The 12 students from UOG and the Guam Community College spent the past summer learning about drone regulation and flight safety in preparation for the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Part 107 exam, which awards a remote pilot certificate upon successful completion. Individuals with this FAA certification are authorized to fly drones commercially. 

Students in this third cohort are in different fields such as engineering or studying marine biology, environmental science, accounting, secondary education, criminal justice, and nursing.   

The newly certified students had hands-on flight time hours and opportunities to go with professionals on different drone missions through the NASA Guam Space Grant Professional Internship program.  

The students have participated in research projects that use advanced remote sensing technologies to survey areas such as Guam’s coral reefs, an archaeological site in Talo’fo’fo, and the UOG campus. The members are currently working on a video project that features aerial footage of Guam’s scenic landmarks. 

Sarai Vega, a UOG marine biology graduate student, looks forward to using her new skills, especially in watershed and coastal research. “The work I will be doing with drones will enhance the geographic information system skills I have learned in previous years,” Vega said. 

UOG Drone Corps program outreach coordinator Danielle Hagen, who helped develop the flight training curriculum this year, is integrating lessons into the curriculum that demonstrate the more unique applications of drones, such as coding and photogrammetry, to prepare pilots for a wide range of opportunities. 

“By undergoing this curriculum, our newly licensed pilots can become proficient, confident, and prepared to safely fly their drone anywhere and under any circumstance,” Hagen said. 

The UOG Drone Corps was established in 2021. 

Administered by NASA Guam Space Grant and NASA Guam Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR), the program aims to build a pool of safe and responsible remote pilots who will contribute to Guam’s growing drone industry.  

This year, the team worked with drone company 2cofly to offer lessons and provide training.