Drones: The Future of Aviation
We hope you’ve enjoyed our 5-part series on the many ways anyone can become involved at Williamsburg Jamestown Airport. For this final installment, we had the pleasure of interviewing Michael Thompson, a member of the Tidewater Drone Club which meets right here at JGG! He walked us through what a standard meeting looks like, the current and future roles of drones, and why the drone club is a great resource for all people interested in aviation.?
During a typical meeting, members meet in the upstairs event room at JGG and begin with a show-and-tell style conversation where members share any drone related activity or finding. For example, at a recent meeting, drone footage of JGG’s new hangars was shared. Members have different experiences and backgrounds regarding drones, creating a vibrant learning community!?
“You know how when iphones came out there was the saying ‘there’s an app for that’? It’s gonna be the same with drones.” - Michael Thompson
Drones have been a hot topic as their uses are varied and novel. Mr. Thompson highlighted the many ways drones are currently being introduced into our daily lives. From medical deliveries to building inspections to even pressure washing tall buildings to reduce injury risk, drones will be seen more and more often.?
“They’re testing medical deliveries…they just delivered blood pressure medication to someone in the outer banks….They’re being used for inspections, I use them personally at work. I'm the pilot for Eastern Virginia Medical School, Public Safety Facilities and Marketing so I’ve been doing some marketing shots…Norfolk police and fire departments also use drones, any time there’s an emergency there’s normally someone on hand with a certification [to canvas dangerous areas].” - Michael Thompson
According to Mr. Thompson, to earn a pilot’s license there are online certification classes available, costing around $240 total. After earning this certification, pilots are required to stay up to date with changes from the FAA. The cost is much more affordable than a traditional aircraft pilot’s license, and this process is much more accessible. Those who have already earned a pilot’s license have the background necessary to pass this process with ease while non-pilots are able to dip their toes into aviation without the commitment of flight lessons.?
领英推荐
“I would say this [drone certification] is like a gateway into piloting”
Want to earn your drone certification, but don’t know if you’re ready to commit? The Tidewater Drone Club meets at JGG at 1 PM the first Sunday of every month! Members are welcoming of new people and incredibly knowledgeable about all things drones.?
Can’t make it out to the Sunday meetings but still want to be involved? Mr. Thompson runs Connecting Skies at JGG, an FAA sponsored event with fun attractions to help raise awareness and network within the community. The next Connecting Skies event will be May 4th 2024, and will feature a Millenium Falcon drone, a drone cage, and much more!?
As we wrap up this final installment in our community involvement series, we look forward to starting another: a series of interviews done by JGG’s former high-school? intern, Ava Barsoom, spotlighting JGG tenants and Ava’s first steps into the world of aviation!
About Michael Thomson: A newer member of the drone club, Mr. Thompson runs Connecting Skies, hosted at JGG. He is a previous police officer in the Norfolk precinct and is currently a DronePro drone pilot.
Meeting Info:
Tidewater Drone Club Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/VAUAVDroneClub/?