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Photo Credit: Wix Stock Library The world around us is adapting to the popularity and convenience of drones, and with good reason. Drones provide advantages that cement their usefulness, which forecasts their increased presence in the future. With this is mind, have you ever wondered what drones could tell us about our past? With the advent of Digital Archaeology, research methods are being revolutionized by UAV technology. Currently, more researchers are using drones to collect valuable information about human history. One of the primary roles that drones play in archaeology is 3D Mapping. Earlier this month, Jason Daley with the Smithsonian published an article about the results of a drone survey over Canna and Sanday, two remote Scottish Islands. While flying over the areas, the drone was able to capture "420 million data points", which were then used to create a highly-detailed map of the islands. The survey was performed by GeoGeo, a mapping firm based in Glasgow, and their founder Paul Georgie revealed to the National Trust for Scotland that their survey was "the world’s largest complete island dataset captured by drone." This was an amazing feat, and the information that this data provides will make excavations in the area more efficient, preserving more of the natural landscape. Photo Credit: DroneArchaeology.com Furthermore, efficiency and preservation are the driving forces behind Aerial Digital Archaeology & Preservation's support for drones in the field. ADAP (at DroneArchaeology.com) is an independent research group that provides professional archaeologists, anthropologists, geologists, etc. non-invasive technology to research with. This most notably includes drones. Founded in 2013 by Benoit Duverneuil, consists of technologists, explorers and specialists in communication, and as stated in their name, their main goal is preservation. On their About page, part of their mission is “to promote the increase and the adoption of aerial and digital archaeology techniques and knowledge in the Americas.” In 2017, DroneDeploy reported that the founder of ADAP and three members of his team “embarked on a project to record three endangered sites in the Cotopaxi Province of Ecuador” in an effort to prove the efficiency of drone mapping archaeological sites. Using a DJI Inspire and DroneDeploy software, ADAP was able to capture high-quality images of the site and produce a map made of the drone's composited images, elevation data and a high-resolution 3D model. They were able to do all of this in a matter of several hours, a fraction of the time it would have taken with traditional methods and without disturbing ancient artifacts or excavation sites. If you're interested in learning more about drones being used in the field of Archaeology, check out The Digital Archaeological Record's collection of documents on the Archaeological applications of drones. I am a writer and an artist based in Georgia. Specializing in illustration, graphic design, and video art, I love to explore the new ways technology intersects with art. I think drones have done amazing things for photography and video art, making what would previously be costly and difficult more accessible. As a complete novice, it was only recently that I saw what independent artists could do with their drones, and I continue to be impressed by the sights that drones are able to explore and the images they can capture. Instagram: @tyesha.ferron #DigitalArchaeology #drones #WOMENWHODRONE #womenwhodrone #3DMapping #GeoGeo #droneexcavations #BenoitDuverneuil #DigitalArchaeologicalRecord #Archaeologicalapplicationsofdrones

Tell us your story. How did you get started in the drone industry and when did that happen? I actually find it funny as to how I started my drone journey... My kids and I bought my husband a drone (MJX Bugs 2) on Father's Day 2018. After flying it himself ever so briefly, he asked me if I wanted to fly it. Both of us read the manual and even watched youtube videos on how to fly this drone, but never had experience or full knowledge. Knowing that the drone's technology was limited, it wasn't enough to stop me from trying to fly it. I had taken the drone outside on a windy day, and could not control the drone as it drifted with the wind and lost its signal range. Ever since then, it took me months to gather my confidence back and I actually never had planned to fly again. Months later, incredible landscape shots captured from above, had caught my eye. On instagram and youtube, footages and shots of incredible places, inspired me to try flying again. Seeing shots from Sydney's North and Eastern Coastline, as well as places I never had thought to go to in my own state, got me motivated in creating a little bucket list of locations I must venture and explore. I've always been so passionate about photography, but had never thought technology would have taken my passion to the next level. Fortunately, my phone had an idea of what I wanted, and had pop ups advertising DJI's new drone at that time. In February 2018, I got my hands on the Mavic Air and that is when I officially started flying. Having all DJI's safety features, more knowledge and awareness made me more confident as a novice drone pilot. I've also made friends along this journey, meeting to fly and share insights, had honestly, made this experience enjoyable and rewarding. Recently, my partner had gifted me the DJI Mavic Pro 2 and we're looking to capture and produce beautiful images and videos together. It is definitely unreal to see how far the drone industry has come, and I cannot wait to explore some more of this incredible world! Tell us about your company/work/organization and your position. I'm currently working in the field of health, working as Disability Support Practitioner at Cerebral Palsy Alliance aiming to improve the lives of people with Disability. I'm also in training to be a paramedic set to graduate next year in 2019, and had never thought that my life of drones can create another path for me. As a side job to being a mother, full-time work and studies, I do photography sessions and tours. I am also excited as I'm currently in the works of launching my website and online store for aerial prints. What kind of drone(s) do you fly and what's your favorite thing about it? Currently, I fly the Mavic Pro 2 and the Mavic Air. As my first drone, the Mavic Air was a brilliant flying machine and it taught me how to fly confidently. It was light and compact, and the quality of images it had produced was really great. The Mavic Pro 2 produces much more detailed pictures with its housed 20 megapixel sensor camera is easily the reason why I love it. The smart modes and motion sensors is also my favourite thing about the Mavic Pro 2. Not only does it have side sensors, but they also added top and bottom sensors to assist in tight spaces and upward movement. The smart modes are also a serious addition to capturing more cinematically. Have you learned any valuable lessons being in the drone industry you can share with our female drone community? 1. The best time to capture stunning high-quality shots is during the golden hour of sunrise and sunset. Take advantage of the natural soft lighting, highlights and shadows, and you get that warmth glow 2. Don't forget to apply the rule of thirds to ensure that your shots are well-balanced and perfectly composed. 3. ND filters help minimise exposure while preserving quality and colour as much as possible. I used Polar Pro ND Filters. 4. Remember to shoot in RAW which allows you to make more than just basic adjustments. 5. Utilise google earth to identify potential locations. 