Thach named executive director of MSU-led ASSURE
Contact: James Carskadon
STARKVILLE, Miss.—Hannah Thach has been named executive director of the Mississippi State University-led Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence, or ASSURE, following the recent retirement of Col. Stephen “Lux” Luxion (ret.).
Established as the Federal Aviation Administration’s Center of Excellence for Uncrewed Aircraft Systems research in 2015, ASSURE continues to lead advancements in UAS safety and integration into the national airspace.
“ASSURE continues to deliver timely, relevant and impactful research and training on behalf of UAS stakeholders,” Thach said. “I am grateful for our outstanding network of collaborators that work together to solve key challenges and look forward to the continued growth of our organization.”
Prior to his retirement, Luxion led the alliance for six years, during which time he expanded ASSURE globally, grew UAS research opportunities and supported industry.
“I want to thank Lux for his many contributions to ASSURE, which include bringing international universities into the consortium and the development of impactful relationships with industry partners,” said MSU Vice President for Research and Economic Development Julie Jordan. “In the 10 years since we launched ASSURE, UAS have continued to show tremendous value for industry, security and emergency response uses. MSU and our ASSURE partners have played a key role in advancing UAS by conducting the research, testing and evaluation needed to inform policy and safe integration into the national airspace. I am excited for these efforts to continue under Hannah’s leadership.”
A member of the ASSURE leadership team since 2019, Thach previously served as deputy director of the organization, which brings together the expertise of dozens of leading universities and more than 100 industry and government partners. She has been instrumental in fostering multidisciplinary research collaborations across the alliance’s network of partners, and these efforts have driven successful projects for the FAA, NASA and prominent industry leaders. Thach has supported ASSUREd Safe, an innovative program designed to train and credential first responders in the safe and effective use of UAS.
Thach’s career in aviation spans nearly two decades, beginning in 2006 as a civilian helicopter-certified flight instrument instructor. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Colorado State University and a Project Management Professional certification. She also earned a Master of Business Administration degree from MSU.
Thach joined MSU in 2017 as a UAS flight operations technician at Raspet Flight Research Lab and served as a project manager. In that role, she managed FAA and Department of Defense project portfolios, including ASSURE projects. Before joining MSU, Thach played a pivotal role in the aviation industry at FlightSafety International, where she developed and maintained training programs for helicopter airframes.
For more information about ASSURE and its initiatives, visit www.assureuas.org.
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