SYRACUSE, N.Y. — CenterState CEO, in partnership with Jubilee Homes of Syracuse Inc., will offer scholarships for those interested in completing the FAA’s part 107 course during the upcoming New York State Drone Expo and Race Competition.
The event, hosted by the Finger Lakes Drone Racing Club, is set for Nov. 17 and 18 at the new Expo Center at the New York State Fairgrounds.
Canandaigua–based SkyOp LLC, a firm that specializes in drone training, will offer the part 107 course on Nov. 18, CenterState CEO said in a Friday news release.
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The SkyOP course prepares individuals to take the part 107 exam, also known as the “airman knowledge test.” The successful completion of this test allows drone pilots to fly unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for business purposes, such as environmental monitoring, event photography, and house inspection.
Encouraging this certification is “critical to developing a talent pool ready to meet the needs of businesses that are part of strengthening the region’s position as a global leader in the unmanned systems industry,” CenterState CEO contended.
Applications are due Nov. 14 and are available by connecting with Carolyn Evans-Dean, at cevansdean@nativesunventuras.com.
Funding
This partnership, which is funded through commitments from the Gifford Foundation and the Central New York Community Foundation, offers up to 10 scholarships to individuals “for whom the price of the course is a barrier to participation.”
The Syracuse–based NUAIR Alliance is short for Northeast UAS Airspace Integration Research Alliance. NUAIR Alliance is a nonprofit coalition of more than 200 private and public entities and academic institutions working together to operate and oversee UAS testing in New York, Massachusetts, and Michigan.
NUAIR supports the New York UAS test site at Griffiss International Airport in Rome.
“These scholarships are part of a broad commitment we have made to lower barriers to entry and provide access to new opportunities for the region’s budding drone industry,” Robert Simpson, president of CenterState CEO, said in the news release. “As the incredible and rapid growth of the UAS industry creates employment opportunities in Central New York, we must be intentional about making sure residents from throughout the community, including those with non-technical backgrounds as well as those who have been historically underserved, have the opportunity to benefit from this growth.”
Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com