In this OrionTalks episode, hosted by Suat Cubukcu, COL (R) Bill Edwards discusses his new book, The Perimeter Has Changed, and how drones, emerging technologies, and evolving threats are reshaping physical security. An Iraq War veteran and experienced drone and counter-drone professional, Edwards is a recognized thought leader in the robotic ecosystem, bringing more than 35 years of experience in national security, intelligence, counterterrorism, and operational security. He currently serves as Director of Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS) Operations at ENSCO and is CEO of Phoenix 6 Consulting. Drawing on his book and operational experience, Edwards explains his 3D Physical Security™ framework and why organizations must rethink the traditional security perimeter to account for threats from the low-altitude airspace. The conversation explores drones and counter-drone security, Decision Advantage, the integration of physical and cyber security, AI, and why effective security begins with governance and informed decision-making rather than simply adding more technology.
Bill Edwards is a retired U.S. Army Colonel with more than 35 years of experience in operational and technical security, counterterrorism, counterintelligence, surveillance and counter-surveillance, and emergency preparedness across government and private-sector environments. After retiring from military service in 2018, Bill founded Phoenix 6 Consulting, a customized security services firm focused on risk-informed security design, emerging threat mitigation, and operational resilience. He currently serves as a Director of C-UAS Operations and Training at ENSCO. He previously served as Principal, leading Thornton Tomasetti’s Security Consulting Group from 2018 to 2022. More recently, Bill served as President, Federal and Public Safety for Building Intelligence, where he led federal engagement and market adoption of trusted access management software. During his military career, Bill served as Director of Intelligence for Theater Special Operations Command–North (USSOCOM), a role requiring close coordination across the U.S. Department of Defense, federal law enforcement, and interagency partners. In this capacity, he designed and implemented a cohesive counterterrorism information-sharing architecture—known as the “Blue Network”—integrating domestic and international partners to support U.S. homeland security and defense missions.
