ELEVATE Drone Pilot Training Program

ELEVATE equips aspiring drone pilots with the skills, knowledge, and expertise necessary to navigate the skies with confidence and proficiency. The program focuses on drone operation and safety, while preparing participants for the FAA 107 exam.

program details

Goodwill and AINautics have assembled a team of seasoned drone pilots who will share their extensive knowledge and real-world experience with participants at no cost. 

The program, for ages 16 and older, includes a Drone Bootcamp that will prepare participants for the FAA 107 Part A exam by teaching the fundamentals of Federal Regulations, drone vocabulary, understanding how to obtain a remote pilot certification airspace classification, operating requirements, and weather reporting.

Qualifications

  • Minimum age: 16
  • No GED or previous experience/training required
  • 9th Grade reading level and mathematics understanding (an assessment will be provided at a local Goodwill location)

Next Class

The drone bootcamp is a two-day, weekend training course. Attendance both days is required, and lunch will be provided.

The next session is Saturday, September 30, 2023 and Sunday, October 1, 2023 at Goodwill's Administrative Offices - 115 Haywood Road, Greenville, SC 29607. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. both days.

Participants are required to pass the FAA 107 Part A exam within two weeks of completing the 16-hour bootcamp. That means anyone who attends the bootcamp on September 30th and October 1st must complete the exam by October 13th.

Participants must complete a full-day drone operation training after passing the exam. For the class held September 30th and October 1st, the field training will take place Saturday, October 14th, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Goodwill's Sulphur Springs location - 412 Sulphur Springs Road, Greenville, SC 29617.

There is no cost to participants. The registration deadline for this class is September 18, 2023.

NOTE: BY FILLING OUT THE FORM BELOW, YOU ARE NOT GUARANTEED A SPOT.  GOODWILL WILL CONTACT YOU FOR REGISTRATION. 

The ELEVATE: Drone Pilot Training Program is powered by AINautics and made possible by:

  • ICF's Cybersecurity Youth Apprenticeship Initiative (CYAI), which is funded by the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration Office of Apprenticeship
  • Grant funding from the University of South Carolina Office of Innovation and The Truist Foundation