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7 February 2023
The 7.8-magnitude earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria&mdash;as well as the additional 7.6- and 5.6-magnitude earthquakes that struck Turkey&mdash;have left approximately 5,100 citizens dead and countless more injured or missing.&nbsp;
Drones have provided the media with heart-wrenching views of the devastation, but they are also helping responders assess dangerous situations amidst the rubble and assist with rescue efforts. In fact, part of Spain's aid package to the region is sending drones.
<h5>Technology and Drones</h5>
In addition to cameras, drones can also carry various sensors&mdash;such as those that can detect methane levels due to broken gas pipes that may trigger explosions&mdash;to provide essential data back to rescuers.&nbsp;
Then, there's NASA's <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/jpl/finder-search-and-rescue-technology-helped-save-lives-in-nepal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FINDER</a> (Finding Individuals for Disaster and Emergency Response)&mdash;a suitcase-sized tool that can detect heartbeats, even under 30-feet of rubble. FINDER first proved its worth in 2015, when it directed rescuers to four men buried under ten feet of debris and mud in Chautara, Nepal. Since then, the technology has been to other countries.
FINDER works by broadcasting a low-power microwave signal through collapsed buildings, and then evaluating the reflected signals for changes that could be caused by tiny movements from breathing and heartbeats.
<h5>Watch Drone Footage of Damage and Rescue Efforts</h5>
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Drones and NASA Aid Rescue Efforts in Turkey and Syria

6 February 2023
Mirs-X&mdash;a prototype drone developed by professor Ben Chen and his team at the Chinese University of Hong Kong&mdash;can zoom in the air for about six minutes or dive underwater for 40 minutes.
As reported by <a href="https://www.newscientist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New Scientist</a>, the drone is waterproof to depths of up to ten feet. Given its dual role in the sky and under the sea, Mirs-X is a possible future asset for search and rescue operations and insfrastructure inspections.
<h5>Watch!</h5>
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New Drone Can Fly and Dive

5 February 2023
<a href="https://www.alphartk.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AlphaRTK</a>&mdash;a four-constellation real-time kinematic (RTK) network service provider&mdash;formally announced today it will provide students and faculty of Rutgers University, West Chester University, and Warren County Community College access to its global navigation satellite system (GNSS) correction network.&nbsp;
Launched in the summer of 2021, as the most affordable RTK subscription network to fully support four-constellation GNSS corrections, AlphaRTK is currently available for use in New Jersey, as well as both the New York City and Philadelphia metropolitan areas.
&ldquo;These educational institutions perform a tremendous amount of geospatial research and instruction,&rdquo; says AlphaRTK founder Chris Kahn.&nbsp; &ldquo;We believe they should be equipped with this powerful resource, as it will enhance their abilities to perform modern geospatial data collection.&rdquo;
A real-time kinematic (RTK) network, like Alpha RTK, is a network of base stations that uses data from navigation satellites (GPS and others) to provide centimeter-accurate horizontal and vertical real-time coordinate data to users in such fields as GIS (geographic information systems), engineering, construction, agriculture, environmental, municipalities and utilities.
&ldquo;Warren specializes in precision agriculture using drones,&rdquo; says Dr. Will Austin, Warren County Community College President. &ldquo;The AlphaRTK network will provide our fleet with centimeter accuracy, further enhancing our analytical capabilities.&rdquo;
Typically, field technicians use wireless data in their phones or tablets to receive the correction data directly into a mapping application, such as <a style="color: #ba372a;" href="https://www.esri.com/en-us/arcgis/products/arcgis-field-maps/overview" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Esri ArcGIS Field Maps</a>. However, AlphaRTK also records raw RINEX data that can be used for post-processing workflows, such as with PPK drones. Additionally, in southern New Jersey where wireless coverage is weak, Alpha RTK has added UHF radio transmitters to broadcast real-time data wirelessly.
