During National Drone Safety Awareness Week (NDSAW) in November, students from the Global Air Drone Academy (GADA), a nonprofit organization that is bridging the race and gender gap in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) education and careers, got the chance to sit down and have a discussion with FAA Administrator Steve Dickson.
Training
Training
ULM joins FAA's Unmanned Aircraft Systems Collegiate Training Initiative
The University of Louisiana Monroe (ULM) has announced that it is joining the FAA’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems Collegiate Training Initiative (UAS CTI).
According to the FAA, the initiative is a collaborative effort designed to ensure that new technology is safely incorporated into the National Airspace System (NAS) and that qualified professionals are in the pipeline to satisfy the demand of the drone industry, which continues to grow at a rapid pace.
“The FAA is serving as a kind of intermediary for schools that offer this kind of program to get together,” explains Dr. Paul Karlowitz, associate professor of aviation.
Jenny Laird helps establish USACE UAS training program at Hinds Community College
In conjunction with the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) Graduate Institute, Jenny Laird, the UAS lead for the ERDC’s Environmental Laboratory (EL), established the USACE UAS training program at Hinds Community College in Raymond, Mississippi.
As UAS technology became more advanced and affordable over the last few years, the USACE began using the technology in new and innovative ways, but the USACE UAS program had no unified standard, making adoption of the technology throughout the organization “disorganized and decentralized.”
Just one year into his position as the aviation program manager at USACE headquarters, Jason Kirkpatrick advised the Army Chief of Staff that the USACE UAS program was at high risk, primarily for training.
DroneUp acquires AeroVista Innovations to provide full-service drone training to private and public sector organizations
To provide private and public sector organizations with full-service drone training, DroneUp has acquired AeroVista Innovations LLC (AVI).
DroneUp’s acquisition includes AVI’s assets, employees, and customer contracts. It will also transition merged business operations into the DroneUp brand as The DroneUp Training Academy.
“DroneUp is looking forward to the expansion through this acquisition. Bringing AVI into DroneUp allows us to extend our capabilities to create valuable solutions for our customers. We have an exceptional network of pilots and an experienced team of leaders,” says Tom Walker, founder & CEO of DroneUp.
Union Robotics offering factory training certification program for UAS pilots
Robotics company Union Robotics is now offering a factory training certification program called R.A.F.T (Remote Aircraft Factory Training) to accompany its UAS. According to Union Robotics, the new program is the “most comprehensive training and certification instruction offered by a manufacturer in the industry.”
Through the program, industrial drone pilots will be prepared on how to be compliant with upcoming governmental mandates for UAS operations. The program will also offer skill development with drones created for the energy industry.
NUAIR, DroneResponders partner to enhance UAS educational services and training programs for public safety organizations
Northeast UAS Airspace Integration Research (NUAIR) has partnered with DroneResponders to help enhance UAS educational services and training programs for public safety organizations.
“Our partnership with NUAIR will help accelerate the adoption of UAS by first responders across New York State and beyond to help save lives and property,” says Charles Werner, director of DroneResponders and retired fire chief from Charlottesville, VA.
“Our DroneResponders Major Cities Working Group members will also be working closely with NUAIR to conduct research and testing on the use of public safety UAS in large urban and metropolitan areas.”
Swift Tactical Systems to launch comprehensive UAS program in Bahamas following contract award
Following a multi-agency selection process that saw it beat out 25 other companies, Swift Engineering subsidiary Swift Tactical Systems has been awarded a $17 million contract to launch a comprehensive UAS program for the Bahamas government agencies and ministries.
55 short and medium-range UAS will be purchased for the multi-agency UAS program. Immediate surveillance capabilities will be available, training and support will be provided, and a regional UAS academy will be established as part of the program.
The UAS will be available for use by all law enforcement agencies, immigration and customs, corrections facilities, and the military for a variety of activities.
University of Louisiana Monroe team trains Louisiana law enforcement and first responders in UAS tech
A team from the University of Louisiana Monroe (ULM) Precision AG and UAS Research Center recently provided UAS training to a select group of Louisiana law enforcement, firefighters and first responders.
The training class was led by Paul Karlowitz, who has been teaching about aviation and UAS technology in the College of Business and Social Sciences for more than 20 years at ULM. Karlowitz helped establish and became director of operations for the ULM Precision AG and UAS Research Center in 2014.
Oceans Unmanned, partners expand drone training to Scotland
In an effort to provide UAS support for marine mammal disentanglement response efforts in Sweden, Oceans Unmanned Inc. (OU), the Scottish Entanglement Alliance (SEA) and DARTdrones have expanded their freeFLY initiative into the country.
Through the freeFLY program, which was launched in 2018, networks of local volunteer drone operators that are available to support regional response groups are provided with equipment and hands-on training.
OU notes that UAS operators were provided with initial flight training and advanced safe launching, operating, and recovering drones from small boats and support vessels over the course of a two-day session that it hosted.
