Does the drone industry offer a career path for individuals from marginalized communities?
Sedgrid Lewis of Atlanta, Georgia is Founder of The Hidden Pilot Project. The mission of The Hidden Pilot Project is to teach and train black returning citizens and citizens under the supervision of the criminal justice system how to become licensed drone pilots. Through The Hidden Pilot Project, individuals are provided with hands-on training to enter the unmanned systems industry.
Sedgrid Lewis holds an MA in Criminology from the University of West Georgia. He has worked in the criminal justice field for the past 20 years developing evidenced based social programs for juvenile courts and state agencies across the United States. He is also the owner of Blackhawk Aerial LLC. As a part 107 commercial drone pilot, he has flown for several national construction firms providing progression aerial photos.
Sedgrid has dedicated himself to helping others experience the benefits of unmanned technology. He provides drone technology workshops for at-risk youth across the state of Georgia. He is also a certified instructor and coach for US Drone Soccer, which is becoming a fast growing sport at the high school and college level. And, as the son of a third generation farmer, Sedgrid partners with black farmers across the south to provide technical training and farm drone technology demonstrations. Sedgrid promotes precision agriculture in order to sustain black farms and increase profit margins.
In this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Sedgrid introduces us to The Hidden Pilot Project, drone soccer and how both are helping people from marginalized communities enter the aviation field.