Inspirational Black Men In Tech: Barry Alexander of Aquiline Drones On The Five Things You Need To Know In Order To Create A Very Successful Tech Company
An Interview With Jamie Hemmings
Assemble a talented team. Don’t let your ego prevent you from hiring people who are smarter than you are!
Don’t be afraid to reinvent the wheel. Similar products and services may exist but there is always room for improvement.
Look beyond what is here today. Identify trends in how people will live and work 5 or 10 years from now.
As a part of my series about “Lessons From Inspirational Black Men In Tech”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Barry Alexander, a former airline Captain and Boeing 747 pilot with over twenty-five years of experience as an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP). Earlier in his career, he was a helicopter pilot, aircraft mechanic and flight instructor. The entrepreneur is the founder of several companies, including Aquiline Air Ambulance, BLM Enterprises and Aquiline Drones in January 2019, the first Black owned, American drone and cloud solutions company.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit more about you. Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
Growing up on the island of St. Lucia, I was always fascinated by planes and helicopters and that never left me. I fulfilled my dream to become an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP); flying both airplanes and helicopters. I have also worked as an aircraft mechanic and flight instructor. Early in my career, I decided to determine my own destiny by pioneering a crucial air ambulance service called Aquiline Air Ambulance that was designed to fly patients and medical resources to specialized hospitals across the Caribbean and into the US. I then spent over 25 years as a commercial airline captain. Most recently, I flew a Boeing 747 around the world for the military with Atlas Air. My last three years with the company was spent vetting the drone industry, globally. I visited factories all over China, Europe, the Middle East, etc. to learn about component manufacturing and drone operator best practices after recognizing the need for an all-encompassing American drone enterprise. My travels allowed me to form an international leadership team to create Aquiline Drones. We believe that drones are a cost-effective solution for countless industries. They offer speed, security, access to inaccessible locations, reduced human risks and have zero emissions. Since our team is comprised mainly of veteran aviators, we understand that drones are not gadgetry but miniaturized airplanes or helicopters. As such, they fall within the ambit of aviation. Aircraft have the potential of causing harm to people and property, therefore, they should be regulated to ensure safety. We knew we had the expertise to become pioneers not only in the drone industry, but in the airspace regulatory field.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began at your company?
We were approached to form an incredibly impactful partnership with VyrtX, an advanced logistics-technology firm, to create a life-saving medical delivery service for human organs and tissues using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)/drones. There is a 25% discard rate for unused human organs because they cannot physically get into the hands of the transplant surgeons in time before the window of opportunity expires. When every second counts, UAVs propose an ideal solution to move an organ quickly, to where it needs to be safely, securely, and medically-sound. This is a prime example of the limitless potential of drone applications.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
The funniest mistakes who have to be associated with me not doing proper research or paying attention to detail before doing something important and being embarrassed for doing so, especially if the results are consequential. I have learned from my mistakes (especially the funny and embarrassing ones) to be deliberate, thorough, measured, analytical and, most of all, not being be lazy.
Can you tell us a story about the hard times that you faced when you first started your journey? Did you ever consider giving up? Where did you get the drive to continue even though things were so hard?
Five years ago, we were trying to get permission from the FAA to do some testing with E-Hang, a company that made the world’s first single passenger autonomous drone. Approval was denied simply because the agency didn’t like it. We were not deterred because we knew the regulatory environment needed to change in order for the U.S. to be competitive in the drone industry and to protect our country. Since then, we have been working very closely with the FAA to create a safe operating environment, particularly for autonomous drone flights beyond the visual sight line of the operator.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
One of the many businesses I owned and managed in my earlier years was a Construction Management company. The early beginnings of that company began in the field of construction which my first construction business was enabled by the late Richard Weave-Bey. Richard was the owner of an established property management company called Greater Hartford Realty Management. Richard saw my potential long before I did and gave me lots of work and introduced me to many of his contacts in the housing industry. This support was quite instrumental in getting me started and getting my construction business established. Richard also recommended me for membership at the prestigious Hartford Club in downtown Hartford, CT. I will always be grateful to Richard or his support and guidance.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“Self-actualization is a necessity in combatting adversity and is the most appropriate gift that gives hope, empowerment, self-worth and balance.” My family faced hardship in St. Lucia. As a person of color from humble circumstances, I realized early on, that I needed to create my own opportunities in order to be successful. I had an aunt living in Connecticut, so I came to the states where I often worked two full-time jobs to put myself through flight school. I never lost sight of my ultimate goal.
Ok super. Thank you for all that. Let’s now shift to the main focus of our interview. The United States is currently facing a very important self-reckoning about race, diversity, equality and inclusion. This is of course a huge topic. But briefly, can you share your view on how this crisis inexorably evolved to the boiling point that it’s at now?
