UAS Summit & Expo Opens with Session for Student Entrepreneurs
About Symmetry Electronics
Established in 1998, Symmetry Electronics, a Division of Braemac, is a global distributor of electronic components and systems. Combining premier components and comprehensive value-added services with an expert in-house engineering team, Symmetry supports engineers in the design, development, and deployment of a broad range of connected technologies.
Exponential Technology Group Member
Acquired by Berkshire Hathaway company TTI, Inc. in 2017, Symmetry Electronics is a proud Exponential Technology Group (XTG) member. A collection of specialty semiconductor distributors and engineering design firms, XTG stands alongside industry leaders TTI Inc., Mouser Electronics, and Sager Electronics. Together, we provide a united global supply chain solution with the shared mission of simplifying engineering, offering affordable technologies, and assisting engineers in accelerating time to market. For more information about XTG, visit www.xponentialgroup.com.
About 150 students in studies related to unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) attended the first-ever student access day Monday to lead off the 10th Annual UAS Summit & Expo in Grand Forks, North Dakota.
“This is one of most exciting groups of people at the summit,” said Brian Opp, manager of aerospace business development at North Dakota Department of Commerce, who addressed the students. “You will be the stars of the show. You have the opportunity to identify thrilling careers and a path forward in any direction that you choose.”
The three-day event being held at the Alerus Center continues Tuesday with presentations and updates from NASA, the U.S. Air Force, Elbit Systems, Xcel Energy, the University of North Dakota (UND), the Grand Sky UAS Aviation and Business Park and state and federal officials.
Panels Tuesday will include UAS business leaders who have partnered with NASA and attorneys providing legal perspectives on international law, UAS intellectual property protection and Federal Aviation Administration regulations, such as Part 107. The second day concludes with a fly zone featuring interactive presentations and flight demonstrations.
At Monday’s UAS Student Access Day, Luke Geiver,UAS Magazine editor, led off the speakers with an overview of the burgeoning UAS industry and opportunities it provides. For example, he said Xcel Energy which is conducting research in North Dakota on using UAS to assess storm damage, started with two people in its UAS division and now has more than 30.
“Everyone here going to school at UND or in the region is in a unique spot,” Geiver said. “Grand Forks has become an industry destination. The Northern Plains Test Site in North Dakota is viewed as a leader. A lot of people want to compare themselves to what North Dakota is doing.”
A panel of UND graduates who formed UAS startup companies urged the students to use local resources, network and form partnerships if they’re interested in starting their own businesses in the field.
Matt Dunlevy, CEO of SkySkopes, was the first company in North Dakota to receive a Section 333 exemption from the FAA for commercial operations.
“We will work with those who want to start their own business under Part 107,” he told the students. “We really are a family in this area. We will bring you into the family. If you’re looking to partner and if you have a passion for UAVs, there’s not better place to do it.”
David Dvorak, CEO of Field of View, started a company specializing in sensor payloads six years ago and admitted that it was sometimes a struggle to stay in business during a time when the FAA didn’t allow commercial UAS operations.
“We participated in state business development opportunities,” he said. “We showed how can we use a small unmanned aircraft to fly over farmers’ fields and deliver data in a way that enables them to make better decisions. We did consulting and training.”
Today, Field of View works with exotic UAS sensors and combinations of systems. Dvorak said his company is in the market for electrical and mechanical engineers.
“I was in your shoes last year as a student,” said Christian Smith, founder of Interactive Aerial headquartered in Traverse City, Michigan. “Now I’m in the big world of running a business.”
Smith said students interested in starting their own UAS businesses need to start asking questions and getting involved.His company is developing UAS to work indoors in GPS-deprived settings and is working with the oil and gas industry on using unmanned aircraft to inspect the inside of chemical and oil storage tanks.
“It such an interesting ecosystem of UAS in Grand Forks,” he noted. “You don’t have to go to California or New York to do those things.”
By: Patrick C. Miller
About Symmetry Electronics
Established in 1998, Symmetry Electronics, a Division of Braemac, is a global distributor of electronic components and systems. Combining premier components and comprehensive value-added services with an expert in-house engineering team, Symmetry supports engineers in the design, development, and deployment of a broad range of connected technologies.
Exponential Technology Group Member
Acquired by Berkshire Hathaway company TTI, Inc. in 2017, Symmetry Electronics is a proud Exponential Technology Group (XTG) member. A collection of specialty semiconductor distributors and engineering design firms, XTG stands alongside industry leaders TTI Inc., Mouser Electronics, and Sager Electronics. Together, we provide a united global supply chain solution with the shared mission of simplifying engineering, offering affordable technologies, and assisting engineers in accelerating time to market. For more information about XTG, visit www.xponentialgroup.com.