&ldquo;The use of the AlphaRTK network with our turf farm research is a game changer,&rdquo; says Dr. James Murphy, a plant biology professor at Rutgers University. &ldquo;We have tens of thousands of individual turf specimens spaced only inches apart on our farms. The location accuracy from the AlphaRTK service enables us to map and analyze growth patterns with unprecedented accuracy.&rdquo;
One key feature of an RTK base-station network is its centimeter-level accuracy. This is achieved using advanced algorithms that continuously compare the reference station's measurements to the satellite signals, and make real-time corrections as needed.&nbsp; The resulting accuracy enables extremely high precision in research projects, such as those conducted by Dr. Murphy and his peers.
&ldquo;I am excited to utilize the AlphaRTK network this spring in my geophysics course,&rdquo; says Dr. Martin Helmke, a West Chester University geology professor.&nbsp; &ldquo;Students will be using RTK technology when they graduate, so it&rsquo;s important to give them exposure to this technology now.&rdquo;&nbsp;
&ldquo;At AlphaRTK, we view supporting the Geospatial Community as a responsibility,&rdquo; says Kahn. &ldquo;Educational institutions are encouraged to contact us about our partner program.&rdquo;
<h5>Watch for Info on the Warren UAS Program</h5>
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AlphaRTK Announces Free Educational RTK Access

2 February 2023
Drone-industry journalist, pilot, and educator <a class="yt-simple-endpoint style-scope yt-formatted-string" dir="auto" spellcheck="false" href="https://www.youtube.com/@DylanGorman" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dylan Gorman</a> offers his predictions on five drone industries that will grow exponentially.
"With a current market size of about $34 billion globally and expectations to reach over $55 billion by 2026, the drone industry is only going to get bigger," says Gorman. "But with commercial applications being the biggest piece of the pie, what are the industries that are going to grow the fastest over the next few years and which ones should you be paying attention to?"
<h5>Watch: Find Out Where to "Drone for Success"</h5>
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5 Drone Industries That Will Explode in 2023

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1 February 2023
Disneyland Paris recently debuted a new Marvel Universe-themed drone show entitled Avengers: Power the Night. The eight-minute production&mdash;which also uses fireworks, projections, and an appropriately heroic soundtrack&mdash;features 500 drones, and its cost is estimated at $13 million.&nbsp;
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Quite an investment&mdash;even for "Disney Magic."
Disneyland Paris partnered with France's <a href="https://www.dronisos.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dronisos</a> company to develop the Avengers show.
"We start with creative brainstorming," Disney designer Ben Spalding told Forbes' Caroline Reid. "Everything starts with an idea and foundational planning&ndash;what do we want to accomplish, how long do we want the performance to be, when will it happen, and how far can we go, creatively speaking."
Like many cinematic ventures, the drone-show designers used storyboards to set the action. Then, animation software produces a 3D rendering that can be viewed&mdash;virtually&mdash;and eventually translated into flight paths for the drones to follow.
<h5>Watch Marvel Heroes Come to Life Using Drones</h5>
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The drones used for the Avengers show are based on the Parrot BeBop 2 quadcopter, but enhanced with special hardware and software. For example, the drones are stripped of unnecessary weight (so they can stay aloft longer), and the cameras common to consumer drones are replaced with the multi-coloured LEDs needed to render the images.&nbsp;
It's interesting to note that the drone show evolved from Disneyland Paris looking to think outside the box for its 30th anniversary last year. Due to the proximity of five villages and 30,000 residents, the massive fireworks shows&mdash;and the resulting noise and ash they generate&mdash;that are usually launched at Disneyland Anaheim and Disney World in Florida were deemed inappropriate and unviable. Initially, projections were used to enhance the limited pyrotechnics at the Paris theme park, and drones were also in the mix.&nbsp;
Eventually, things got crazier. Avengers: Power the Light, for example, deploys 500 drones to produce the detailed images desired by the production designers.