I am of the belief that society is a man-made concept which is something that can be both controlled and transcended. Anything man-made can be transcended. Man has the technical acumen and wisdom to build an international space station and the very same skill set and wisdom to correct the ailments of the societies that he/she has built. It would take strong political will to ensure that change happens, it remains a priority of government, and racial injustice is treated with the same level of intensity as with the COVID pandemic!
This may be obvious to you, but it will be helpful to spell this out. Can you articulate to our readers a few reasons why it is so important for a business or organization to have a diverse executive team?
Every person brings their life experiences with them to work. Diversity breeds creativity. Collective perspectives are the foundation of innovation. Our team from across the globe has come together to revolutionize an entire industry and build a paradigm-shifting drone ecosystem. Their career backgrounds range from veteran pilots in both civilian and military environments, to technologists including cloud architects and engineers, nuclear physicists, aerospace engineers, algorithmic mathematicians for AI applications, and software engineers.
Let’s zoom out a bit and talk in more broad terms. It’s hard to be satisfied with the status quo regarding Black Men In Tech and in Tech leadership. What specific changes do you think are needed to change the status quo?
More minorities, namely black men and women (based on societal inequity and lopsidedness in comparison to their counterparts) need to — and probably should be enabled, to ensure their sustained and probable success. It is something that I am very mindful of and give the same level of care, attention and awareness to at Aquiline Drones. It is also a function of good corporate citizenry and governance and the right thing to do.
We’d now love to learn a bit about your company. What is the pain point that your company is helping to address?
There are actually several. First, we have two retired Air Force generals on our team who understand firsthand the threat to national security posed by foreign drone manufacturers since drones are being used to patrol borders, monitor critical infrastructures and for law enforcement. The American Security Drone Act of 2019, which aims to ban the federal procurement of foreign drones and other unmanned aerial systems, opens up opportunities for U.S. drone manufacturing. Aquiline Drones has created a proprietary modular manufacturing process utilizing 3D printing. At the center of this process is the agile workstation cell or AWC, an adaptable drone production module, that can be scaled quickly and inexpensively to meet demand. This allows any community, large enterprise, the military or individual to take on the challenge of designing and building drones on-the-fly. This system is flexible enough the be deployed remotely, be it in hostile areas for soldiers on a military battlefront, or even in a community center or in a home basement. Second, drones need to be able to not only transmit visual images, but act as computers that collect, analyze and store data. Lastly, they need to be operated by FAA certified drone pilots.
What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?
Aquiline Drones is different from other drone manufacturers or operators in that we are more aviation centric. Your typical company would be less mindful of the operating environment, unaware of temporary flight restrictions and prone to violating air space.
Also, they would not necessarily be familiar with the regulatory body, the FAA, knowing how cumbersome it is or even how to navigate the regulations. That puts us on a totally different operating plane.
Most importantly, we created the industry’s first aviation inspired and drone dedicated Cloud capable of supporting a wide variety of drone solutions by gathering, analyzing, modeling and storing data/video for law enforcement agencies, State agencies (e.g. DOT), public works departments, large enterprises, agriculture, military and individual clients alike. The Aquiline Drones Cloud (ADC) is designed with extreme security and compliance. ADC supports real-time and autonomous drone operations and can be remotely deployed. ADC is easily scalable and allows for third-party development (Platform-as-a-Service — PaaS). The Aquiline Drone Real-Time Operating System (ADRTOS) is the world’s first aviation-inspired drone OS based on RTEMS open-source technology, ARINC 653 software specifications, DO178, DO330, ARP4754 and other aviation compliant standards and protocols.
Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?
In just a few months, Aquiline Drones is launching the nation’s first true “Drone-on-Demand” (DoD) mobile app. Many businesses, law enforcement agencies, public works departments, and the military are missing out on the invaluable data collection capabilities of drones because they lack the resources for an in-house drone operation. Akin to Uber and Lyft, individuals and businesses can now enjoy the luxury of ordering both private and commercial drone services right from their fingertips. The DoD will be accessible through all mobile devices, including smartphones and tablets. The user may order aerial photography and videography services for utility inspections (power lines, wind turbines, bridges, tunnels, railroad tracks, etc.) outdoor events, real estate, safety patrol, search and rescue missions, precision farming and countless other applications. The benefits are immeasurable. A drone could quickly find a missing child or prevent a train derailment.
Another exciting development is our agreement with DRONE VOLT in France to become the U.S. manufacturer of its products — the HERCULES 2, and ALTURA ZENITH drones, along with its PENSAR AI camera. DRONE VOLT is an international leader in the field of professional civilian drones and embedded artificial intelligence. The group is always developing solutions for the energy, construction, civil engineering and security industries. Towards the end of 2020, Aquiline Drones will occupy 230,000 square feet of manufacturing space that we have vetted in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Interestingly, it used to be the old Sikorsky Comanche helicopter manufacturing plant.
