Ruby Flores of Santa Ana College talks to Palomar College UAS student Neil McDowell-Horn during Drone-Con on July 6, 2018. Photo credit: Palomar News
The drone industry is booming, and that means there are more opportunities than ever for the people in it to share best practices and determine how to expand drone education across California and around the country.
About 250 leaders from throughout the industry and education sectors came together for those discussions at Drone Con 2018, held July 6 at Palomar College. The conference featured more than 30 speakers on drone research, education, and innovation.
Paolo Espaldon, Drone Technology Program Coordinator at Grossmont College, said the conference was a great opportunity to meet like-minded people who are interested in seeing drone technology succeed.
“The discussions were lively and informative, and I was impressed with how the different community colleges in the region are continuing to offer quality, relevant, and affordable drone training programs that provide the relevant skills needed for the jobs of tomorrow,” Espaldon said.
The conference’s keynote speaker was U.S. Air Force Col., Jeremy Zendel, who discussed how the military is using drones and unmanned aviation and how the demand for skilled workers in this field will continue to grow in the coming years.
Breakout session topics included risk management, environmental conservation, and how to start a drone program at a college or high school. The conference was a great example of industry and education coming together to solve shared problems and create pathways for students from community colleges into stable, high-paying jobs in the Advanced Transportation and Logistics (ATL) sector.
“It was great to network with so many different types of drone and drone-related companies and educators from around the country,” said Jon Kropp, Deputy Sector Navigator for Advanced Transportation and Logistics in the San Diego & Imperial Valley Region. “It was a great project to partner on and we’re looking forward to partnering on and possibly growing the event in coming years.”
Planning is already underway for Drone Con 2019. For more information, visit https://palomaruas.weebly.com.