6. Never stop exploring! What is your most memorable drone flight? My most memorable drone flight was in Bali capturing those magnificent coastline formations on Nusa Penida Island, beautiful architectures (Handara Gate), beaches and rice terraces. My tour guide/driver had seen me fly and was so keen in trying it. I gave him a run down of what he needed to know, and with guidance, he took off like a pro, manoeuvring the Mavic Pro 2 so cinematically! I was so proud of the quality of his drone footage and the edit and showcased his aerial work. Bali has so much to offer, and what I loved most was the people in it. :) What would you say to women and girls about the drone industry to spark their interest in getting involved? Drone photography is on the rise, and it currently stands a male dominated industry. The popularity of mesmerising aerial photography continues to grow and so does the many opportunities. My new goal is to inspire and motivate other women to get involved in the drone industry and show the world a window for more female-driven content. Female droners are rare, but I know that women have so much talent to offer to this world. What excites you most about more women joining the drone industry? I believe that women in the drone industry are incredibly talented and they frequently offer support to one another. Some women who I've met and became friends with along this drone journey are Charlene Nunn (fellow WWD Ambassador), Thavy Tra and Elizabeth Lassithiotakis (to name a few), are incredibly talented women from Sydney, Australia that continuously produce breathtaking content. We fly together and constantly learn from each other. These women give me confidence and inspiration. I also believe that the more women who join the industry, means that we help to eradicate public perception and create equal opportunities for both men and women. Is there anything else you would like our readers to know about you? Remember to always enjoy what you do, find new perspectives, challenge your creativity and continuously grow! :) I'm Emjeii Beattie, 28 year old drone enthusiast from Sydney, Australia. Follower her work on Instagram: @emjeiiamira #EmjeiiBeattie #WOMENANDDRONES #WOMENWHODRONE #womenwhodrone #womenwithwings #womenwhodroneambassador #spotlightinterview #pilotspotlight

Photo Credit: The Federal Aviation Administration Effective February 25th, 2019, The FAA is requiring the way small drone pilots must identify their FAA-registered drones. Starting then, small drones must fly with their FAA-issued registration number on their outside surface. Originally, pilots were only required to have their unique registration marking "readily accessible and maintained in readable condition," which allowed for some flexibility: Pilots could have their registration numbers inside the drone, such as in the battery compartment or anywhere that could be accessed without the use of tools. However, this will no longer be the case. Meanwhile, the original acceptable methods of external marking are unchanged, and the new rule does not specify where exactly to place the markings, only that it be seen on the exterior of the drone. Currently, the new requirement is an Interim Final Rule titled “Registration and Marking Requirements for Small Unmanned Aircraft”. An Interim Final Rule is a rule that can be commented on while simultaneously being in effect. Their purpose is to allow for immediate action without a prior public comment period. In this case, The FAA wanted to immediately ensure the safety of first responders. There are concerns about the potential dangers present to first responders who encounter a drone and may open it to try and find a registration number. "The FAA’s interagency security partners have expressed concerns about the risk a concealed explosive device might pose to first responders upon opening a compartment to find a drone’s registration number." Having the registration number clearly visible on the outside of the drone allows security personnel to easily identify the drone as FAA-registered without the risk of handling it. This Interim Final Rule will have a 30 day comment period that will end on March 19, 2019. Based on the public's comments, the FAA will then determine whether or not to change the rule's current provisions. Thus, if you have any concerns or criticisms regarding the implementation of this change, feel free to let the FAA know. On the rule's regulation.gov page, the FAA has provided a summary of the rule and an explanation for its immediate adoption along with other important information that you can read before commenting. Comments on regulation.gov are due by March 15, 2019 at 11:59 PM ET. Photo Credit: Wix Photo Library I am a writer and an artist based in Georgia. Specializing in illustration, graphic design, and video art, I love to explore the new ways technology intersects with art. I think drones have done amazing things for photography and video art, making what would previously be costly and difficult more accessible. As a complete novice, it was only recently that I saw what independent artists could do with their drones, and I continue to be impressed by the sights that drones are able to explore and the images they can capture. Instagram: @tyesha.ferron #FAAdronezone #FAA #faa #dronelaws #droneregistration #smalldrones #faaregistered #smallunmannedaircraft #droneregulation #interimfinalrule

Tell us your story, how did you get started in the drone industry and when did that happen? My story began really when I was younger. My greatest influence was both my mother and my father. My mother loved photographs, I basically grew up with her telling stories about all the photographs we had around the house, as they were from my grandfather and my grandmother on both sides. There were also lots of World War II photographs of my dad on Titian Island in the South Pacific and a photograph of my grandfather in Wlodz Poland stand- on his farm in 1933. This was the only photo of him in Europe, so I was fascinated by that one and I always looked at it. However, my dad never liked to talk about this one photo because of the poverty and the anti-semitism they faced during that time. That is what really influenced me a lot and in fact my father although deeply private shared my mother’s love and passion for visual arts in the 1950s and 60s he bought a new Bell & Howell 8mm film recorder but unfortunately, he was never a great film maker. Years later we found these 8mm films and we got them re-digitalised and a lot of the heads were cut off, I think he was running around trying to film us but we were a brood of 8, so we would get together for festive occasions years later and we would watch these 8mm films and try and identify whose little feet they were as he accidentally missed catching the heads in the frame while he was running around filming. It was really very interesting merge between my mom and dad and I also grew up in a very social family. My dad did a lot of business in the house and there were always strangers over for dinner, so I was very familiar with a very multi-cultural home, we had everyone over, my parents were never racist, everyone was welcome in our home. At a young age I started using my brothers Leica camera when he left it behind at the house attending Harvard. When I got my hands on it I really stuffed up a lot of film. It was hard but eventually figured it out and I decided later on to study photojournalism. I became obsessed with the photographers like Dorothea Lange and how she documented the Farm Security Administration and the great depressions conditions of the people. These images were so powerful. I only studied and never did anything else in college, I spent 4 years shooting and reading photo books. Especially the Vietnam photographers like Nick Ut, Henry Huet and Don McCullen. Vietnam war photojournalism had a huge impact on me, I studied it a lot as well. I went to the