Last week at the Women and Drones luncheon at InterDrone, Women and Drones announced their list of Women to Watch in UAS for 2018.
This is the second year that Women and Drones has selected a list of women to recognize and honor for being leaders in the drone industry.
Last year Women and Drones received an impressive 110 nominations for their 2017 list. This year that number more than doubled, with 288 nominations being made from seven different countries.
Out of those 288 nominations Women and Drones paired the group down to twenty semi-finalists. Semi-finalists were asked to submit additional materials to help in identifying the final list of 10 women, including information about each candidate’s work and goals. The final selections for the 2018 list were made by the Women and Drones judging panel.
Women and Drones listed the following criteria as qualities that were reviewed for making final decisions on who to include in the 2018 list of Women to Watch:
Dedicated to delivering innovations and solutions that create value for others in the industry.
Distinguish themselves by leading people and companies, and investing time and money to enable drone technology to benefit the world.
Positively shape the public perception of drones.
Advocate for and empower more women to enter the industry and pursue high-level roles.
The categories for the list this year have been expanded and changed from last year, and now include categories such as Search & Rescue, Product Development and Airspace Integration—read on to see all 10 categories in which women were recognized for the 2018 list.
Our 2018 Women To Watch In UAS list identified an outstanding assembly of diverse thought leaders from across the globe. The Women To Watch initiative emphasizes the integral role of women as major contributors within the drone industry. The ten women on our 2018 list represent the thousands of women who are helping shape the future of the UAS ecosystem.
– Sharon Rossmark, Found and CEO of Women and Drones
[Read our interview with Sharon Rossmark]
Here is the list of Women to Watch in UAS for 2018:
AGRICULTURAL PHOTOGRAPHY—Fiona Lake
The agriculture industry I work in has undergone monumental change since I began, being able to adapt has been vital.
Location
Australia
Business / Website
Why A Woman to Watch in UAS?
A seasoned photographer, Lake discovered drones as an ideal way to view the massive cattle ranches of Australia. Her images were recently featured in the Whispering Grass exhibit at the Australian embassy in Washington D.C. Lake also established the Rural Drone Academy where she shares her UAS expertise with other farmers.
AIRSPACE INTEGRATION—Dale McErlean
I hope to make a positive impact on the implementation of the regulations and service delivery to industry.
Location
South Africa
Business / Website
Ntsu Aviation Solutions (Pty) Ltd.
Why A Woman to Watch in UAS?
McErlean is a manned aircraft pilot, dedicated to helping the South African Aviation Authority integrate unmanned aircraft systems. She is leading efforts to define standard procedure for drone operation in controlled airspace, beyond visual line of sight and night operations, contributing to the advancement of the drone industry in South Africa.
AVIATION PLANNING—Heather Hasper
Data from a different perspective, from above, could potentially be the next societal change.
Location
USA
Business / Website
Why A Woman to Watch in UAS?
With a PhD and decades as an Airport Operations and Planning manager, Hasper is working to incorporate drones into complex U.S. airspace. Her efforts include development of a 3D mapping application that will demonstrate where UAS operations are taking place, a big step in the direction toward safe and secure skies for the future.
CONSERVATION—Jackie Dujmovic
Being a part of an emerging market such as the UAS Industry provides a profound sense of belonging.
Location
Australia
Business / Website
Why A Woman to Watch in UAS?
This founder and CEO of Hover UAV is an innovator in the field of drone-based shark surveillance, as well as integral part of the Australian government’s shark management research program. Dujmovic’s design for a shark alarm as well as cutting edge drone imagery make her a champion of UAS use in conservation.
ENTERTAINMENT & EDUCATION—Marjorie Ferrone
I have the opportunity to not just advance a new industry, but also to advance equality for women and others.
Location
USA
Business / Website
Why A Woman to Watch in UAS?
Ferrone is Co-Founder and COO of Drone Parks Worldwide, a planned indoor facility where a newcomer to the drone hobby can enjoy supervised flight after walking in the door. By eliminating cost and equipment barriers with the benefit of safe and legal surroundings, Ferrone’s vision will bring drone education and entertainment to the masses.
INFRASTURCTURE—Jessica Chosid
Simply the UAS industry is fun, unchartered territory where we need to solve problems that haven’t been solved before.
Location
USA
Business / Website
Why A Woman to Watch in UAS?
Advancing urban infrastructure with UAS and robotic technology is Chosid’s driving force. She is founder and CEO of Reign Maker, a drone data and information firm that supports the engineering, telecom and utility sector. Chosid’s company is the first to collect structural data via UAS on a bridge in New York City.
JOURNALISM—Gail Orenstein
The ability to transition from still photography to drone technology has enabled me to capture photos that were never within reach.
Location
United Kingdom
Why A Woman to Watch in UAS?
During her 25-year photojournalism career Orenstein has been reporting stories from places such as Iraq, Bangladesh and Nepal, often at great risk. Adding UAS to her skill set has taken storytelling to a new level, literally, as her drone images provide the world with a new perspective on human suffering.
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT—Sonal Baid
The fast-paced evolution of UAVs is what excites me the most. It is both surprising and overwhelming.
Location
USA
Business / Website
Why A Woman to Watch in UAS?
Baid leads product management and strategic operations for software platform Kittyhawk. Her focus on safety, compliance and maintenance along with a compelling vision for how UAV operations need to be managed at scale, makes her a trail blazer in the drone industry.
SAFETY TECHNOLOGY—Brooke Tapsall
I see I can fill a market gap in aviation and civil security using a novel technique of using data and empowering people.
Location
Estonia & Australia
Business / Website
Why A Woman to Watch in UAS?
Tapsall‘s experience in the spatial science industry was the impetus behind DroneALERT. DroneALERT is her rapid drone reporting application that can be completed using a mobile device. Law enforcement can then use the photos, videos and geo-locations to track down unsafe UAS activity.
SEARCH AND RESCUE—Gemma Alcock
This industry allows me to merge my three greatest passions: lifesaving, aviation and technology.
Location
United Kingdom
Business / Website
Why A Woman to Watch in UAS?
As the founder of SkyBound Rescuer, Alcock is helping shape the future of UAS use in emergency response. Her company is involved in drone research, consulting and training with the goal of introducing this new high-tech tool to those in the business of saving lives.
Want to connect with others interested in this list of leaders from Women and Drones? Hop into this post on the UAV Coach community forum to join the discussion.
Zacc Dukowitz
Contributing Writer
Zacc Dukowitz is a contributing writer, and the former Director of Marketing for UAV Coach. A writer with professional experience in education technology and digital marketing, Zacc is passionate about reporting on the drone industry at a time when UAVs can help us live better lives. Zacc also holds the rank of nidan in Aikido, a Japanese martial art, and is a widely published fiction writer. Zacc has an MFA from the University of Florida and a BA from St. John’s College. Follow @zaccdukowitz or check out zaccdukowitz.com to read his work.
https://uavcoach.com/2018-women-to-watch/