But the increased drone presence "comes at quite a cost," admits Spalding.
On its website, Dronisos broke down the cost of a single show featuring 500 drones at $136,000. The company says its cost structure includes 3D simulations, choreography, rehearsals, and up to 15 minutes of flight time. The show took three months to produce, and even though it is computer controlled, human pilots&mdash;and their fees&mdash;are still required to check the system, ensure a clear flight area, and give the final go-ahead if everything seems safe to launch. Dronisos uses four pilots to monitor the Disneyland Paris show.
Avengers: Power the Light is scheduled to run 95 days, which is how the $13 million investment in the production was calculated.
But while $13 million may appear to be a stratospheric cost, the figure is reportedly less than one percent of the 2021 expenses incurred by Disneyland Paris' operating entity, Euro Disney Associ&eacute;s.
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Disneyland Paris Invests $13 million in Marvel Drone Show

31 January 2023
As much as it pains a San Francisco 49ers fan to write this, the Philadelphia Eagles won the NFC Championship game and are advancing to the Super Bowl.
And, of course, drones were a part of the celebration. Don't rub it in...
<h5>Watch the Eagles Drone Show</h5>
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Drones Celebrate Philadelphia Eagles Championship

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30 January 2023
Ford Motor Company's Global Technologies subsidiary has been not-so-quietly churning out patent applications for myriad drone operations. The carmaker just published such a patent for a moonroof drone-docking system on January 10, 2023.
Past concepts have included a drone stored in the back of a Ford F-150 truck that would deploy after a crash, a "survelliance" drone that would assess traffic conditions beyond the sight of the driver, and even a delivery drone that would bring food to the car in the event of a massive traffic jam or a breakdown.
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<h5>See the Moonroof Dock Patent</h5>
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Ford Patent on Moonroof Drone Dock Published

Above photo: White Owl Thin Elk (at left), founder Turtle Island NOMADS and Brandy Martinez/Mourning Dove (right), CEO, Look For Me.
28 January 2023
Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives (MMIR) is a worldwide crisis which has only recently begun to come to the light. Racial misclassifications, racial and gender bias in police forces, how cases are handled, no accountability, jurisdictional barriers, lack of media coverage and technologies, and continued generational traumas are contributing factors to the oppression of justice for these families.&nbsp;
<h5>Statistics</h5>
&bull; Indigenous/Native women (and girls) murdered ten times higher than all other ethnicities.
&nbsp;&bull; Murder is the third leading cause of death for Indigenous women (CDC).
&nbsp;&bull; More than four out of five (84.3%) Indigenous women have experienced violence in their lifetimes. (National Institute of Justice Report).
&nbsp;&bull; More than half experience sexual violence (56.1%).
&nbsp;&bull; More than half (55.5%) of Indigenous women have been physically abused by their intimate partners.&nbsp;
&nbsp;&bull; 96% of this violence is committed by non-Native persons.
&nbsp;&bull; 40% of women involved in sex trafficking identify as American Indian, Alaska Native, or First Nations, but make up only 10% of the population (SASO).
&nbsp;&bull; More than 95% of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People cases are never covered by the media.
&nbsp;&bull; Nearly one-third of the perpetrators are not held accountable.
<h5>How Drones are Helping&nbsp;</h5>
Generally, aircraft are the most efficient facility for SAR (search and rescue) operations and can reach distant areas quickly and cover a large area within a given time. Fixed-wing aircraft normally fly at higher speeds than helicopters, and are used in larger areas and at greater range. Helicopters are excellent search aircraft, but their normally limited endurance and speed reduce the area they can search effectively. Helicopters are a prime means for rescue operations, such as recovering survivors from a distress scene, delivering supplies, survival equipment, and dropping SAR and medical personnel at the distress scene. The slower an aircraft flies, the better it is for conducting a visual search, as small and partially hidden search objects are easily missed at higher speeds.
