Orion Drones

Drone Gig and Brief Weekly Summary

I did some photography for a developer over the weekend for a drone service network. In Figure 1, I took a shot that sort of resembles a box and whisker chart. Lovely weather and variable winds prevailed in the Laurel Highlands. It was the kind of wind that can twist a flag around a pole. Passersby stopped to gawk at the drone.

Aside from crippling allergies this season, all is well. I am about a week away from resumption on a drone build when summer break hits, but I am probably going to bite the bullet and trade my one-off radio Taranis DX9+for an OTS model. I have refused to work on ‘a racing drone build’ for months because, really, I realized I probably will not want to maintain the drain from my wallet, and I have other projects to crowd the free time I will have at the end of the Spring semester. Classes resume a week later for me in a teacher certification program. Busy week behind, and one ahead.

Verticals Community Learning Center

Verticals is a local community development center that gives kids a choice of after-school programs that enrich young lives and provide a sense of pride in community. A link to the group is provided. Some school districts have been able to secure transportation. The students get a veritable launch point for careers in technology and media if they had yet to choose a career path. They like the class, too!

Drone Cinematography Class

• How to fly recreational drones with basic and advanced maneuvers.
• How to plan flights for capturing media.
• Get the soon-to-be mandatory – and EASILY OBTAINED – TRUST flyer certificate from the FAA, online for free.
• How to film, edit, and share a video you make with drone footage and apps.
• How to fly a drone with Scratch Python block code.
• Provide information about industrial drone applications and jobs.

Local Resource in Action

Community groups will have some authority to determine the nature of its flight operations in local airspace come this fall 2022. As long as a responsible pilot is connected to the group, the area can develop flight operations that best suits the needs of the group. A FRIA is basically an area supported by a Part 107 drone pilot or more qualified pilots. The FAA determines the location and quality of FRIAs.

I can see a drone academy being a part of an 21st-century community, so I am studying what we need to do to qualify to become a FRIA. Emerging technology and I like to read legislation. I hop

Time to learn

Topics in the Verticals Youth Empowerment program include artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, drones, digital fabrication, coding, media production, design studio, blockchain, and crypto. Courses in the topics are presented alongside fitness and wellness resources. The center director is retired NFL pro-football player William James, who stepped off the gridiron and into a new life arena. William has an amazing base of supporters, collaborators, volunteers, and stakeholders who help make this happen. Very grateful.

Verticals Youth Empowerment Center is designed to stimulate young minds, give parents an inclusive environment in which to socialize, and to offer youth a sense of pride in themselves and their community. There are other facilities in the works.