David Hansell

Biography

David Hansell is Head of Ireland and Director of Regulation at Murzilli Consulting, where he leads the firm’s Irish operations and delivers regulatory, technology, and strategy advisory services to aviation and UAS stakeholders across Ireland and the wider EU. Before joining Murzilli, David served as a UAS Inspector with the Irish Aviation Authority, and as Director of Aviation Policy at AALTO HAPS, where he worked with regulators including EASA, ICAO, and the FAA to shape policy for stratospheric aviation.

David’s career spans three decades at the intersection of aviation, policy, and emerging technology. He led global aviation policy efforts at Meta and Loon, and previously served in the Obama White House as Director for Transportation Security Policy at the National Security Council, where his work helped shape 14 CFR Part 107 — the regulation that opened the door to the modern commercial drone industry. His earlier career includes roles with the FAA, TSA, and the U.S. Air Force. David studied Aviation Finance at UCD’s Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School, holds a Master’s degree in International Relations from the University of Oklahoma, and a degree in Aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He is a Fellow and Council member of the Royal Aeronautical Society.

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