Following your passions in life (both inside and outside of work) are essential to one’s fulfillment, happiness and joy. I have been very blessed to have found my passion in a second career since retiring from the Navy in 2003. I feel very fortunate to have worked with the best in the modeling, simulation and training industry in Florida and throughout the country over the last 16 years.
We are in exciting and changing times in the defense modeling, simulation, and training domains. The I-4 corridor is world famous for Innovation and growth in technology. Knowing this, Bluedrop Training and Simulation, a Canadian company, decided to open a new office in Orlando. I am very excited to have the privilege of leading and growing the Orlando office and Bluedrop’s entry into the Florida Defense Marketplace.
Whether we are looking at the United States Army’s transition to the Synthetic Training Environment (STE) for the next generation of training providing cognitive, collective, multi-echelon training and mission rehearsal capability or the United States Navy’s focus on Ready Relevant Learning (RRL) providing sailors the right training at the right time throughout their career, Bluedrop is well-prepared to support Prime Contractors and OEMs in the marketplace. We are working together to improve training methods in an environment of continuous advancement and new technologies. Constant evolution is necessary to engage new generations of trainees who expect training to be immersive, interactive and accessible anywhere and anytime; while also capitalizing on technologies from the gaming industry, mobile industry and now Artificial Intelligence (AI). In his book, “Army of None”, Paul Scharre explores AI and challenges in future battlefields, a good read. There is no doubt, today’s defense training has to focus on “Training at the Point of Need”, as well as, the “Speed of Need” utilizing the best tools to get there.
Bluedrop designs and develops advanced training solutions including highly interactive courseware, state-of-the-art augmented reality and virtual reality (VR/AR) training and simulation products. We are quickly moving toward mixed reality (MR). The combination of this AR/VR/MR, now referred to as XR, is where we see the next advancements in smaller footprint, portable training products. The creation of a disruptive, new generation of training simulators dedicated for rear crew mission training is a major part of Bluedrop’s offerings, highlighted recently by our first win in the U.S. market supporting Logistic Services International (Jacksonville, FL) on the US Air Force’s Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH) program with our virtual Hoist Mission Training System (HMTS). This high fidelity, innovative type of device will not only increase rear crew proficiency in aircrew training, it ultimately reduces operational costs and provides a safer training environment.
Bringing Canadian innovation to the Florida Defense Marketplace
At Bluedrop, we recognize that traditional training methodologies are very structured in the defense and aerospace domain, it is extremely important to adopt disruptive technologies to ensure that training remains interesting and motivating while keeping in mind that proficiency and operational competencies are key to maintain a high level of operational readiness. Building collaborative, cross functional teams is essential to success in the Florida Defense Marketplace. One company rarely holds all the answers. Putting together exceptional, innovative winning teams providing the government with the best products and services has been my passion throughout my career.
Bio: Dr. Brett Ulander – After a 20 career in Naval Aviation and being awarded his Doctorate Degree in Psychology, Brett entered the defense industry as a project manager and Integrated Product Team (IPT) Lead on the MV-22 Osprey Tilt-Rotor Training Program under Navy and Marine Corps leadership working for Organizational Strategies Incorporated (OSI). Brett joined the Florida Defense Marketplace in 2006. He has held program management and business development leadership positions at SAIC, OPINICUS Corporation, Logistic Services International (LSI), and Cubic Global Defense.
A passionate volunteer in the industry, Brett is the Inaugural President for the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) First Coast Chapter, standing up the chapter in Jacksonville, Florida in 2017 and conducting a highly successful, major symposium just 18 months after the chapter’s inception. Brett also serves as the Vice Chair, National Training and Simulation Association (NTSA) working to further the objectives and policies of the NTSA in modeling and simulation. For the Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation, Education Conference (I/ITSEC) under the sponsorship of NTSA, Brett supports the Human Performance, Analysis and Engineering (HPAE) Sub-Committee reviewing Abstracts and Papers submitted by government, industry and academia professionals for annual awards and recognition.
