technology New Drone Programs Boost Next Generation Job Potential by: Katie McCurdy, Executive Director, Community Engagement, Gulf Coast State College
T
he Unmanned Vehicle Systems (UVS) have been in use for decades, and the technology is growing exponentially by the military, the private sector and civilians.
water Horizon oil spill which led to Triumph Gulf Coast being established to oversee the funds allotted for use in eight counties
Commonly referred to as drones, they are not only limited to aerial
for economic damages. Those counties include Bay, Escambia,
vehicles, they can crawl across the ground, float across and under
Franklin, Gulf, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton and Wakulla. GCSC
the water’s surface, and have the ability to be controlled either
is making significant investments in their UVS program with the
remotely or autonomously.
aid of being awarded over seven million dollars from two Triumph
The UVS industry is rapidly expanding in the United States and is having a positive impact in multiple segments of the economy. Gulf Coast State College (GCSC) has an established UVS program at two of its campuses to meet the demanding needs. The number
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The Gulf Coast region was impacted greatly by the 2010 Deep-
grants having been received. These investments are expanding their offerings, and creating tailored training programs to prepare our workforce for quality careers in unmanned systems. Gulf Coast State College received grants for an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Pilot Bootcamp and Technology Center for Emergency
of applications for drone use continues to increase as technology
Response and Communications. “The training and capabilities
continues to advance and new uses are discovered. Bay County
provided by UVS program, Pilot Bootcamp, and the Technology
was devastated in 2018 by Category 5 Hurricane Michael, and
Center for Emergency Response, are unique for our region and
drones played a vital role in search and rescue as well as recovery
allows students and first responders the capability of using cutting
efforts. A vast number of industries continue to reap the benefits
edge technology both within industry and government agencies
of unmanned vehicles, and some current applications include
applications,” stated Jose Lopez-Banquero, assistant professor
military, firefighting, aerial photography, advertising, real-estate,
at Gulf Coast State College and the Unmanned Vehicle Systems
search and rescue, storm research and construction.
Operation program manager.
BAY B I Z / FA L L 2020
