Augusta Technical College has recently partnered with CrossFlight Sky Solutions (Bluffton, SC), recognized experts in the SUAS/Drone technology field. CrossFlight and their educational partners team to offer curriculum and educational training for local industry, business, civil authorities, and community members seeking to become FAA Certified Commercial Drone Pilots.

The 23-hour program is an instructor led class covering FAA rules and regulations, airspace classifications, risk assessment tools, aeronautical decision making, airport operations, weather and much more. Students will also take part in both a manual and automated hands on flying segment during the class, as well as discuss potential career paths in the exploding drone technology field.

CrossFlight CEO Jerry Whittaker stated “We are ecstatic about our relationship with Augusta Technical College. Through this partnership we desire to create a wave of certified commercial FAA drone pilots, ready to begin and carve their careers in the exciting and fast growing drone technology industry. We feel that this partnership fits perfectly with Augusta Tech's commitment to excellence in advanced technology, and we could not be more excited.”

“For years, drones were considered to be for recreational use only,” stated Terry Elam, President of Augusta Technical College. “Now, they play a very important role in not only entertainment, but video production, agriculture, law enforcement and emergency services, real estate, and other common endeavors in our lives. We depend on drones to be our eyes where it may not be permissible for other cameras to be, such as when searching large swaths of land for a missing person. Most recently, we were able to see the devastation caused by Hurricane Florence in North Carolina, and drones were used to assist in finding residents that were trapped by the flood waters. Since we continuously strive to be on the cutting edge of new technologies, Augusta Tech is pleased and proud to be able to partner with CrossFlight Sky Solutions to offer a course in commercial drone pilot training.”

The class will be held Monday November 5th through Thursday November 8th from 5:30pm to 9:30pm, as well as Saturday November 10th from 9:00am to 3:00pm at the Augusta Technical College Main Campus. For more information, or to register for the class, please contact Laura Giddings at 706-771-5705 or [email protected].