24 February 2026
The unmanned aerial vehicle industry is expanding rapidly across infrastructure, public safety, energy, and defense. New platforms, sensors, and capabilities are transforming how organizations operate. But beneath that growth is a problem the industry has not yet solved.
There is not a workforce pipeline strong enough to sustain it.
At the same time, thousands of veterans are leaving military service every year searching for purpose, stability, and a path forward. Many of them are highly trained, highly disciplined, and mission driven. Yet too often, they find themselves without a clear direction in the civilian workforce.
SkyHawk Survey Solutions was built to close that gap
As a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) based in Northern Virginia, SkyHawk is not just another drone services company. It is a workforce development platform with a focused mission to take disabled veterans and transitioning service members from zero knowledge of the UAV industry and guide them into meaningful employment through structured training, FAA Part 107 certification, and direct job placement with industry partners.
But the mission behind SkyHawk is deeper than workforce development. For its founder, Mike Milioto, this is personal.
From Combat to Control: A Personal Mission
Mike built SkyHawk from lived experience, not theory.
After years of working in high pressure federal roles and navigating the realities of combat related trauma, he saw firsthand how difficult it can be for veterans to transition into civilian life with a sense of purpose. The structure, accountability, and mission focus that defined military service are often gone overnight.
What replaces it is uncertainty.
For many veterans, that uncertainty can lead to isolation, loss of direction, and in some cases, struggles with PTSD and substance abuse. These are not abstract issues. They are real, and they impact the veteran community every day.
Michael recognized something others were not paying attention to.
The discipline required to operate under FAA Part 107 regulations mirrors many of the same principles veterans are trained on in the military. Situational awareness, risk assessment, adherence to procedures, accountability for actions, and mission execution all translate directly into safe and effective drone operations.
He saw that FAA Part 107 certification was more than a credential.
It was a structured pathway that could help veterans stay mentally engaged, focused, and grounded.
For Mike himself, staying actively engaged in the world of unmanned aircraft systems became a way to manage and control the effects of past trauma. It created a constructive outlet that demanded attention, discipline, and responsibility.
That realization became the foundation of SkyHawk.
This was not just about building a company. It was about creating a system that could give veterans a clear choice.
Study. Train. Stay engaged. Execute. Or drift without direction. SkyHawk was built to make that choice easier.
The SkyHawk Veteran Pathway Program
At the core of the company is the SkyHawk Veteran Pathway Program, a comprehensive workforce development initiative designed to take individuals from zero experience in the UAV industry and transform them into trained, certified, and employable drone professionals.
The program is intentionally structured to remove barriers and create momentum.
It begins with FAA Part 107 certification, the legal requirement for operating drones commercially in the United States. SkyHawk provides guided training, structured coursework, and direct support to ensure that participants are not navigating the process alone.
But certification is only the starting point.
One of the biggest failures in the current market is that many programs stop there. They provide a certificate but no direction. No experience. No employment pathway.
SkyHawk closes that gap.
Once certified, participants move into specialized training tracks aligned with real world demand. These include aerial imaging, mapping and surveying, infrastructure inspections, and thermal operations. Every skill taught is tied to actual use cases that companies are actively hiring for.
This is not theory based training. It is execution focused. Participants are trained to operate with professionalism, compliance, and a clear understanding of how their skills apply in the field. At the same time, they are developing something equally important.
Confidence.
The confidence that comes from mastering a skill, operating safely, and seeing a direct path to employment.
From Training to Employment: Closing the Loop
What truly separates SkyHawk from other programs is its commitment to employment outcomes.
Training without opportunity leads to frustration. Certification without placement leads to stagnation.
SkyHawk is actively solving that problem by building partnerships with UAV industry professionals, companies, and service providers who need trained pilots.
These are not passive relationships. They are intentional pipelines.
Companies like Drone Brothers and other UAV service providers represent the type of organizations SkyHawk is aligning with. These companies are executing contracts, scaling operations, and continuously looking for reliable, trained pilots who can contribute immediately.
SkyHawk creates the bridge.
A veteran enters the program with no experience. They complete training. They earn their Part 107 certification. They develop specialized skills. Then they are proactively paired with potential employment opportunities through SkyHawk’s partner network.
This is a full cycle system.
It does not leave the participant at the finish line of training. It carries them into the workforce. That is where real impact happens.
A Call to the UAV Industry
SkyHawk is not building this mission alone.
The company is actively seeking to partner with UAV industry professionals, organizations, and companies that are ready to be part of a scalable workforce solution.
The opportunity for industry partners is straightforward.
Instead of struggling to find qualified pilots, companies can connect with SkyHawk and gain access to a pipeline of trained, certified, and mission ready individuals who understand professionalism, compliance, and execution.
For veterans, this means opportunity. For companies, this means capability. For the industry, this means growth.
SkyHawk is actively expanding its network and is open to collaboration with organizations that are committed to both operational excellence and meaningful impact.
Positioned for Government and Enterprise Growth
As an SDVOSB, SkyHawk is strategically aligned with federal and state contracting priorities. Agencies are increasingly adopting drone technology while also prioritizing partnerships with veteran owned businesses and workforce development initiatives.
SkyHawk sits directly at that intersection.
By combining drone services with a structured training and employment pipeline, the company offers both operational capability and measurable social impact. This is a powerful combination in government and enterprise environments where performance, compliance, and mission alignment are critical.
The long-term vision is to integrate the SkyHawk Veteran Pathway Program into broader workforce initiatives, creating a repeatable model that can scale nationally.
More Than a Career Path
At its core, SkyHawk is about more than jobs. It is about giving veterans a reason to stay engaged. It is about providing structure where there is none. It is about creating a system where discipline, focus, and mission execution translate into both professional success and personal stability.
For some veterans, this program will lead to a new career. For others, it may become something even more important. A way to stay grounded. A way to manage the challenges that come with transition. A way to replace destructive habits with constructive discipline.
That is the part of this mission that cannot be measured in revenue alone.
Looking Ahead
The UAV industry is not slowing down. Demand is increasing. Technology is advancing. Opportunities are expanding.
But none of it matters without people.
SkyHawk Survey Solutions is building a workforce that will support that growth while creating real pathways for veterans who are ready for their next mission.
The model is simple, but powerful.
Take someone with zero knowledge. Train them. Certify them. Keep them engaged. Connect them to employment. Build a system that scales. And most importantly, give them a reason to keep moving forward.
SkyHawk is not just building drone pilots. It is building purpose, structure, and opportunity where it is needed most.
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