Michelson was the U.S. representative and deputy chief referee to the Aviation Industry Corporation of China's UAV Grand Prix during its inaugural year (2011), and again in 2013 and 2015.

[34] Michelson was chosen to represent the United States on the NATO Advisory Group for Aerospace Research and Development (AGARD) to predict future (2020 timeframe) sensor technologies for unmanned aerial systems (UAS).

[39] [40] [41] Michelson was a consultant to the U.S. Army and the Indian Ministry of Defence in 2008, responsible for defining and organizing the 1st U.S.-Asian Micro Air Vehicle Demonstration in Agra India.

Naval Research Laboratory, Michelson worked on radar-based ocean surveillance systems and flew hardware test missions on a Lockheed Warning Star PO-1W Super Constellation.

This first project involved methods to electronically track the endangered species Trichechus manatus (West Indian manatee) in the waters around the Kennedy Space Center.

[47][48] In 1979, Michelson directed the Army's Indirect Fire Simulation effort conducted for Combat Development and Experimentation Command (CDEC).

[50] He also directed a program to evaluate ground penetration radar for detection of buried natural gas leaks in urban utility systems.

[59] In 1998, Michelson received the AUVSI Pioneer Award,[60] which is the highest level of recognition within the unmanned systems industry for technical contributions.

Michelson is the recipient of the 2001 Pirelli Award for the diffusion of scientific culture,[61][62] given by an international jury for the "best multimedia project coming from any educational institution in the world".

[68] Michelson has been quoted in news programming with regard to the International Aerial Robotics Competition and the applications of the underlying technology to military and civilian spheres.

[69][70][71] As the use of robotic drone aircraft increased during the Gulf Wars, public interest in the subject was peaked and Michelson was featured in the NOVA episode "Spies that Fly"[72] and the BBC special Seven Ways to Topple Saddam.