School of Art Institute of Chicago for undergraduate degree in photo journalism and then I continued on with my master’s there, I was at the school for 7 years. It was there I started getting my first assignments. So, after years of using traditional photographic equipment and video equipment for 23 years about 3 years ago, more news agencies started asking for drone footage so I became FAA and CAA licensed. The technology was changing so fast I did not want to lose out, I saw it as an exciting new piece of technology I could now have access to a bigger story from over it. So, I was a very early pioneer in bringing drones to conflict zones and humanitarian areas. And so, I took UAV equipment into these areas I was working in especially like in Iraqi Kurdistan and in fact I was the first female civilian to drone the Iraqi, Mosul offensive in 2017. Also I was the only female civilian with a drone to take aerial footage when the Rohingya were crossing the Bay of Bengal to escape a genocide of their in Myanmar. So, I think it was a natural progression and really, I am very lucky as I had the photojournalsm experience and I just extended that into drone journalsm. A lot of my colleagues have not made this transition, they still only use traditional photo and video equipment, not UAV technology to shoot aerial footage or do mapping. Tell us about your company and work and organisation and your position? I’ve been working for the last 20 years with the same agencies who are affiliates of Getty images. The agencies give me assignments or I can choose to work independently and all my commercial work that I do goes to Getty Images. So, you can find my work there, but there’s a whole other side of my business for which I consult and teach. So, that’s a private side of the Gail Orenstein drone business that functions as a whole other commercial aspect of my work that me and my husband Robert Hooker own together. So, I really run my business developing content and teaching, but I also consult on international drone usage, and cross-border droning, because I’ve droned in 21 countries which is quite a lot in the UAV industry as it is still in its infancy. I really took my photo journalism business model and extended it into my UAV business. I’ve been to 84 countries as a photojournalist, so I just kind of took that model and just ran with it using my drones. As I said I’m both FAA and CAA certified and registered with the National Union of Journalists and the International Press Association, so I have a lot of heavy credentials on me when I am working globally and I use these to do my work and move freely. It helps me get into fly in particularly difficult air spaces, having these licences, I highly recommend getting licensed. So, that’s my background behind my company. It’s both a news gathering company, but it also is a consulting company. What kind of drones do you fly and what is your favourite thing about it? Well as a drone journalist it’s kind of a unique question. I fly with a fleet of drones actually. I use to fly actually when I started 3 years ago, with only my Parrot Bebop 2 and my Phantom 3 but I would have my Phantom 3 confiscated a lot at the airports back then, so I just would really shoot a lot with my Parrott Bebop 2. I actually got a lot of aerial work done with that hobbyist drone, I did the Rohingya crisis and I actually did the Mosul offensive in 2017 with my Parrot Bebop 2. So, you know it doesn’t have to be something fancy, but I would say over the last couple few years as I find myself literally droning hours and hours a day, I am more particular about which drone I take to which region and to shoot what. The camera capabilities change so fast now as the UAV industry develops, I’m definitely thinking more and more which piece of equipment fits with my particular assignment and clients needs. Have you learnt any valuable lessons being in the drone industry and can you share these lessons with our female drone community? I’ve learned that just because I use drone technology, doesn’t mean that suddenly it’s a female industry, most of my colleagues have remained male, like it was in the photojournalsm business, that has not changed yet sadly. There’s not a lot of female drone journalists, so just because we have new technology doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s going to be suddenly be flooded with females. Often I’m still faced with the same difficult challenges that women face in my field which is that you know the equipment gets very heavy. UAV equipment is very battery intensive and carrying a lot of drone equipment can be heavy and I carry a lot more of batteries to remote places. When I was younger I was carrying rolls of film and they weren’t as heavy, but they were still cumbersome but now I am carrying a lot more heavy items. Sadly, I would say there is some sexual harassment issues that still make me feel uncomfortable, but I’ve been dealing with this for 24 years, so it’s a complicated issue and it’s a whole other kind of issue that I think needs to be made aware as it go under-reported. I think will drone journalists will have their have #me too day but not anytime soon. I would also say if you’re a female and you want to get started in conflict and humanitarian, I would do a lot of documtry work first. You need a lot of courses on hostile environment training in using technology in hostile environments and self-defence classes. There’s a lot of things young women of all ages can do to protect themselves while they’re in the field. You need to have all of preparation done before you go to any of these places. I don’t recommend you go into Iraq as your first introduction to this field. it’s very dangerous and if you’re in unfamiliar space like this, you’re not going to be prepared. So, I wouldn’t advise women or men starting out to go straight to war. As for having a favourite drone I use while working in the field, I have favourite drones for different countries depending what I am droning that serve a different purpose in the field. It is a complicated question to answer in one interview. Whether it’s from creative, commercial or humanitarian perspective, tell us about your most memorable drone flight you have piloted so far? I think my most memorable flight was when I was flying next to the Myanmar border in Bangladesh and the Rohingya were fleeing, tens of thousands of Rohingya were crossing from Myanmar into Bangladesh and I actually witnessed this. These people were suffering so much, not only from days of walking without food and water, but distress over trying to locate their loved ones, distress about the genocide that was happening against their population and being denied by the Myanmar government. The fact that they were stateless and had no passports, the anxiety of not knowing their own personal fate. I was working and with all of these refugees at the time when they reached Bangladesh and one day I was droning, they were building one of the first refugee camps and the backdrop was floods the monsoon and all the suffering was going on around me. Many times when I was droning this many of the Rohingya took the time to try and clear a path for me to be able to launch my drones, in the thick muddy conditions. I did not have my helipad for landing and you know these people who are in just unbelievable distress took a minute to help me try clear a muddy path to be able to get their story. Even under the most distress, I was deeply moved they were trying to help me find a piece of cardboard as they were suffering a genocide. And with all this hostility towards the press these days, you know seeing a population experiencing genocide and becoming refugees overnight yet realising the importance of your work while you have a President around the world saying “journalists