Look For Me was formed in November 2021 in response to overwhelming cry out for help from Relatives who had no support. As more Relatives began reaching out, the need for training, support, and coordinated efforts for prevention and SAR was evident. We learned that most certified SAR teams are bound by oath to respond to calls only if requested by law enforcement.
The determination was made we needed to form our own skilled teams willing and able to deploy, which is where Turtle Island NOMADS, War Party Movement, and <a href="https://www.aquilinedrones.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Aquiline Drones</a> came in.&nbsp;
In November 2022, four <a href="https://shop.aquilinedrones.com/product/spartacus-hurricane-drone/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Spartacus Hurricane II </a>drones were received from Aquiline Drones and its CEO, Barry Alexander. We immediately nominated team leads in the most affected areas and sent them out to New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and California.
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&nbsp;Barry Alexander, CEO Aquiline Drones.
&ldquo;We really had to step it up, because Barry and Aquiline Drones provided a resource that we have been seeking for a long time," says <a href="https://www.facebook.com/jenna.cyde.94" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brandy Martinez</a> (Mourning Dove), CEO, Look For Me. "The training is also essential in building foundation. It shows us that we are on the right path. Drones are needed for more than SAR, but this is the greatest need for them right now, and that is where they are going. To the people. This is such a humbling experience. We are forever grateful to Barry and Aquiline Drones, WPM, American Sentinels, and all the good ones out there, who arre helping us bridge the gap between the old and the new.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Turtle Island NOMADS was formed on December 31, 2022, in direct response to build independent, grassroots teams to bring experienced instructors, a train-the-trainer program, and facilitate getting the drones and equipment to the most affected areas in need of solutions. Through Aquiline Drones, we are able to bring the training and FAA licensing included in the package offered by Aquiline Drones called Flight To The Future, that will bring the long-term high-paying careers that our Nations most desire.
With the independence that Aquiline Drones have been offering with our own independent modifications, we can grow economic markets that can be marketed between or shared Inter-Tribally for systems additions or modifications, or sold abroad to the world markets. The possibilities are endless.
&ldquo;We as a People are grateful to the Team at Aquiline Drones for the partnership to educate, manufacture, assemble, and use-in-the-fields technology for ending the suffering of human and sex trafficking within our Nations and Territories," says White Owl Thin Elk, founder of Turtle Island NOMADS. "Understanding the magnitude of what Barry Alexander and Aquiline Drones have done for the grassroots&mdash;it sets the bar for how much more endeavors from other corporate citizens we can gain the same resource and technological support to help all Native Nations across the United States and beyond. Aquiline Drones has proven to want to see a correction to the mistreatment of Indigenous People of North America, and we are beyond honored to have such a privilege to work with such an incredible company as Aquiline Drones.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;
As of January 26, 2023, Aquiline Drones has generously donated eight Spartacus Hurricane II Drones&nbsp;to be used in MMIR searches and recovery efforts across Turtle Island (an Indigenous Peoples term for North America), and to be able to start an educational platform for the betterment of the communities at most risk.
The Spartacus Hurricane drones are top of the line and made in America. They have also offered their training package. Flight To The Future, for our operators. This training is much more than FAA preparation and drone operating. Barry Alexander is also aware of the struggles of Native people, and the extreme need for action. Because of this, they have stepped up to be the example to big corporations, that they can and will choose to do what needs to be done to aid the empowerment in a major way. By doing this, not only do they show the people that they care, but that they are willing to aid with resources purely for the benefit of the people.
<a href="https://warpartymovement.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">War Party Movement</a> and its founder, Jeremiah Wilber have been instrumental in several life-saving operations both independently and in collaboration with Look For Me and Turtle Island NOMADS. As a former Green Beret, he served in 3rd Special Forces Group as a Special Forces Communications Sergeant and in the 10th Special Forces Group as a Special Forces Operations (Team) Sergeant with multiple combat rotations to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Africa.
