Campus Life

Penn State to celebrate National Drone Safety Awareness Week

Penn State’s Unmanned Aircraft Operations Team will celebrate National Drone Safety Awareness Week, which has been declared by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for Nov. 16-22. Credit: IgorZh - stock.adobe.com. All Rights Reserved.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — For the second year in a row, Penn State’s Unmanned Aircraft Operations Team will celebrate National Drone Safety Awareness Week, which has been declared by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for Nov. 16-22. A series of fun and educational events will be offered throughout the week.

“For the 2020 National Drone Safety Week, the FAA’s themes are ‘Learn, improve and follow your passion.’ Our presentations on these topics will cover relevant information for aspiring pilots, hobbyists and professionals,” said Jennifer Stewart, the University’s unmanned aircraft operations manager and compliance analyst.

Virtual lunchtime presentations will take place from noon to 1 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and will be offered by Penn State and non-Penn State personnel. Registration is required.

  • Monday, Nov. 16: “LEARN: What do you need to know before you fly?” by Jenn Stewart, UA Operations Manager, Office for Research Protections, Penn State University.
  • Tuesday, Nov. 17: “IMPROVE: How can you improve your flying skills?” by Jeff Searle, Research and Development Engineer, Applied Research Laboratory, Penn State University  
  • Wednesday, Nov. 18: “PASSION TO PROFESSIONAL: How to go from recreational flyer to commercial drone pilot” by Nick Savino, Founder, NGS Productions

In addition to the presentations, a series of drone-related articles will be featured on the Unmanned Aircraft Operations blog at sites.psu.edu/uasopsblog. If you’re interested in writing or submitting a drone-related article to be featured, email the Unmanned Aircraft Operations team at uas-orp@psu.edu.

Community members interested in learning more about unmanned aerial vehicles and the process for having a flight approved on University property can also visit the Unmanned Aircraft Operations website.

The Unmanned Aircraft Operations team can be reached directly at uas-orp@psu.edu or at 814-865-1775.

Last Updated November 9, 2020