are the enemy of the state”, these Rohingya were helping me was a moment I will never forget. I do usually bring a helipad so that I can land my UAV, but I didn’t have one in Bangladesh during the Monsoon. So, to see people give a little part of their roof so I can land my drone which won’t land in the mud is pretty amazing stuff, you don’t forget things like that. You don’t forget the faces, you don’t forget the people and that just really forever sticks in my mind, the sheer strength of these people. What would you say to women and girls about the drone industry to spark their interest in getting involved? I would say that you’re very lucky if right now you’re considering anything that has to do with being a female in this industry, because the doors are opening for you. There are many women in their middle age like me who bring a lot of experience to the field and young women who also come from different background like search and rescue and life guarding, that are bringing experience into this industry at an early phase of it’s development. We need people like that, so that when you come of age to get licensed which is 16 and you’re thinking about what direction you might want to take, the industry already has pioneers you can look up to as role models. You have us in the field doing the work, you can think about what you want to bring to the UAV industry, I had to figure that out by myself. We need strong women, we need young women not to give up, we know that this can be expensive between training and buying professional equipment but it does not have to be. More and more UAV companies are now offering free educational material like Dr Catherine Bell. Also, don’t give up just becuase it’s hard. I have had a very long journey, my younger years I never had money, but I never gave up because it was always my passion. I would say with drone journalists, it’s a very different very unique way of using a drone, aerial filming is very difficult in a hostile environment, so you really have to be passionate about it. It’s not like you wake up one day and say “oh I want to take small drones to war”. if it’s really not in your blood to wake up and be excited about going to remote areas and working in them, working with news agencies, Police and with the military and often opposition fighters then this is not necessarily an area in UAV you would pursue. We have so many under-reported stories that need a young women’s perspective, a young woman’s voice, a young woman to show what this story is about. Like why aren’t women in refugee camps getting any sanitary napkins, why are 2,000 women using 1 toilet. This is really important stuff and we need to as women work with Aid agencies and news agencies to cover it women but we have to as drone journalists use or access to these places give a female perspective on women’s issues. I would argue that is the most critical thing I could leave for young aspiring female UAV pilots, especially UAV drone journalists is don’t let the industry leave out the female perspective, the female voice. Do you have any drone tips and tricks you can share with our audience? Well you know I don’t really, I’m not into tricks so to speak. I am a very vigilant droner, but some tips would be to have first and foremost get licensed. Because in the areas especially young women it’s very important to be professionally accredited in these places I fly. The more professional paperwork you have, I know this sounds a bit odd, but the safer you might be when you’re crossing borders. If you have FAA or CAA certification and you have notarised journalist papers it helps. Make sure all your accreditations are up to date, make sure as I said earlier that you can take as much hostile environment training, self-defence and also first -aid. If you have any questions about what you might need to take before a trip, you can email me at gailphoto@hotmail.co.uk or send me a DM on twitter @droneorenstein. You can ask me about safety classes in your area and I will highly likely know where in the UK or Europe or the US I can put you in touch with. So, it’s very important to stay up to date with safety and security updates in the places you want to travel to. What is the best way for our readers to get in touch with you? You can email me at gailphoto@hotmail.co.uk or you can DM me on twitter @droneorenstein or go to my LinkedIn page Gail Orenstein and visit my website for more information gailorenstein.com So, feel free to get in touch with me, if you have any questions. But remember I am very cautious so if you’re expecting me to give you all the answers, I won’t be able to do that, but I will point you in direction always. Remember you are always at your own risk in these places so always stay connected and use social media so people can be able to know where you are and keep in close contact with you. Use Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram and always have your GPS turned on, on your phone. It’s very important for family to be able to know where you are in conflict zones so stay safe and there’s multiple levels and ways that you can do that. Is there anything else you would like our readers to know about you? That’s a really great question, but I think I pretty much covered quite a bit. I think at this point I am going to end this wonderful interview and leave it open for some email questions or leave it open to Women Who Drone to take some questions and DM them to me or email them to me. I would like to thank everybody so much at WWD. Go and visit my website check me out on Twitter, check me out on LinkedIn and I am very honoured and very humbled always to be able to do an interview especially for a female audience. Thank you very much. Gail Orenstein #womenwhodroneambassador #womenwithwings #womenwhodrone #WOMENWHODRONE #WOMENANDDRONES #pilotspotlight #spotlightinterview

A New Year, another continent, same culprit - flights were either rerouted or grounded after two pilots in the cockpit of flights on Southwest Airlines and United reported seeing a drone hovering at roughly 3,500 feet above Terterboro, New Jersey earlier this week. Roughly nine miles from Newark airport, the reported drone sighting from the other day caused delays up to 30 minutes. Video footage or actual proof of said drone has yet to surface. Moreso, DJI’s head of Law, Brendan Schulman, finds it highly unlikely that any UAV could withstand such a high altitude at the peak of winter. If this tale sounds all too familiar, it’s because this is the third time a “drone sighting” has grounded or redirected flights and inconvenienced travelers in the past two months. The first incident occurred on December 19th at Gatwick airport, a major international hub in Southeast England. Authorities closed the runways, grounding over 1,000 flights, which delayed 140,000 passengers for over two days while a manhunt ensued. Two suspects were arrested and later released when the police could not prove their involvement. A few weeks later, all flights at Heathrow airport were grounded for an hour when a drone was spotted 300 feet AGL near a runway. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) receives hundreds of reports regarding unauthorized flights around airports and helicopters, each month. However, most are not verifiable. The fact is, a majority of drone pilots are safe and responsible. Drones have not caused one civilian death yet, to date. Nevertheless, drones have become the new UFO sightings. When people can’t clearly identify a disruptive object, they immediately assume it must be a drone. The fallout for drone pilots? Not everyone who flies a drone is a pilot. Any technology can fall into the wrong hands and people with malicious intent will always find a way. Women Who Drone ambassador, Carys Kaiser, whose work regularly appears in major publications including The Guardian and BBC called for airports to adopt much-needed security measures. Sure enough, anti-drone defense systems have surged in popularity in the wake of Gatwick and Heathrow, with the former enlisting Drone Dome to help secure their airspace. In the US, amidst a government shutdown, progress is being made to allow flight over people, at night. This is a huge development when one considers how difficult getting a waiver for this level of operation was in the past. Additional testing and certification is something being seriously considered by the FAA. Drones are good. Despite the overwhelmingly negative media coverage they receive, they continue to prove their use in a multitude of industries including construction, agriculture, and mining. Teams that adopt drone technology can count on saving time, money, and effort. Equipped with thermal cameras, they're able to locate missing people and animals. Simply put, they're not going anywhere. In the wake of these incidents, airports need to adapt for the occasional rogue user. Kara Murphy, known as @karaemurphy online, is a certified remote pilot, freelance writer, marketing consultant, and artist living in Michigan. You can purchase her drone photos at Aerial Print Shop. #gatwick #heathrow #top5drones #dronesecurity

Tell us your story. How did you get started in the drone industry and when did that happen? I started in November 2015. I still remember how my knees shook, but as soon as I saw the footage I took, I fell in love with my drone! Tell us about your company/work/organization and your position. I work as a videographer and a drone pilot. Filmair is the company I founded in 2015. I do collaborate with other pilots, mostly men because in Italy the female pilots are very few. I did a flight last year for the first time in the city, on the occasion of the Milano Marathon (stramilano). I was one of the first woman to fly above Milano city on such a manifestation with permission. What kind of drone(s) do you fly and what's your favorite thing about it? I have a Phantom 4 Pro and a Mavic Pro for fun. Have you learned any valuable lessons being in the drone industry you can share with our female drone community? Here in Italy the competition with men is really tough, they have most of the market. Therefore, I always have to invent extra skills to make myself more interesting. Most of the time creativity makes a difference to getting recognized. What would you say to women and girls about the drone industry to spark their interest in getting involved? The Milano marathon "Stramilano" with so many people. It was a thrilling experience!!! What would you say to women and girls about the drone industry to spark their interest in getting involved? Drones are the future! Not just in video, but in many other fields! What excites you most about more women joining the drone industry? Collaboration, women are great at teamwork. Is there anything else you would like our readers to know about you? For me a video is better than many words see my showreel . I hope to inspire many women! Veronica Pachulski went to art school in her home town of Milano and she also studied Computer Graphic Design in San Diego. She worked as a graphic designer in Milano and occasionally does some video work. Veronica decided to add her long time passion for video as a new skillset, showcasing photos and videos from above. Entering the drone industry was one of the best decisions she has made! Web site: www.filmair.it / fb: filmair.drone / Instagram: filmair_drone_solutions / vimeo.com/filmair / fb: Veronica Pachulski / email: info@filmair.it #veronicapachulski #WOMENWHODRONE #womenwhodrone #WOMENANDDRONES #womenwithwings #womenwhodroneambassador #spotlightinterview #pilotspotlight

Tell us your story. How did you get started in the drone industry and when did that happen? This all started when I booked a last-minute ticket to Hong Kong last year of October 2017. My best friend mentioned that she bought herself a drone and to be honest I didn't care for it much at that time, as drones weren't as popular last year compared to today. All I knew was that it was a flying camera. What’s the big deal right? When I arrived in Hong Kong to be honest I wasn't psyched. I had been there often but only for transit flights, so I only booked 5-days expecting to do the typical tourist things like Hong Kong Disneyland, or Hollywood road. I was wrong. We ended up doing the least touristy things and started traveling like a local. Instead, we hiked mountains and sought out beaches, which was very unusual for a place that is known to be a concrete jungle. On the hikes, like any other travel, we took pictures but I wasn’t impressed by a flying camera until I saw the results. My jaw dropped. The 5-day trip ended up becoming 2 weeks of self-discovery and finding passions. Tell us about your company/work/organization and your position. I am currently a university student What kind of drone(s) do you fly and what's your favorite thing about it? DJI Spark - I love the size and the surprising results with every flight. It's so much fun to fly and it's completely underrated drone. Have you learned any valuable lessons being in the drone industry you can share with our female drone community? Perspective. I realized it's the same with my perspective in life. What does not look good to you now or if it doesn't seem like life is not going well, at some different angle, it probably is. The only thing you can control is perspective. Soon after, I slowly discovered my style and what I like shooting. Ironically, one of the reasons I bought a drone was so I can take pictures of myself without having to ask someone to take it for me. I ended up realizing how conceited I was compared to the beginning of the year. Whether it's from a creative, commercial or humanitarian perspective, tell us about your most memorable drone flight you have piloted thus far. My most memorable drone flights I've ever had were two. The first was when I was flying over whale sharks. It taught me how small we actually are in the world and helped me fall in love with the ocean, not only from underneath but also the beauty from above. The ocean is the backbone of the earth and we must protect it at all cost. The second experience was when I was shooting the landfills. With the power of drones, one can show the magnitude of how bad and out of hand our pollution is getting. What would you say to women and girls about the drone industry to spark their interest in getting involved? A completely different way of art and expression. You never know what shots you'll get and I think it's what's most enjoyable about it, the unexpected. What excites you most about more women joining the drone industry? As a predominantly male-ruled industry in drones and in the tech world, it excites me that more women are not intimidated to try news things and involve themselves more in technology. Is there anything else you would like our readers to know about you? Take the leap. What started out as a holiday to a city I wasn’t keen on going to, I initially later fell in love with it and it became a journey of self-discovery and introspection. I discovered not only my passions but that I was not bounded by any limitations, that we all have so much potential and capability. Now the world of drones not only has changed my life but my perspective of the good and bad encounters. That the smallest change in perspective can transform a life as perspective is not only what you look at, but also where you look from. Abigail is a drone photographer from the sunny islands of the Philippines. Being raised in a country with 7,641 islands, she saw the opportunity to capture the beauty of the pristine waters and beaches with her drone. It all began in October 2017 when she fell in love with the world of drones and finally got the push to get one of her own after getting inspired by a DJI video about Women Who Drone on International Women’s Day. Since then, her drone photography has been featured on Philippine newspapers and as a sideline profession while being a university student. She aspires to capture the beauty of our mother earth and tell stories with her drone. If you would like to get in touch with Abigail, you are able to contact her via Instagram @awkward_abbey #WOMENANDDRONES #WOMENWHODRONE #womenwhodrone #womenwithwings #womenwhodroneambassador #AbigailAquino #spotlightinterview #pilotspotlight #DJISpark

