Moving On Up… New UAS Director For University Of North Dakota

The University of North Dakota (UND) has hired a retired Army colonel and alumnus as the new director for the center for unmanned aircraft systems, the School of Aerospace Sciences announced Wednesday.

Col. Jeffrey Kappenman was most recently the training and doctrine capabilities manager for unmanned aircraft systems, which meant his job was to help Army leaders understand the needs for such systems. At UND, he’ll work within the university and with government and business to promote economic development related to unmanned aircraft, according to the university. The School of Aerospace Sciences has been involved in, among other things, training military pilots of unmanned aircraft and developing payloads for unmanned aircraft. Kappenman’s military experience will help expand the School of Aerospace Sciences’ unmanned aircraft program, Dean Bruce Smith said in a press release. Kappenman graduated from UND in aeronautical studies and spent 26 years in the Army. Along the way, he picked up a master’s degree in national security affairs from the U.S. Army War College and attended various military command and staff schools.