Professor Kenneth “Mike” Canada – Professor Canada is a Coronado resident and an Assistant Professor of Aviation Transportation and Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) at Lewis University and a UAS pilot with 1,500 logged pilot in command (PIC) combat flight hours. Previously employed by Boeing IDS, VT Group, AAI, Neany Inc., and Academi, he has forward deployed with US and International Security and Assistance Forces (ISAF) in both Iraq and Afghanistan. He has supported the US Marine Corps, US Special Operations Command (SOCOM), and Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force (CJSOTF) in combat operations – providing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), battle damage assessment (BDA), mission coordination planning, flight crew mission briefing, and airspace coordination. In addition to being Flight Director certified by Boeing, and an Insitu Level 1 certified Scaneagle maintenance technician, Prof. Canada also has tactical experience with electro-optical (EO), infrared, and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) remote sensors for counter IED operations.
Before entering the UAS industry, Mike Canada spent 10 years in the United States Navy, as an S-3A/S-3B Viking tactical aircraft Instructor and Fleet NATOPS Evaluator. He also worked as a Program Manager for L3 Communications, a Flight Simulator Instructor for Lockheed Martin Corporation, and an Aircrew Training Coordination Consultant for CDI Corporation. Having obtained a B.Sc. in Education from Southern Illinois University, an LL.B. (Honors) in Law and European Community Law from Durham University Law School (UK), and an LL.M. in Comparative Law (with further studies inTaxation Law) at the University of San Diego School of Law, Prof. Canada’s legal background includes: M&A, transfer pricing, international, federal, SALT, and corporate taxation experience with Hewlett Packard; Partner of the Firm (POF) taxation experience with Ernst & Young; and corporate taxation planning, analysis and training with LexisNexis and Jefferson Wells International.
In 2013, Prof. Canada was commissioned to write a paper in support of the UN Special Rapporteur’s investigation on Counter Terrorism and Human Rights, analyzing the international legal ramifications regarding the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in asymmetrical warfare. In June 2014, Prof. Canada was a featured speaker and expert panelist at the McKenna, Long and Aldridge LLP Commercial UAS Symposium in Washington D.C. June 2014.
Mike and his wife have 3 children and live in Coronado.