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Pine Ridge Emergency Management Services. At right, Jeremiah Wilber, founder War Party Movement.
<a href="https://warpartyranch.squarespace.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">War Party Ranch</a> is the next big project for this amazing group. Wilber's life experience is invaluable. His group is fully aware of the issues at hand, and is willing to help and support where it can&mdash;many of them becoming drone operators in collaboration with Turtle Island NOMADS and Aquiline Drones to help with training, organization, skills, and support. Wilber has personally delivered the donated drones from Aquiline Drones to team leads around the country. The need for drone technology and knowledge becoming skill sets have been among many discussions we have had in developing solutions to the MMIR crisis. This is why we cannot simply have one or two trained teams in a single area.
&ldquo;<a href="http://www.americansentinals.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">American Sentinel</a>&nbsp;is extremely proud to work with the Look For Me non-profit foundation, Turtle Island NOMADS, War Party Movement, and Aquiline Drones," says Warcloud.&nbsp;"We&rsquo;re blending tactical concepts and curating standard operating procedures for drone first responders. We believe drone operators are the ultimate supplemental force to completing any mission. As current first responders and former special operations veterans, we have learned what it takes for search and rescue operations. It is our mission to enable public-service personnel and volunteers with relevant solutions addressing the challenges of MMIR and their area of operations. American Sentinel covers the full spectrum of mission support through specialized engineering, innovation, and comprehensive training in support of industry and charitable initiatives. We can&rsquo;t wait to see what comes next with this all-star of a team&rsquo;s incredible impact."
&ldquo;In the middle of the search for a missing elder, I learned quickly how effective drones were," adds Dylan Bernal of WPM and Turtle Island NOMADS. "The Sheriff&rsquo;s Department had brought a drone to the center of where we were searching, and it covered a ton of ground very quickly and very clearly. This saved our search party a substantial amount of time and effort. So when I had recently learned that Brandy from Look For Me Network and White Owl from Turtle Island NOMADS were sending out drones to areas for searches, I couldn&rsquo;t help but reach out and offer my help again. I am looking forward to receiving the drone from Aquiline Drones and having the capacity and resources to do more&mdash;and more effectively&mdash;for the MMIR crisis. Americans need to understand two things. The crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People is very real, and happening every day and all around us. It is a hard reality to swallow and accept. And non-Natives people need to understand that getting involved is as easy as a direct message.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;
A critical solution to our Missing and Murdered Relatives crisis, is the use of technology to help serve our people. The Aquiline Drone systems are the latest up-to-date way to ensure effective searches and operations when a loved one goes missing. Incredible work by American Sentinel will ensure a tight functional unit. By being able to have a corporation willing to provide the units and the lasting education to enable careers to find long-lasting impacts for all Nations is not just a temporary fix, but a sustainable solution. Aquiline Drones is helping us do that.
<img src="https://media.thedroningcompany.com/images/tincy/pLsUYOfNjSPsE1Ld5gY1YD3Zr2nU12HF61sOCeDw.png" alt="" width="638" height="461" />
Aquiline Drones Spartacus Hurricane II deployed in the field.
We believe the use of drones&mdash;in addition to proper training&mdash;will significantly increase the statistics of finding missing Relatives faster than ever. This is also a pathway to prevention by introducing resources for career paths as drone operators, learning from the best, and with the best equipment. The possibilities are endless.
<h5>How You Can Help</h5>
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We believe in Aquiline Drones training program <a href="https://www.aquilinedrones.com/services/flight-to-the-future" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Flight To The Future</a>, and we are promoting Project Pre-Flight. This will give participants a chance to win one of five Flight To The Future training packages. The top three prize winners will also receive free swag in addition to the training package. For more information on the Project Pre Flight contest&mdash;deadline for entries is 4:20 pm (MST) on April 19, 2023&mdash;please email <a href="mailto:turtleislannomads@gmail.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">White Owl Thin Elk</a> or <a href="mailto:brandy.lookforme@gmail.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brandy Martinez</a>.
