Savannah Technical College is launching a new 12-week professional drone training program aimed at preparing students and career changers for jobs using unmanned aircraft across Coastal Georgia.
.The program, begun through a partnership with the Unmanned Safety Institute, combines hands-on flight training, mission planning and safety instruction with preparation for the FAA’s Part 107 remote pilot certification.
The college's Demo Day Thursday included flight demonstrations, launchpad setups and more.
Tal Loos, vice president of economic development at STC, said discussion about the program began two years ago and that the program will provide vital services for various industries, including assisting EMS in search and rescue missions and surveying
the hardest hit areas of a storm.
Loos expanded on the ways the program can serve the community, citing utility inspections as one example.
"If Georgia Power needs somebody going to inspect power lines, do I use a drone to do that so I'm not sending a helicopter with people on it? It's a lot easier to send a drone out and I don't have as much cost," said Loos.
Entry-level positions typically start around $50,000 for operators flying drones within visual line of sight, he said. Pay ranges could increase once drone operators get more experience in autonomous drone operations, which include loading a flight plan and getting clearance from traffic control among other responsibilities.
"Amazon, UPS and Walmart's going into package delivery," said Loos. "Yes, those drones are flying autonomous but their flight path has to be monitored somewhere. As industries start looking at how they use drones, I think that's where you're going to start seeing the growth."
Loos stressed that drone technology is intended to support workers rather than replace them.
"Inspecting the power line - it's not taking the job away from the person that's inspecting. It's assisting that person," Loos said. "Now, I don't have to take that individual and put them in a dangerous situation to go see if there is somebody that needs rescuing."
The drone operator program will be a steppingstone for future programs, including drone mechanics, he said.
“As more and more drones get out there and get operating, they have to be maintained, so that creates jobs,” said Loos. “The job skillset just has to make a new switch, right? We want to make sure we're giving everybody the opportunity to allow their employees to adapt and move where they need to be.”
Program Details
Students can take advantage of self-paced coursework as the program will operate via hybrid model, including live online instruction and hands on flight training, according to a press release from STC.
The last day to register is Oct. 19 and classes begin Oct. 22. Loos said the first cohort will have somewhere between 12 and 15 students.
Tuition is $4,500 and is due upon registration. Classes will run from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 26 through Jan. 13 Mondays and Wednesdays and registration opens Oct. 22. There is no tuition assistance, although a payment plan may be available, according to a spokesperson for the school.
Latrice Williams is a general assignment reporter covering Bryan and Effingham County. She can be reached at lwilliams6@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Savannah Tech offers new path to high paying jobs
