08.11.2021
PrecisionHawk, Inc., a leading provider of actionable intelligence for enterprises’ physical assets, today announced it is partnering with Wake Technical Community College, the largest community college in North Carolina, to provide hands-on unmanned aircraft system (UAS) pilot training. The training is available to FAA Part 107 certified pilots interested in learning how to fly and utilize drones for personal and professional use.
Many pilots who receive their FAA Part 107 certification have little to no real-life flight experience, and this course is designed to help them improve their base-level skills, increase confidence using a UAS, learn how to navigate and properly maintain their system, and ultimately explore flight limitations. The training program provides students with the opportunity to practice flight maneuvers, target recognition, and data collection in a safe environment without risking their own personal equipment.
“We’re proud to partner with Wake Tech to strengthen the drone pilot community and help pilots improve and expand their flying skills in a low-risk, controlled environment,” said Jim Slaight, Vice President of Enterprise Accounts at PrecisionHawk. “This program brings a higher degree of standardized education and training to drone pilots that didn’t exist before.”
As an increasing number of industries – from utilities to agriculture to construction – begin to incorporate drone technologies into their businesses, they need career-ready Part 107 certified pilots. And while the FAA has issued a total of nearly 900,000 drone certificates to professionals entering the booming industry as of August 2021, many of them lack experience operating drones in real-life situations.
"This course is imperative for pilots to learn their equipment’s limitations, and the hands-on training will help them operate drones with confidence and safety,” said Ben Wagoner, Instructional Supervisor, Corporate Training Coordinator at Wake Tech. “Drone use is expanding rapidly globally and here in North Carolina, and this partnership furthers our mission to prepare students for immediate employment.”
The new course, located at the Southern Wake Campus in Raleigh, North Carolina, will officially roll out with an initial course September 11th-12th.
PrecisionHawk enriches data to empower action by accelerating, automating, and amplifying geospatial (GIS) data acquisition and analysis for enterprises. The company’s portfolio of GIS services and tools enables organizations to safely collect data and make precise decisions while managing their physical assets at scale. Harnessing the vast power of emerging GIS, robotics, drones, and artificial intelligence, PrecisionHawk strengthens the data value chain for essential organizations, market leaders, and Fortune 500 companies. Built on more than a decade of experience in pioneering applications in remote sensing and analysis, PrecisionHawk has raised more than $100 million from leading venture capital firms, including Constellation Technology Ventures, Millennium Technology Value Partners, Third Point Ventures, and Verizon Ventures. The company is privately held and headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Wake Tech is North Carolina’s largest community college, serving more than 70,000 adults annually, with six campuses, three training centers, multiple community sites, and a comprehensive array of online learning options. Wake Tech is accredited and offers more than 200 associate degrees, diplomas, and certificates that prepare students for university transfer or immediate employment. About half of those programs can be completed totally online. The college also offers short-term, non-degree training programs as well as small business support, customized corporate training, and basic skills courses such as English as a Second Language and high school equivalency preparation. Wake Tech also serves high school students at the Wake Early College of Health and Sciences, Vernon Malone College and Career Academy, and North Wake College and Career Academy, in partnership with Wake County Public Schools. For more information, visit waketech.edu or @waketechcc on social media.
