Dream Big. Fly Safe.
Jay Merkle kicks off the National Drone Safety Awareness Week, highlighting events and initiatives throughout the week.
By Jay Merkle, Executive Director of the UAS Integration Office at the Federal Aviation Administration
Did you ever stop to consider that, among the “dream jobs” children often cite when asked what they want to do when they grow up, there are many that already do or one day will involve the use of drones? It’s true: police officers, scientists, fire fighters, photographers, teachers, film directors — all are among the professions that are already using drones to help do their work.
Here in the FAA’s UAS Integration Office, we look forward to a new generation of remote pilots taking their place alongside today’s technological pioneers. We encourage these dreams in young students, hoping that many of them will find their way to an aviation-related occupation that ignites as much passion in their adult years on the job as it does in their youthful imaginings. And, while we are mindful of developing the (drone) aviation work force of the future, we also have plenty of room for today’s drone operators, whether they are recreational flyers or professionals — everyone is welcome to join this ever-expanding community.
It’s a heady feeling knowing that you’re a pilot, regardless of whether you’re on board an aircraft or operating one remotely. It’s also a big responsibility, especially since manned and unmanned aircraft will ultimately share the same airspace. While many recreational and commercial drones are easy to purchase and operate, that ease comes with the challenge that new operators might join the flying ranks without a proper understanding of the associated responsibilities and regulations. Around this time of year, when holiday gift shopping starts to peak, the opportunity for the FAA to engage with the general public and spread the safety message is especially clear. For just such reasons, the FAA is once again hosting the annual National Drone Safety Awareness Week, or “Drone Week.”
Last year marked the first ever Drone Safety Week, and it was a big success. The week focused on commercial, recreational, and public safety uses for drones, with well over 100 events taking place in all 50 states and beyond. While the current COVID-19 public health emergency necessitated moving this year’s Drone Week to an all-virtual format, we expect outstanding results once again.
So, what are the specifics?
The 2020 Drone Week takes place November 16–22. As an educational campaign, it seeks to teach the public about safe drone operations, as well as showcasing how drones are changing the way we work and live. In conjunction with the Unmanned Aircraft Safety Team, other industry partners, and the FAA Safety Team (FAASTeam), Drone Week will feature over 60 virtual events, with that number increasing all the time. Events are coast to coast across the country and speak to a wide variety of stakeholder groups — from those just starting out to those who operate regularly for business or fun. This year, Drone Week has daily themes, as follows:
- LEARN — What do you need to know to fly? (Monday, 11/16)
- IMPROVE — How can you improve your flying skills? (Tuesday, 11/17)
- PASSION TO PROFESSION — How to go from recreational flyer to commercial drone pilot. (Wednesday, 11/18)
- START A PROGRAM — Learn how to start a public safety program. (Thursday, 11/19)
- IN THE CLASSROOM — How can you use drones in STEM education? (Friday, 11/20)
- HAVING FUN — Why do you fly? (Weekend, 11/21–11/22)
You can view various events and learn how to access them. Also, be sure to check out our Drone@Home challenge. There you’ll find numerous activities, everything from a “Drone@Home” obstacle course challenge to a virtual art gallery for students. On Monday, Nov. 16, at 4 p.m. ET, the FAA Administrator will host a live event with students from the Global Air Drone Academy on the FAA’s Twitter, Facebook and YouTube channels. Throughout the week, you can look for a series of guest bloggers to help highlight our Drone Week themes.
While many of this year’s Drone Week components are fun or creative, it’s all built with a purpose — and that is promoting safety. Like many others, I see great things for the future of drone operations. But as always, if it’s not safe, it won’t fly. We need to instill that message in all our new remote pilots, and reinforce it with the folks who have already been flying. With the highest level of safety, our dreamers and our drones can really take off.
