Operators, aviators, and builders

John Clarey founded DefendUAS to close the gap in low-altitude airspace awareness. The company's DroneDaaS™ platform is a passive, multi-modal sensing network built to mount on streetlights, vessels, vehicles, and expeditionary tripods. The standard ANSI C136.41 streetlight socket is the anchor deployment path, turning municipal lighting infrastructure into a sensing layer for the lower 400 feet. Clarey conceived the architecture and is sole inventor on all eleven of the company's patent applications, with a PCT filed in 2026.

He has spent three decades putting networks in the public right of way. He built TeleCore into the largest independent integrator of DSL networks in the United States, holding roughly half the national installation market across 44 markets before its sale to ViaSource Communications in 2000. Through 5 Bars he delivered neutral-host wireless for major stadiums and campuses. Through 5 Bars Communities and XG Communities he built the SiteSeleX platform and carried public-private partnership agreements with municipalities and streetlight owners across the USA.

Clarey served on the Orange County Airport Commission at John Wayne Airport from 2012 to 2022, including a term as Chairman, covering capital projects, FAA coordination, and general-aviation policy. He was an invited panelist in the FCC's National Broadband Plan proceedings, appearing on the health-care connectivity panel as Chairman of the National Medical Wireless Broadband Alliance.

Marine One Presidential pilot. Marine Corps Designated Acquisition Officer — managed multi-million-dollar DoD procurement programs with full acquisition lifecycle authority. Led OT&E of advanced electronic warfare systems including radar warning receivers, missile launch detection, and radar jamming technologies. Decorated combat leader.

Collaborated directly with the FAA Technical Center on wake turbulence research. Built city-scale wireless infrastructure alongside Clarey at 5 Bars and XG Technology. This is their third venture together — and the most consequential.

Responsible for integrating acoustic, thermal-optical, RF, and radar into a single working detection node. Developed the unified command platform at the edge, including the multi-sensor agreement logic and the geodetic solution that places each channel in a common frame of reference. Integrated acoustic bearing, thermal classification, and RF identification. Supports RF propagation modeling and detection geometry. Built for disconnected field operation, with TAK interoperability.

CEO, Cydeo Federal LLC — Lead Strategic Partner, DIU PROJ00656. SDVOSB rated 'EXCEEDS' in DIU Operational Compliance Matrix. Leverages FAR 19.1406 and 10 U.S.C. § 3014 OTA authority to accelerate standard solicitation phases. J.D., Ave Maria School of Law. 9+ years U.S. Military service. IC/SOCOM network via Dark Blue Technologies partnership — sourcing GFE radars for Yuma Proving Ground demonstration.

F-15E Strike Eagle WSO — 681 combat hours across 6 combat operations. Distinguished Flying Cross (3 awards). Former Wisconsin Homeland Security Advisor. Direct relationships across DoD, National Guard Bureau, and DHS. Bridges DefendUAS into the National Guard and state-level C-UAS ecosystem.

California State Assembly (1995–2000). Business attorney and founding principal, Scott Baugh & Associates, Newport Beach, CA. McGeorge School of Law, Order of the Coif — one of the highest academic honors in American legal education. Chairman, Republican Party of Orange County. Twice-nominated Republican candidate for California's 47th Congressional District.

Bloomberg-ranked among Washington's top lobbying and government relations firms. Former Chief Government Affairs Officer, Allergan Inc. (Fortune 500). Former staff, U.S. Senate and the California Governor's Office. Board of Advisors, Goldman Edwards LLC. Advisor to IACTA Pharmaceuticals and SafetySpec. Three decades of senior executive leadership across corporate strategy, M&A, and global government affairs — with working relationships across DHS, DoD, FAA, and DOT.