ACEA President Lauren Moore, Jr. said at a hybrid press conference announcing funding for a program to train veterans to become licensed drone pilots in southern New Jersey, U.S. Senator Cory Booker ( D-NJ) is introduced.
ACEA Provides $150,000 in Funding for Veteran Drone Training Program
DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian M. Crosby
of Atlantic County Economic Alliance (ACEA) received $150,000 in Congress-directed funding for a training program to help veterans become drone pilots and find jobs in the aviation and film industries. The funding was announced at a press conference held at the National Aerospace Research and Technology Park in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey.
“Showing appreciation to our veterans means giving them the support and resources they need to succeed in civilian life,” said Senator Cory Booker, who helped fund the program. rice field. “We are proud to secure funding for ACEA’s drone training program to provide veterans with his much-needed skills training and employment opportunities to strengthen New Jersey’s aviation and film industries.”
The Veterans Film Apprenticeship program was created by filmmaker and drone pilot Lisa Regina. writing to heal Provide training opportunities for veterans in drone and aviation-related technology. The new funding will be used to coach and train the veteran to obtain his Part 107 commercial drone pilot license and to find work in the film and aviation industries.
ACEA President Lauren Moore Jr. said: This request is fully funded and offers several in-demand positions in filmmaking, search and rescue, real estate, and aeronautical innovation companies that have contributed to his path to a successful career as a drone pilot. took the opportunity. ”
Regina regularly uses drones in her filmmaking and plans to do so during the production of “Heroic Episodes,” a TV video series about veterans that will be filmed in and around Atlantic City. Some Veteran Film Apprentice Program participants may be offered the opportunity to gain experience by working on a series.
In 2021, A Write to Heal has joined the accelerator program for early-stage aviation companies. Managed by the Smart Airport and Aviation Partnership (SAAP), the program is funded by his USEDA Innovation Challenge Grant of $1.6 million awarded to ACEA in late 2019.
“Lisa Regina and Right to Heal are proud to join SAAP’s Aviation Business Accelerator Program to create this opportunity for veterans to harness unmanned aerial system technology to create incredible career opportunities. “Veterans are a key area of focus for SAAP and we are confident Veterans Film Apprentice participants will find opportunities with a number of drone companies that are part of the accelerator program.” increase.”
“The Veterans’ Film Apprenticeship is a chance for veterans to heal from the trauma of war and assimilate into civilian life,” Regina said. [Part 107 drone license] Test; not easy. That’s why mentoring and support are so important. Passing the exam earns you a license, but the program doesn’t end there. We want them to be able to make a living, so job hunting is a big part of this program. We have made many forays into the world and have built many great relationships with drone companies. pilot. “
Tony Award-winning actor and Criminal Minds star Joe Mantegna also appeared at the press conference via livestream to voice his support for Regina’s drone/film apprenticeship program.
“This training program is another sign of the positive interaction between ACEA, SAAP and NARTP working together to build an aviation innovation hub in Southern New Jersey,” said Moore. “SAAP’s flightPlan Aviation Accelerator program will foster early-stage aviation businesses like Lisa Regina’s Right to Heal, making them active participants in the aviation ecosystem here. Just a stone’s throw from the J. Hughes Technical Center and Smart Airport, the ground has just been cleared for the airline to begin construction of its second building to advance aviation research technology: the testbed at Atlantic City International Airport. ”
Moore added that additional training opportunities for veterans will soon be offered at the Aviation Innovation Hub. ACEA partnered with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, U.S. Air Force 305th Maintenance Group at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, and Atlantic Cape Community College to co-develop the Future Aviation Training Academy (ATAF) at Atlantic City International. airport. Authorization to fund ATAF’s initial design and construction work was recently approved in the Defense Authorization Act.
read more:
Ian attended Dominican University in California and graduated with a BA in English in 2019. With his lifelong passion for writing and storytelling and keen interest in technology, he now contributes to his DroneLife as a staff writer.
Miriam McNabb is editor-in-chief of DRONELIFE, CEO of professional drone services marketplace JobForDrones, and a fascinated observer of the emerging drone industry and drone regulatory environment. With her 3,000+ articles focused on the commercial drone space, Miriam is an international speaker and recognized figure in the industry. Miriam has a degree from the University of Chicago and high tech she has over 20 years of experience in sales and marketing of new technologies.
For drone industry consulting or writing, please email Miriam.
twitter:@spaldingbarker
Subscribe to Drone Life here.
