Stakeholder Engagement: More Than a Box to Tick

RocketDNA's Regulatory and Quality Assurance Manager in Australia, Luke Horjas, takes us on a deep dive into effective stakeholder engagement. With a background in the police and as a hostage and crisis negotiator, he knows the importance of asking the right questions. Join Luke as he shows us that this crucial part of aviation safety is more than just a tick box exercise as the skies continue to get busier....

At too many conferences standing at too many coffee stands have I heard the words ‘stakeholder engagement’ and ‘box ticking’ in the same sentence.

‘Ya just gotta tick that box!’

Recently, because I bothered to pick up the phone, I uncovered something crucial. Towards the end of a 20-minute chat with an ARO, he shared insights about agricultural pilots operating from a private, mowed in airstrip—it didn’t exist in any compliance software and no amount of interrogating an ERC, VTC or even Google earth would have located it. This is the sort of detail that would not have come up in a response to a generic stakeholder email and it is detail that had it not been uncovered could have proven detrimental to the safety of airspace users and our operations.

I have seen stakeholder engagement too often, reduced to a box-ticking exercise—an email here, a google search there. This approach misses the critical detail and context only relationships can uncover. As the complexity of our operations increases, so must the depth of our engagement.

Moving Beyond the Checkbox

The conversation with the ARO drove home a principle that as a former hostage and crisis negotiator I relied on for years: meaningful engagement starts with curiosity. In my time I learned that it is in fact the basics—who, what, when, where, how, and why—that are the most powerful tools we have. But here’s the thing: it’s not just about the questions themselves; it’s about how you ask them. When they come from a place of genuine curiosity, they’re not just questions—they are gateways to discovery, builders of trust and paths to understanding.

The same holds true for stakeholder engagement. We’re not just sending emails or ticking boxes; we’re building relationships with actual people who share the airspace with us. For many, it’s more than just airspace—it’s their livelihood, where they ply their trade, exercise their passion, and should be treated with equal reverence. And that takes more than a checklist—it takes effort, curiosity, and a willingness to listen

Now not all questions are created equal. The “who” and “where” might provide factual information, but it’s the “what,” “how,” and “why” that build trust and uncover the nuanced insights needed to first build a relationship and then navigate shared airspace effectively.

·      Who: Identifies key airspace users.

·      What: Explores motivations and challenges.

·      When and Where: Establish timelines and locations (both physical and at points in time).

·      How: Reveals process and invites problem solving.

·      Why: Uncovers intent and priorities (‘Why’ can come across and confrontational if asked in the wrong manner).
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A Better Way Forward

Here’s how we can raise the bar for stakeholder engagement:

1. Invest in Relationships: Engagement should be ongoing, not episodic. Building trust takes time but pays dividends in safety and collaboration.
2. Ask Deeper Questions: Don’t settle for surface-level information. Dig into motivations, challenges, and opportunities.
3. Be Proactive: We are the new operator in their airspace, it is our job to engage. A phone call, a visit, or a conversation can reveal insights no email ever could.
4. Prioritize Safety and Equity: Recognize that shared airspace is a shared responsibility. Effective engagement ensures all voices are heard, reducing risks for everyone.

At RocketDNA, we believe stakeholder engagement is more than a compliance regulatory requirement—it’s a fundamental part of safe and equitable airspace. By leading with curiosity and focusing on relationships, we can uncover insights that make our operations safer. We can't mitigate risks we don’t know exist, and these can only be uncovered when we’ve built strong relationships.

As someone who’s spent years navigating both the complexities of human relationships and no the complexities of airspace, I’ve seen firsthand the transformative abilities of engagement through curiosity. Whether it’s sit down over coffee or a 20-minute call, small efforts lead to big insights. Let’s approach stakeholder engagement not as a task to complete, but as an opportunity to make aviation safer, smarter, and more connected. Let’s stop treating stakeholder engagement as a checkbox. What are you doing differently to build meaningful relationships in the airspace you are operating in?

To support the drone community and foster stronger relationships in shared airspace, RocketDNA is providing a free Stakeholder Engagement PDF. This resource is designed to help operators navigate the fundamentals of stakeholder engagement, with practical tips, thoughtful questions, and actionable steps to get started. Whether you’re new to stakeholder engagement, doing your first CONOPS or looking to refine your approach, this guide provides some tools to build meaningful connections and ensure safer, more collaborative operations.

Download your free plan here 

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