You can also support GoFundMe campaigns for <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/charity/look-for-me?utm_campaign=p_charity-overview+share-sheet&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=customer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Look for Me</a> and <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/sar-drone-teams-of-turtle-island?utm_campaign=p_lico+share-sheet&amp;utm_medium=copy_link&amp;utm_source=customer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SAR Drone Teams of Turtle Island</a>.

What is MMIR and how are drones helping to change the narrative?

26 January 2023
<a href="https://www.thedroningcompany.com/pilot/joseph-mazzola" target="_blank" rel="noopener">By Joseph Mazzola</a>
2020 was a strange time to start a business, and I can&rsquo;t begin to discuss what led me to do so without first exploring the context surrounding its inception. We were hardly three months into a new year and decade when the growing COVID-19 pandemic escalated into a global crisis and spurred a domino effect of unintended consequences. Like many others, I found myself suddenly laid off and locked down as health systems faced overwhelming demands and organizations struggled to stay afloat. They say every ending is a new beginning, though, and that was certainly the case for me. Out of work and faced with a world of uncertainty, I started down a path I&rsquo;d never previously considered&mdash;starting my own drone business.
It started as a hobby. I bought my first drone in 2016, an inexpensive <a style="color: #ba372a;" href="https://www.amazon.com/Syma-Channel-2-4GHz-Explorers-Copter/dp/B00MNG37C2/ref=asc_df_B00MNG37C2/?tag=hyprod-20&amp;linkCode=df0&amp;hvadid=312184153387&amp;hvpos=&amp;hvnetw=g&amp;hvrand=1717317373190000425&amp;hvpone=&amp;hvptwo=&amp;hvqmt=&amp;hvdev=c&amp;hvdvcmdl=&amp;hvlocint=&amp;hvlocphy=1023022&amp;hvtargid=pla-587640326317&amp;psc=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Syma X5C</a>. As a self-proclaimed movie-buff and a gamer, I&rsquo;d been seeing the technology grow in popularity, and I wanted to see if I could get a grip on this innovative technology. As soon as it arrived, I immediately discovered the cost-learning curve&mdash;that is, the less you spend on a drone, the harder it is to fly, since there are fewer stabilizing features such as GPS to assist with the flight.
This may have been a good thing, though. I had an aerial platform that could reliably continue working after a crash, and a drive to continue learning new things. Bringing it along on hikes was a win-win; I began to hone my skills, and my German Shepherd got routine exercise chasing it around. In 2018, I bought my first DJI drone, a yellow Spark I aptly named Bumblebee. The difference was night and day. Without having to worry about simply keeping the drone in the air and not crashing into a tree, I was able to begin experimenting with the HD photo and video potential it offered, and suddenly a world of possibility was unlocked.
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"Bumblebee"
I&rsquo;ve always had an appreciation for the arts but never really considered myself to be talented in that regard. But, I&rsquo;ve always loved music. Experimenting with nature and travel clips enabled me to explore the possibilities of syncing footage I shot with soundscapes that matched the atmosphere I was hoping to convey, and suddenly, I discovered a new medium to channel my creativity. This new form of expression further encouraged me to try new things and visit new places, and as I shared my video projects, I was surprised by the positive feedback I&rsquo;d begun to receive from friends and family.
Finally having a creative outlet was nice enough, but I soon learned that with a Part 107 license, I could even make money doing it. However, life felt busy enough as it was. I was barely out of graduate school living a commuter lifestyle here in New York, and after three years of a challenging work/life balance, where would I find the time to get a start pursuing a side hustle in drones?