Photo Credit: Elistair Various pilots fly drones for different reasons. They could be photographers looking for the perfect aerial shot, videographers getting the best angle for an event, or FPV racers flying through national league courses. However, that's not all drones are limited to. Entrepreneurs are finding more applications for drones everyday. Their ingenuity and drones' convenience have led to yet another innovation: drone tethering. Essentially, drone tethering is a method of flying a drone while keeping it linked to one location, allowing the pilot to fly their drone with a reduced risk of crashing. Drone tethering businesses employ this method with the added purpose of keeping the drone in the air for extended periods of time. They power the drones by connecting their tether to a ground station that provides it with power, keeping mobility limited and flight continuous for hours. A long flight time is one of the most marketable features you can have on a drone. While many high-end drones boast flight times of 20 - 30 minutes, some people need the convenience of a drone 24/7. That's the market drone tethering businesses find themselves in and they have taken advantage of it. Over the past decade, many companies were founded to provide this service for different purposes. Companies rely on drone tethering for security, broadcasting and more. Elistair is a drone tethering business that specializes in providing their services to those in areas such as the defense, private and public safety, and telecommunications sectors. Last month, Elistair made headlines because French authorities chose to enlist their service to assist them in providing security for a music concert. Reportedly, the drone was deployed "to monitor access, entrances, exits, roads, people and vehicles at the event, with a situational awareness radium of 1.5km." Alexandre Auger, CEO of Adéole Network (a civil and professional drone company in Bordeaux) stated that previously, limited battery life put a huge amount of pressure on the company. The hours of battery life that tethering provides must have been a relief because they intend to use the same system in the future. Another well establish drone tethering business is CyPhy Works: Persistent Aerial Solutions. CyPhy is a startup based in Danvers, Massachusetts whose tethering system reportedly keeps drones in the air for up to 2 weeks. They describe themselves as "research driven" and their product as "essential devices" and "transformative tech". CyPhy's clients are primarily in the defense, public safety, and commercial industries, and they purport to be the leading company in persistent aerial observation. It doesn't end there. Fotokite, Hoverfly, and Powerline are all companies that advertise drone tethering services. If you find yourself or your business in need of a drone tethering business, there are plenty of options to choose from on the market. I am a writer and an artist based in Georgia. Specializing in illustration, graphic design, and video art, I love to explore the new ways technology intersects with art. I think drones have done amazing things for photography and video art, making what would previously be costly and difficult more accessible. As a complete novice, it was only recently that I saw what independent artists could do with their drones, and I continue to be impressed by the sights that drones are able to explore and the images they can capture. Instagram: @tyesha.ferron #dronetethering #Elistair #AdéoleNetwork #AlexandreAuger #CyPhyWorks #CyPhy #Fotokite #Hoverfly #Powerline

Photo Credit: Wix Stock Images Every year a slew of of startup companies come onto the scene with big ideas and even bigger goals. More startups are taking advantage of the rise in popularity of drones and their many applications. Here are a few interesting startups that revolve around drones and drone technology. FLIRTEY Photo Credit: Flirtey Flirtey is a delivery-based startup founded in 2013 by Tom Bass, Ahmed Haider, and Matthew Sweeny. They are lauded as "the premier independent drone delivery service in the world." Undoubtedly, this is due to the fact that they have provided their drone delivery service outside of the U.S. in New Zealand and Australia. Flirtey also has a reputation for working with a variety of well-known companies and universities. Notoriously, they conducted deliveries for 7-Eleven to deliver Slurpees to consumers in Nevada and Johns Hopkins University of Medicine to deliver medicine and medical samples, demonstrating a diverse client-base. On their website, they state that they aim to show that "drone delivery is the safe, efficient and personalized delivery method that consumers and companies demand," focusing not only on the convenience of having a drone deliver food and medical supplies, but also safety. Due to this dedication, Flirtey obtained "world first regulatory permissions" in the U.S. and New Zealand. In 2015, they were the first drone delivery company in the U.S. to be approved by the FAA, and they intend to continue developing their safety technology as an added assurance. IMPOSSIBLE AEROSPACE Photo Credit: Impossible Aerospace Impossible Aerospace's founder has roots in Tesla, which is what ultimately inspired the unique design of this drone. The startup was founded in 2016 by Spencer Gore, who is a former Battery Module Design Engineer at Tesla. What makes Gore's drone design unique is his battery-first approach. The drone is designed around the battery which allows it to have significantly longer flight times: an alleged two hours. Gore had this to say about his drone: “It’s the first aircraft designed properly from the ground up to be electric, using existing battery cells without compromise." He describes it has a "flying battery"since the energy source also functions as its primary structure. PRECISION HAWK Photo Credit: PrecisionHawk PrecisionHawk is a drone startup that deals primarily in assisting companies with data collection and processing. On their "About" page, they sate that they are “dedicated to changing the way businesses view their assets and manage resources.” In 2014, they launched a cloud application, currently named PrecisionMapper, which automatically processes aerial images into maps, models, and reports. PrecisionHawk began in 2010 as a service that used drones to chase away pest birds in vineyards. At that time, they were called WineHawk. With this initial experience, they learned how to collect aerial images and extract data that was useful to winemakers, their initial clients. Eventually, they expanded their business and changed their name. I am a writer and an artist based in Georgia. Specializing in illustration, graphic design, and video art, I love to explore the new ways technology intersects with art. I think drones have done amazing things for photography and video art, making what would previously be costly and difficult more accessible. As a complete novice, it was only recently that I saw what independent artists could do with their drones, and I continue to be impressed by the sights that drones are able to explore and the images they can capture. Instagram: @tyesha.ferron #drone #dronetechnology #dronestartups #FLIRTEY #IMPOSSIBLEAEROSPACE #PRECISIONHAWK #WOMENWHODRONE #womenwhodrone

