Present for the Future
Meet the AΣT alumna who was part of this generation’s “Kitty Hawk moment” in Wise, Virginia
WISE, VIRGINIA – Most people remember where they were during big moments in history. But only a few – like alumna Andrianah “Andi” Kilgore, Epsilon Zeta – can say that they were part of history, contributing to a significant event that changes the course of modern life for the better.
In July in Wise, Virginia, Andi was part of what has been called a “Kitty Hawk moment” for the commercial use of drones – the first commercial delivery made by drones in the United States with FAA approval. “It was a huge undertaking,” she says. “There were so many people and organizations involved. We worked together toward a common goal, and we did it first! The commercial and humanitarian uses of drones is almost unlimited – I bet Google and Amazon are kicking themselves for overlooking Wise as a research site!”
The FAA selected Virginia Tech as one of six national research programs on integrating unmanned aircraft into the nation’s airspace, for the purpose of writing regulations for commercial uses of drones. The university partnered with Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership, the NASA Langley Research Center, and Wise County, Virginia (among others) to launch the first research flight – dubbed Let’s Fly Wisely. “Wise made sense in a lot of ways,” Andi explains. “We have a quieter airspace with a much lower risk of flight obstruction.”
For the first research flights, organizers selected the Remote Area Medical (RAM) event in Wise, which provides free medical care to uninsured people in southwest Virginia. A single, fixed-wing drone piloted by NASA Langley was successfully used to fly medical prescriptions from the nearby Appalachian College of Pharmacy to Wise’s Lonesome Pine Airport. Prescriptions were then loaded onto drones made by Flirtey, Inc., and flown directly to patients at the RAM site. All told, six research flights took place during the event.
“My role was making sure the community was educated,” Andi says. “I work as a Deputy Clerk for the Wise County/City of Norton Circuit Court Clerk’s Office, and organize continuing legal education seminars all the time. I helped spearhead efforts to organize a public education seminar to educate the community on drones and existing laws and regulations that govern their use. The seminar was the precursor event to the Let’s Fly Wisely drone research flights. Since I hold a communication degree from the University of Virginia’s College at Wise, I also helped with public relations efforts.”
For Andi, the best part was being able to help her community. “I grew up in Wise,” she says. “The coal industry is dwindling here, and we need something else to help us thrive. Technologies like drones are the wave of the future, and can be a big economic development opportunity for Wise. I want to continue to play a role in making that a reality.”
FOR MORE ON LET’S FLY WISELY, GO TO:
First FAA-approved drone delivery brings medical supplies to rural Virginia
First FAA-Approved Drone Delivery in U.S. is Successful
Drone Delivers Medicine to Rural Virginia Clinic
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON DRONES AND THE LAW, CHECK OUT:
Drone and Space Law: Let’s Fly Wisely
Photos: Tim C. Cox (http://www.timccox.com)