Vets to Drones Builds 8,000-Member Pipeline for Veterans' FAA Pilot Careers

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Nov 12

Nearly 8,000 veterans have joined Vets to Drones, and hundreds have already earned FAA commercial drone licenses through the nonprofit's training pipeline.
More than 200,000 service members leave active duty each year, and the group targets that difficult transition by steering military skills into civilian drone work.
Founder Chris Lewis launched the nonprofit after his own post-service struggle and a wildfire-mitigation trip that showed him broader demand for unmanned aircraft systems.
Veterans trained through the program have worked in search and rescue, farming, disaster response and security operations; one partner business now operates nearly a dozen drones.
The organization pitches drone work as both a second career and a renewed sense of purpose, with Lewis saying graduates are using the new skill to support their families.