of its heritage to Romeo Durscher. He also played a role in the design of the M200, M300 and even the third-party Epson Moverio AR glasses.
But that’s not all. Durscher also built a reputation for getting down in the trenches when necessary. In November of 2018, the devastating Camp Fire broke out in California. Within 12 hours, that wildfire had consumed 55,000 acres and thousands of homes. More than 100 people lost their lives.
Durscher and DJI immediately jumped in, working with multiple agencies in the most ambitious high-resolution drone mapping project in history at that time. The entire devastation was mapped – providing an essential tool for First Responders, urban planners – and even residents who wanted to see what had happened to their neighbourhood. It was an absolutely immense task, and Durscher was a key lynchpin for the overall organization and implementation.
And yet, in true Romeo fashion, he downplayed his own role – instead extending credit to all of those involved and the technology itself. Those who knew Romeo will recognise this as a character trait.
Below: The massive map database of the Camp Fire
AFTER DJI
Romeo left DJI in December of 2020 with an already incredible legacy. But he wasn’t done yet. From there it was off to Auterion, where he became a champion of Open Source and broader robotics integration as Senior Vice President of Strategy. He also served as a Director at FLYMOTION, worked hands-on as an operator and advisor with Florida’s Pasco Sheriff’s Office, and spent several years as a Strategic Advisor with UTAC, which carries out rigorous drone and ground robotics training events for First Responders at its purpose-built facility.
Plus, of course, there was rarely a conference or industry gathering where Durscher wasn’t a sought-after speaker. He was an absolutely brilliant communicator, breaking down even highly complex processes or concepts into easy to digest narratives. He was, in addition to everything else, a born storyteller.
He was also, to those lucky enough to know him, a friend. InDro’s Scott Simmie, who knew Romeo for many years, reconnected at the AUVSI conference in Florida, where the picture below was taken. It’s followed by an extended interview carried out when Scott was running DroneDJ
ROMEO’S TAKE
We’ve tried to touch on the highlights, but it’s impossible to capture them all. Anyone in the drone world knows that Romeo’s contributions were immense. But when it came to Romeo’s own assessment of his life, he didn’t focus on career accomplishments as the thing that counted most. It was his connections, his friendships.
When Romeo learned he had terminal cancer, he set up this website. He could have used it to list his many career highlights. He didn’t. It was, and is, rather a celebration of a life well-lived, and of lessons learned. In that spirit, we leave the final words here to Romeo himself.
“I suppose we all have wondered how we would react and what we would do if ever confronted with this sort of challenge,” he wrote. “I’m hoping that by sharing my own journey I can help others understand and appreciate how important it is to live passionately and freely for the moment. Indeed, now so many of even the smallest of incidents and minor pleasures throughout my life come back to me as welcome memories and warm reminders of all the wonderful lives that have intersected with my own….
“I’ve been blessed with so many friends who have cherished me and helped me attain so many goals. I believe and hope I can convince you that pursuing your dreams should be a constant motivation throughout your life. That pursuit — and the experiences you have and people you meet in the process — will give you great gifts that are more precious than any material gains. Of all the things in this world that I’m thankful for, my friendships are at the very top of the list. True wealth is measured by friendship – not money.”
Amen. And Godspeed, Romeo.