Did you know you can learn to fly drones at Santa Ana College (SAC)? SAC student Myrna Aguilar recently completed SAC's Drone Technology Certificate program and passed the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part 107 Drone Pilot Exam to become a Certificated Remote Pilot. Now, she is SAC's first instructional assistant (IA) for drone courses.
Aguilar, who already has a master's degree in Fine Arts in Creative Writing, returned to SAC in 2020 to improve her Adobe and technology skills for her current full-time role as a video/media producer for a local school district. She started by taking Professor Dori Dumon's Adobe Certificate classes under SAC's Business Applications (BA) and Technology Department to enhance her digital media and production skills.
Prior to her career in media, she always had an interest in flying and becoming a pilot. Her curiosity for drone-flying grew after Professor Dumon introduced her to SAC's drone program. While most drone programs are focused on photography, SAC's program is focused on the safe and legal use of drones for commercial and recreational use.
Dumon, a female leader in Orange County's drone education industry, is the only Part 107 licensed drone pilot who serves as a full-time faculty member for SAC's Business Applications and Technology Department. Dumon was the first instructor to offer a drone focused training course at SAC starting with BA 158, Introduction to Drones in the spring of 2020, when she introduced Aguilar to the Drone Technology Certificate program.
“Students like Myrna come to SAC to upskill, re-enter the workforce or gain new skills for a promotion or career change," Dumon said. “Many who enroll in the introductory course have little to no experience flying drones, but are curious about how drones are being used today. Students find the class informative and fun. Many students develop new career goals to become a drone pilot to gain a competitive advantage in today's workforce by adding drone technology knowledge and skills to their resume."
Dumon said she knew Myrna was a great fit for SAC's Drone Technology Certificate program and well-suited to become an IA due to her love of learning and work ethic.
“As SAC's first IA, she helps increase safety for students learning to fly drones while gaining work experience and applying her valuable drone skills to her current job," said Dumon.
Despite drone-flying being a male-dominated field, Dumon and Aguilar have embraced the use of drones and want to help others gain drone skills to apply to their careers. Students can earn their FAA TRUST recreational license for flying drones at no cost while taking the introductory course at SAC.
To become a FAA Part 107 Certificated Remote Pilot like Professor Dumon and Aguilar, students complete the certificate program to help them prepare to take the rigorous 2 hour exam required to earn the commercial license.
“When I was about to fly my first drone in Course BA 158, I felt intimidated and nervous–common feelings of first-time drone flyers. But after my first flight under Professor Dumon's guidance, I was hooked," Aguilar said. “Not only was the experience exciting and thrilling, but I realized how valuable this skill would be for my current job. As a video producer, I bring more value and edge to my role now that I am able to use drones to capture cinematic aerial shots of buildings and events."
Aguilar credits SAC Professor Dumon and Professor Tim Martin for encouraging her on her journey to becoming a FAA Part 107 licensed drone pilot and IA.
“With their mentorship and knowledge, I've become more confident in my skills as a drone pilot," she said. “As a lifelong learner, I've always admired the roles of instructors and their influence on students' success. I'm happy to step into a similar role and pass along my skills and learning experience to my peers."
As an IA, Aguilar works directly with students to provide extra supervision for the class to practice flying drones safely. She helps students with skills such as navigation control, setting altitude and distance, and troubleshooting tips such as what to do if they lose connection with the drone.
Today, many careers and industries use drone technology to allow workers to perform their services safely, and drones are used across multiple disciplines. These industries include agriculture, cinematography, construction, engineering, inspections, in surance, mapping, manufacturing, media, photography, public safety, real estate, sports, surveying, utilities, and many more. As more industries adopt the use of drones, the need for skilled, licensed drone pilot professionals will increase.
SAC's Business Applications Drone Technology Certificate program provides professional training in using drones legally and safely for commercial and recreational use. Drones are provided for hands-on flight training during the course. Learn more about the program at www.sac.edu/drones.