Well, that brings us back to 2020, and the unintended consequences of a global pandemic. Suddenly, I had too much time, too many regrets, and nowhere to put my energy. I came across an ad and discovered <a style="color: #ba372a;" href="https://www.droneproacademy.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Drone Pro Academy</a>, an online course offering training for aspiring Drone Pilots. This course was instrumental in getting me started. Not only did I manage to improve my flight dexterity and photography/videography skills, it also laid the foundation for me to study for my Part 107 license and begin forming a business.
I spent most of the Spring and Summer doing just that. I&rsquo;d passed the exam, developed a website, and filed my articles of organization to launch my LLC, but I drew primarily from my academic background to build the business on a limitless vision &ndash; to provide a service for individuals and businesses interested in drone imaging , and to create aerial art. To do so, I was going to need better equipment, which led me to invest in a DJI Mavic Air 2 and subsequently an Air 2S. By the Fall of 2020, I was up and running as <a style="color: #ba372a;" href="http://www.dreamscapeaerials.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dreamscape Aerials, LLC</a>, and better yet, my first client had found me.
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The Dreamscape Aerials Logo&mdash;Fall Theme.
It was rewarding to begin supporting local clients, but I knew I was merely scratching the tip of the iceberg in the drone industry. I began looking for opportunities to further grow in the field, and discovered a few companies that were building a network of Drone Pilots across the nation. I sent out a number of applications, and one invited me to train with them. In their program, I had the opportunity to fly the DJI Phantom and Matrice series, and to learn how to perform advanced operations such as inspections for infrastructure.
Following the training, I traveled across the US inspecting assets for this organization, participated as a trainer to instruct and evaluate a new cohort of Drone Operators, and would later lead a team of them in the northeast. The experience was instrumental in developing my knowledge, skills, and a network of colleagues in the drone industry, but even still, there is much more to learn.
I&rsquo;ve since gone on to work full-time with a solar company, inspecting roofs and crafting 3D models of residential and commercial properties. Working with them has offered local and stable employment, not to mention a much better work/life balance, while I continue to grow my business with the hopes of becoming fully independent in the next few years.
In 2022, I doubled my revenue from previous years and continued to diversify the services Dreamscape Aerials has to offer. We now have a store function up and running on our website to sell merchandise such as high-quality canvas prints, and have taken on bigger opportunities. Mastering FPV is a craft in and of itself, and as we progress, it will open a new avenue of possibilities through virtual tours and crafting awe-inspiring, dynamic shots.
The drone industry is continuing to show enormous potential, with the technology being adapted across various industries and applications. As a newfound entrepreneur, I&rsquo;m excited to continue immersing myself in the field. My startup, Dreamscape Aerials, LLC, is commercially licensed, insured and located in the heart of Long Island, NY. While we primarily support projects in the greater tri-state area, we&rsquo;re prepared to travel nationally and globally to support our clients and pursue any opportunities that come our way.
<img src="https://media.thedroningcompany.com/images/tincy/BFa3IhhT77XZYSD9uJD22jlwBgv3veffzIScBb7Y.png" alt="" width="544" height="365" />
Joseph Mazzola&mdash;"Dreamscape Aerials, at your service."
<h5>Watch: Dreamscape Aerials 2022 Recap Video</h5>
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Pilot Story: Joseph Mazzola

25 January 2023
Underwater drones are overcoming operational challenges as startups develop tech to ensure the drones can work better submerged, as well as reduce costs&mdash;paving the way for more hobbyists to explore seafaring drone activities.&nbsp;
Companies such as <a style="color: #ba372a;" href="https://bluerobotics.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BlueRobotics</a>&mdash;an underwater ROV (remotely operated vehicle) company&mdash;are seeking ways to waterproof drone parts and even develop a waterproof motor.
But, as reported by Genia Dulot of <a href="https://www.voanews.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">VOA News</a>, "Unlike aerial drones, technology has yet to solve the problem of underwater communication, and, for now, underwater drones are controlled by a teter."
<h5>Watch the Report</h5>
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