Michael Hill is Program Manager of College Workforce Programs at the Unmanned Safety Institute.  The Unmanned Safety Institute or USI is an approved training partner of ASTM International and the International Business Aviation Council. The Institute is dedicated to improving safety in unmanned aviation by applying time-honored aviation safety practices to unmanned aircraft systems. USI accomplishes this mission by developing workforce readiness programs, providing training to UAS crews, and helping flight service providers meet their safety goals.

Michael is a certified UAV pilot in three countries with over 6,000 flight hours and more than 7,800 successful, incident-free missions as a Remote Pilot-in-Command. He holds industry and safety certifications from FEMA, OSHA, NIST, and USI. He is a highly sought-after public speaker and industry influencer, passionate about sharing his expertise on UAV technology applications for land, air, and sea operations. He brings a wealth of experience to USI, including aerial mapping, telecom and wind turbine inspections, oil and gas and critical infrastructure assessments, search and rescue operations, as well as involvement with state and federal regulations.

An active advocate for the drone industry, he has served as the Policy and Legislative Chairman for the North Central Texas Council of Governments UAS Taskforce and as the Training Officer for the North Texas Public Safety Unmanned Response Team.  Additionally, he holds the role of 2nd Lieutenant and the former Director of Unmanned Operations for the Texas Wing of the Civil Air Patrol.

In this addition of the Drone Radio Show, Michael talks about the Unmanned Safety Institute and how it helps prepare students for viable careers in the drone industry.

How is drone technology making STEM education more accessible and fun for students of all background?

Rob Harvey is Executive Chairman and Cofounder of For the Win Robotics.  For The Win Robotics fosters critical thinking and lifelong curiosity through the power of experiential STEM and computer science education.  With its Build – Fly -  Code program, the company has developed an innovative education system offering educators new professional development opportunities while making STEM and computer science education fun for learners. For The Win Robotics is currently used in more than 1,000 schools across the United States.  By promoting collaboration, critical thinking and curiosity, For The Win is building essential skills that today’s students need to become the workforce of the future. Rob is a visionary brand builder with more than 20 years of experience elevating unique voices and guiding industry leaders to new technologies. As an executive within the music industry, he defined mainstream culture by breaking 50 #1 songs and promoting artists like Taylor Swift, The Weeknd, Drake, and Eminem.

He held influential positions at two major record labels before transitioning to Spotify, where he leveraged real-time data, consumer insights, and customer feedback to champion new business models and elevate brands globally. In the process, Rob helped redefine the record industry as we know it today.

Rob’s ability to amplify brands and identify gaps in the market led him to pivot to education, where he recognized a need for better STEM and computer science-based education technology. As executive chairman, CEO and cofounder of For The Wine Robotics, he pioneered the Build - Fly - Code program and released a first-of-its-kind curriculum to schools across the United States. 

In 2023, For The Win unveiled Hopper, its newest drone, designed for hands-on learning and revolutionizing STEM education by providing the tools to make coding, robotics, and engineering fun and accessible for students.

Developed by a team of aerospace, education and technology experts, Hopper represents the evolution of FTW’s Build | Fly | Code program.  Hopper’s robust, reusable hardware and software is built around a closed, secure system. The drone, powered by a dual-core processor for communication and flight control, features a lens for advanced computer vision technology, including infrared and color capabilities, allowing for Wi-Fi-driven, real-time data and image information transmission. Validated through 889 Compliance, Hopper empowers educators to expand future-additional and hands-on STEM learning to all learners, including underserved communities and students of all abilities. 

In this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Rob talks about For The Win Robotics, the Hopper Drone and how new drone technology is enhancing STEM Education.