Tell us your story. How did you get started in the drone industry and when did that happen? I flew my first drone in August 2017 when my friend came over to my house for a drink and brought his Phantom 4 Pro with him. He started buzzing it around my yard and neighbourhood, to which I instantly got hooked. I played around editing the videos he had shot and my neighbour loved them. My neighbour said that she would pay good money for the video of her house, which then got me thinking. I decided after that to start my own company shooting aerial photos and videos for real estate to see where it might lead. It was great timing because I had taken a career break to raise my young girls and was ready to get back into the workplace, but didn't want to return to Corporate HR Management. I got my 107-license a short while later and bought a Mavic Air to add to our fleet of Phantom 4 Pro, Mavic Pro and Inspire 2. I have partnered with a number of certified pilots, realtors and professional photographers and I am excited to watch my small company growing daily. Tell us about your company/work/organization and your position. I founded Buzz My Property in August 2017 after my friend introduced me to drones. I had the advantage of being a private pilot to understand airspace and weather with more ease than some of my competitors might. Getting the 107 didn't take me long and I was mentally in a good spot to commit fully to my business. I partnered with some phenomenal drone pilots and we built our portfolio together, learning a lot along the way. All our pilots are FAA Part-107 licensed and while based in Mount Laurel NJ, we have been asked to take jobs much further afield. Our jobs are insured on site and we pride ourselves on running a professional business with a simple and transparent model. What started as a small 'strictly' real estate aerial photography business, is quickly becoming a bigger organization with jobs stretching into other commercial sectors, including construction and media production. We are surfing the wave of the booming drone industry and it's a thrilling ride. What kind of drone(s) do you fly and what's your favorite thing about it? We have a number of drones in our fleet (Inspire 2, Phantom 4 Pro and Mavic Pro), but I personally fly the Mavic Air and love how compact, light and transportable it is. I take it with me wherever I go and appreciate the quality of images for its relative low cost and versatility. For sure, when we’re working on larger commercial projects requiring better quality images or longer battery life, we roll out the big(ger) guns, but for my personal use, it's a great drone and I can't wait until my girls are old enough to learn how to fly it. Have you learned any valuable lessons being in the drone industry you can share with our female drone community? Be brave and break through that initial reluctance to try what can seem like a daunting piece of technology in a seemingly “man’s world”. Drones are insanely cool and there is definitely enough space in the industry for men and women to work side by side. Build a network around you and use it to your advantage. Put yourself out there. Hone in on your best skills and offer them up to the rest of the community. Go to the workshops, courses and the networking events. There are so many aviation-related events directed at women starting from the earliest age, go and volunteer and see where you end up. If you think you can do it, you’re probably right! Whether it's from a creative, commercial or humanitarian perspective, tell us about your most memorable drone flight you have piloted thus far. I have to say that my most memorable flight is purely an emotional one. My husband and I flew back to Sicily to show our young daughters where exactly we got married just over 10 years ago and I had the most beautiful flight over Isola Bella/Mazzaro beach in Taormina on our last morning there. I launched my Mavic Air from the balcony of my apartment, 400-feet up a cliff overlooking the bay and hoped dearly that I would be able to get it back! I got some great images of a beautiful place that means a lot to me and had the most surreal feeling of peace and happiness while I was flying that day. Corny as hell, but you asked the question! What excites you most about more women joining the drone industry? I’m enjoying watching the female community grow within the drone industry, because I think that women bring a different skill set than men do. While men tend to have more confidence with new technology, women excel at networking. In an area which is still so new and with so many uncharted avenues to explore, women are paving the way to new ideas and branching out just by speaking to other people and grabbing opportunities where possible. Contrary to (some) popular beliefs, women are as able as men to pilot and navigate drones and their associated technology. We may work in different ways, but the end result is just as successful. The more of us who get out there and prove it, the less we will need to shout it from the rooftops! Do you have any drone tip & tricks you can share with our audience? Don't be afraid to try new things. With enough time, space and charged batteries, anything is possible! I think there is a lot to learn when it comes to drones, and it's easy to get overwhelmed, so start off small and ask for help just BEFORE you really need it. Use the RTH feature - it's there for a good reason! I read the whole DJI manual before even turning the Mavic Air on, and I learned a lot. Finally, make some drone friends. There are so many resources available now and drone communities offering advice and educational insights that there is no excuse for staying ignorant. Get licensed if you want to operate commercially, understand the airspace you're flying in and respect the weather so that we can all continue to enjoy this fun and exciting industry together. Is there anything else you would like our readers to know about you? I was born in Holland to a French mother and British father. I was raised all over Europe, from Holland to Germany, France, Spain, Switzerland and the UK. I speak 5 languages. I took 2 GAP years, (before and after College) to travel around the world and skydive before settling in America one week after getting married in Sicily 10 years ago. I can honestly say that I am living the dream over here in the USA! My roots will always be European but America has my heart. To anyone who doesn’t appreciate how unique and exciting the opportunities are this side of the Atlantic, I say "keep calm and drone on"! Emily has always been passionate about anything that flies. She was born in Holland and raised by a French mother and British father across 6 European countries before marrying a Brit and moving to the US. The first 10 years of her career were in Corporate HR working for a multinational Oilfield Services company but flying was always in the background. She started skydiving at an early age and clocked over 1200 jumps before turning her attention to flying. She got her pilot's license in 2009 and completed a few hundred hours of flying before having her second daughter and then discovering drones. Emily started her own business in August 2017 and shoots aerial real estate photos and videos in the NJ/PA areas. She strives to successfully juggle her love for flying with her passion for travel while committed to raising her family. If you would like to get in touch with Emily, you are able to contact her via email emily@buzzmyproperty.com #WOMENWHODRONE #WOMENANDDRONES #spotlightinterview #pilotspotlight #EmilyHines #Phantom4Pro #MavicAir