What would you advise to another tech leader who initially went through years of successive growth, but has now reached a standstill? From your experience do you have any general advice about how to boost growth or sales and “restart their engines”?
The exciting aspect of technology is its constant evolution. Look for new ways to streamline an application, improve the customer experience, or fill a gap in your industry. AI is the next tech frontier that offers many areas of opportunity. Challenge your team to identify 5 areas of untapped potential in their area or even within their personal hobbies and interests.
Do you have any advice about how companies can create very high performing sales teams?
The best sales professionals are passionate about their products or services, so don’t limit staff to just those with sales experience. Additionally, that passion comes from the top. Nothing is more inspiring than company executives who are working toward the greater good, who believe their company offers the best solutions for their customers’ needs. Additionally, when the corporate culture is one of inclusion and mutual respect, everyone feels valued and more motivated to help the company succeed. But we all know that money is one of the most motivating factors of all, so offering incentives such as stock options personally invests employees in the company’s bottom line.
In your specific industry what methods have you found to be most effective in order to find and attract the right customers? Can you share any stories or examples?
Take your mission directly to your customers by exhibiting at key industry events. Aquiline Drones has participated in the Defense TechConnect Innovation Summit and Expo in National Harbor, MD; the Army Autonomy and Artificial Intelligence Symposium and Exposition in Detroit, MI; and the Commercial UAV Expo Americas in Las Vegas, NV. At each event, the company forged key relationships with industry innovators and suppliers for future growth.
Based on your experience, can you share 3 or 4 strategies to give your customers the best possible user experience and customer service?
1) Offer each customer a customized solution. No two businesses are alike, so the more specifically you can address their needs, the more satisfied they will be with the end result and the more likely they are to recommend you to others. We like to think of ourselves as a drone solutions company in that we focus less on the drones but more on the capabilities of drones as far as being able to capture the data that is later analyzed, modeled and then used to provide valuable insights to the customer. 2) Strive to forge mutually beneficial partnerships rather than supplier/customer relationships. You never know what growth opportunities will emerge. 3) Deliver what you promise in terms of actual product functionality, customer service and pricing. Ask for feedback through customer satisfaction surveys.
As you likely know, this HBR article demonstrates that studies have shown that retaining customers can be far more lucrative than finding new ones. Do you use any specific initiatives to limit customer attrition or customer churn? Can you share some of your advice from your experience about how to limit customer churn?
Treat all customers — or each customer interaction as unique, with respect and individualized. I find that that approach is more likely to have a more positive and impactful effect on customers such that they eventually become advocates, disciples and evangelists of your company, your products and your services.
Here is the main question of our discussion. Based on your experience and success, what are the five most important things one should know in order to create a very successful tech company?
1) Use tech to solve society’s most complex issues:
- Total Planetary Protection (TPP). Drones can monitor forests for fires, to aid prevention and mitigation, plus oil and gas fields to prevent spills.
- Crop and cattle food supply management for farmers through drone dusting, thermal sensors, etc.
- Law enforcement for surveillance, emergency services specific to disaster preparedness and response.
- Climate change by surveying bodies of water including the ocean.
2) Assemble a talented team. Don’t let your ego prevent you from hiring people who are smarter than you are!
3) Don’t be afraid to reinvent the wheel. Similar products and services may exist but there is always room for improvement.
4) Look beyond what is here today. Identify trends in how people will live and work 5 or 10 years from now.
5) Have the courage to change your business plan. Initially, I conceptualized Aquiline Drones as a drone dealership with the understanding that the industry was lacking direction. I quickly decided to move toward a pioneering position so that we could define standards for the industry, working in concert with the FAA, NASA and other regulatory authorities. We needed to ensure that we first created a healthy ecosystem (and marketplace) within which drones could be introduced and would allow for drones to work alongside man and provide augmented services to man.
Wonderful. We are nearly done. Here are the final “meaty” questions of our discussion. You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
I would challenge corporations to offer an entrepreneurial opportunity to give people the tools to get out of poverty or start a new career, particularly now with the high rate of unemployment caused by the pandemic. As an example, Aquiline Drones launched a new jobs initiative dubbed Flight to the Future. We have many fellow pilots who are facing layoffs and wanted to offer them a new career in a growing field. However, our drone training and small business start-up program is for any American seeking high-paying jobs. Depending on their level of experience, participants can become a fully licensed drone pilot in a relatively short period of time. Aquiline Drones’ Flight to the Future system utilizes the most sophisticated technological platform to achieve its goals, including AD’s proprietary digital agent named Spartacus that provides feedback throughout a participant’s curriculum and training. Spartacus then becomes a job advisor once the individual establishes their business by forwarding lists of requests for actual drone opportunities and missions.
We are very blessed that very prominent leaders read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them :-)
President Barak Obama — for a host of reasons!
Thank you so much for this. This was very inspirational, and we wish you only continued success!
