One of the premiere online drone flight schools will offer live workshops, courses, expert chats, and demonstrations at one of the largest annual gatherings of remote pilots.
On Tuesday, the Pilot Institute announced a programming schedule for the Commercial UAV Expo on September 2-4 at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas to help Part 107 pilots build their careers. The digital ground school’s first in-person training sessions will be open to drone pilots of all levels and designed to give them the tools to succeed after earning their remote pilot wings.
“This partnership allows us to reach pilots on the ground with practical, hands-on education that helps them achieve their goals and elevate the entire industry,” said Pilot Institute cofounder Greg Reverdiau in a statement.
Drone Opportunities at the Expo
The FAA’s Part 107 remote pilot certificate opens up a range of opportunities for holders to make a career out of flying an uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV).
Entry-level jobs are available in industries like real estate, aerial photography, construction, public safety, and surveying and mapping. Depending on the specialization, drone pilots can make anywhere from $40,000 to more than $100,000 per year.
On the first day of the trade show, the Pilot Institute will host a workshop featuring four “master sessions” and a Q&A with subject matter experts. They will cover topics such as business development, as well as the latest industry advances and Part 107 waivers.
Drone pilots can apply for a range of exemptions that allow them to skirt certain restrictions, such as flying at night or beyond the visual line of sight (BVLOS) of the operator. Registration costs $199.
Also on offer will be two “online-to-onsite” courses, which include several hours of on-demand virtual training and culminate in a final in-person module at the event.
One is designed to give trainees the tools needed to build a drone business, covering “everything from pricing and marketing to legal requirements.” Registration is $299 and comes with a one-year membership to the Pilot Institute’s Premium Community, which offers monthly workshops with drone business owners, live coaching sessions, and networking opportunities.
The other, priced at $399, focuses specifically on drone mapping, modeling, and surveying, which are some of the highest-paying jobs in the industry. Both courses include a complementary exhibit hall pass or $100 off a full conference pass.
The Pilot Institute will also host sessions at the exhibit hall’s Pilot Hub, an area dedicated to pilot education and training. Reverdiau and Vic Moss, cofounder and CEO of the Drone Service Providers Alliance, will host an interactive “deep dive” into the Part 108 BVLOS rule, which is under review by the U.S. Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. Part 108 would open the door to more expansive commercial drone operations.
Other sessions will focus on building the skills to launch a career in drone photography, mapping, or search and rescue. A live indoor demonstration, for example, will show how heavy-lift UAVs are being used to deliver equipment for rescue missions.
The career-building partnership comes as drone industry trade groups push federal regulators to open the floodgates for commercial use. A White House executive order in June, for example, aims to lift operational limitations and prop up domestic manufacturing of UAV technology and systems. That order and another directive—which would ramp up drone security—have received praise from the Commercial Drone Alliance (CDA) and other stakeholders.
“I think there is a broad recognition that this industry represents an opportunity for the Trump administration, partly because there was very little progress that was made [under the previous administration],” CDA executive director Lisa Ellman told FLYING. “They talk about getting rid of red tape, enabling innovation to succeed, enabling emerging technologies.”
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