Tell us your story. How did you get started in the drone industry and when did that happen? I am an engineer who loves new technologies and gadgets. My interest to drones started few years ago when I built my own drone and I have also bought several drones during these years. Since I always loved photography and was already taking photos on land and underwater. I though taking aerial photos would be fun and it did not disappoint me, I just love it! Tell us about your company/work/organization and your position. I have a PhD in mechatronics where I do research on cyber-physical systems such as intelligent, collaborative robots, autonomous systems and engineering environments of these products. My research is mainly about the data integration and data analytics approaches to make them smarter, more efficient and performative. What kind of drone(s) do you fly and what's your favorite thing about it? I have several quadcopters. My favourite is DJI Mavic Air. It is easy to bring everywhere, intiutive, very performative and it does whatever I want it to do. Never disappointed me. As a person who knows how these systems are designed, I am very impressed with the Air. Even though I am very excited to try the new DJI Mavic Pro 2, I am very happy with what I have. Have you learned any valuable lessons being in the drone industry you can share with our female drone community? I found the Women Who Drone as a wonderful and valuable initiative. I wanted to engage with the group from the first day I found out about WHD. I think one very important thing in any industry is to find your people and support each other, especially when you are a woman. There are a lot to learn from each other. Whether it's from a creative, commercial or humanitarian perspective, tell us about your most memorable drone flight you have piloted thus far. Oh I had very memorable flights. I generally remember the ones which did not end very good. When I lost the connection in a windy day, when my first drone ended up on top of a tree where I had to climb to get it back and so on. Overall, I guess the most memorable one is where I get out of my confort zone and went higher, went further. That moment when you trust the drone and your ability to control the drone is priceless. What would you say to women and girls about the drone industry to spark their interest in getting involved? I say it in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSukYDIrKME. Do not listen what they say, you can fly drones, you can do drones! There is nothing that a women or girl cannot do. If there is a way to do it, then you have all the capability to do it. Do not let other people to define who you are. What excites you most about more women joining the drone industry? I want women to join any industry, including the drone industry. I am very proactive on equality, therefore I want women to be visible in the drone industry, in any engineering field and more. Women will change the world to a better place and I am very happy to start it with a drone industry, but I will surely fight until we will be represented in any industry. Is there anything else you would like our readers to know about you? I do not hesitate to call myself as a feminist and a vegan. I dream of another world where people, animals and the nature are treated equally. I am a certified dive master and I love diving as much as I love flying drones. Didem cares about the future of the world and nature. She is a computer scientist with a Ph.D. in mechatronics, which can give you an idea about how much she loves to talk about future and emerging technologies. She is a data person, always finds a way to talk about how important it is to know your data, use it to make decisions and at some point expect her to talk about art, visualizations and visual analytics. Didem is a person who does not hesitate to talk about inequalities and point out her ethical concerns. She dreams a better world and actively works on improving inequalities regardless of their nature. She is an analytical thinker with a passion for design thinking, a researcher with a future perspective, an engineer who likes problems more than solutions and a teacher who likes to play during lectures. She is a dive master, photographer and drone pilot. If you would like to get in touch with Fallon, you are able to contact her via email (didem.gurdur@gmail.com) or private message to her instagram account @didem.gurdur #womenwhodroneambassador #womenwhodrone #WOMENWHODRONE #WOMENANDDRONES #spotlightinterview #didemgurdur #pilotspotlight

Tell us your story. How did you get started in the drone industry and when did that happen? Once I started flying a drone (March 2017) I met so many fabulous drone enthusiasts and one buddy introduced me to Mike Gearin & Petr Hejl, two of the owners of PhotoFlight Aerial Media here in New England. Mike encouraged me to get my 107, they both trained me and the learning is ongoing! I became a part of PhotoFlight in January 2018. Tell us about your company/work/organization and your position. PhotoFlight Aerial Media is a company that provides professional UAS/Drone Services to partners in News & Event Broadcast, Film Production, Marketing, Government Institutions and Industrial Companies. My position is as an operator, one of my major contributions is live news coverage, but I also do real estate jobs as well. What kind of drone(s) do you fly and what's your favorite thing about it? I fly the Phantom 4 Pro. I love the camera's capabilities and I love how versatile it is. I also on rare occasions get to fly the Inspire 2 and the M210. Have you learned any valuable lessons being in the drone industry you can share with our female drone community? I have learned that it isn't always easy in a profession dominated by men, but that I don't have to navigate this profession like a man would. I can do it my way. Whether it's from a creative, commercial or humanitarian perspective, tell us about your most memorable drone flight you have piloted thus far. I have a genuine love of urban exploration and going to California to see the Salton Sea and abandoned buildings in the surrounding towns was a trip and a day's worth of flying I'll not soon forget. The desert was incredible. What would you say to women and girls about the drone industry to spark their interest in getting involved? Everyone loves photography, drones give you a unique perspective that no one has ever seen before. It's exciting to be on the cusp of something new and trying to do something that hasn't been done before. What excites you most about more women joining the drone industry? Just the idea that there can be so much creativity to this art, that we all can enjoy it. Woman can expand the creativity. Is there anything else you would like our readers to know about you? Not only do I love landscapes, but architecture as well! After a recent wedding venue, I would even love to explore a more portrait style with a human subject in that beautiful landscape! Paula was born and raised in eastern Connecticut and works as a middle school Social Studies teacher as well as flying for PhotoFlight Aerial Media. PhotoFlight is a New England based, international professional drone service company, where Paula is often utilized to provide news coverage. She is an FAA certified drone pilot and loves capturing the beauty of New England, especially historical locations. She especially loves the stories behind each location she shoots. Paula attended Eastern Connecticut State University and has a Bachelor of Arts degree in History & Social Science, and a Master of Science in Secondary Education. She is passionate about history & photography. If you would like to get in touch with Paula, you are able to contact her via instagram @drone_gurl #UAV #film #PhotofightAerialMedia #M210 #DJIgo4 #DJIGoPhantom4 #MikeGearin #PetrHejl #PaulaSullivan