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Theleka Munyu – UAV Industries newest asset

17/11/2020

Theleka Munyu joined the UAV Industries Operations team in October 2019, as a drone pilot student of their 4IRSkills Programme and intern for the Operations division, working her way up to the role of “Dispatch”. Having recently completed her practical ‘Sign Out’ test, she is now officially a holder of a Remote Pilot License and we are extremely proud to call her a qualified commercial drone pilot! This is a position that she holds alongside her new role as Operations Manager, where she is responsible for all operational requirements for the flight department, working closely with the Chief Pilot and Drone Maintenance team to ensure teams are well briefed and supported for all projects.

 

Currently pursuing a part time Bachelor of Commerce degree, Theleka first became interested in drone technology when she worked at the ‘Africa Tech Week’ conference, which focused predominantly on robotics and the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

“My previous job required me to do a lot of research on 4IR, which is when I knew that the events industry was becoming slowly redundant. I decided then and there that I wanted to pursue a career that hadn’t existed 10 years ago! If robots were going to take over, then I wanted to be in a position where I would operate one. That is when I came across drones and the rest is history.”

Stakeholders within the male-dominated industries of aviation and technology still have a long way to go to attract and retain female talent. However, Braam Botha, Operations Executive at UAV Industries says they are committed to being the change that is needed within the South African drone scene and are always look to encourage young women at high school and university age to consider a career within the drone industry.

“We are delighted to have someone like Theleka, regardless of her gender, as part of our dream team. She has shown huge initiative since joining us at the end of last year and has quickly become a valuable asset to our growing company.

Head of Training, Mervin Mc Keith, adds:

“We congratulate Theleka on reaching this first aviation milestone and we sincerely hope that she will go on to obtain further ratings and certifications, flying under UAV Industries banner.”

A Look Back At 2018

27/12/2018

It’s hard to believe that 2018 is almost over –  what a year it has been for the business! A big thank you to all of you that have contributed to the year’s successes and for continuing to support and grow UAV Industries as the leader in legal and insured drone flight training and commercial drone operations in South Africa.

First “Women Only” Free RPL

In a first for the industry, UAV Industries launched a free Woman’s RPL Training Course.  We selected a group of professional women with a passion for aviation from all over Southern Africa. They attended Ground School in Cape Town and Joburg and are now progressing with practical flight sessions to obtain their commercial drone pilot license.

We chatted to Pippa Hudson about it on Cape Talk. Listen to the interview here. 

First Beyond Visual Line of Sight Training

UAV Industries was the first approved training organisation in South Africa to launch Beyond Visual Line of Sight Training Courses to valid RPL holders. These pilots, after successfully completed a 10-day training course followed by exams, possess an endorsement on their RPL licence that allows them to undertake BVLOS operations within a correctly certified organisation.  Learn more. 

UAV Industries Training Goes International

You may know that the Remote Pilot Licence is not restricted to South African passport holders only. This year, we were proud to train students from a host of African countries including Namibia, Nigeria, Kenya and Botswana, as well as France and Sweden in Europe. All students, regardless of their citizenship, benefitted hugely from the experience and knowledge of our qualified flight instructors. Read up on RPL prerequisites. 

UAV Industries Takes Sports to a Higher Level with Live Streaming

It has been a record year for live sport events, with the UAV Industries operations team shooting at major events around South Africa, including the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Stellenbosch, the inaugural South African Tough Mudder in Elgin, Mzansi Super League T-20 cricket, and the prestigious international Golden Trail Series finale that took place in Tsitskikamma. Watch our event show reels here. 

UAV Industries shows its commitment to improving the gender balance within aviation

02/11/2018

Earlier this year, UAV Industries Training Division launched a free Remote Pilot License Training Course exclusively for women. The course aimed to attract professional women interested in building a career within unmanned aviation and highlighted both the company’s commitment to  improving the gender balance and to changing gender perceptions within the greater aviation industry.

Due to the overwhelming response to the free training offer, UAV Industries extended its numbers to accept thirteen candidates from all over Southern Africa. They attended ground school at either of the company’s accredited flight training facilities in Cape Town or Midrand. Students were selected on their interest and/or experience within the aviation and technology sectors, as well as their availability to attend and complete the full ground school programme and practical one-to-one flight training.

While all students were selected for their individual characteristics and qualities, one student, Captain Kgmotoso Phatsima from Botswana, really impressed the UAV Industries team with her passion, drive and successes within the aviation industry. Phatsima is the Founder and President of Dare to Dream, a social enterprise dedicated to the advancement of youth, women and girls in STEM Aviation and Aerospace.

Upon being selected for the free RPL training, she said:

“Thank you so much UAV Industries for this amazing opportunity! I am excited to learn to fly drones in order to inspire the next generation of drone technology leaders of tomorrow.”

Phatsima has since been named in the top 100 Most Influential Young Africans in the Africa Youth Awards 2018.

As the chosen women proceed with their practical instruction, the success of the course thus far has been evident, with the team receiving the following feedback:

“Peggy was excellent; she made the work easy to understand and took the time to make sure all learners understood.”

“The Ground School Training was really interesting and I thoroughly enjoyed it 🙂 Thank you for the opportunity.”

“What I liked most about my ground school experience was our interactive lecturers and their different teaching styles. It’s an environment I would like to be able to teach in one day.”

Head of Training, Ken Venn, says:

“While the aviation industry still has a long way to go to close the gender gap that exists, UAV Industries remains dedicated to promoting gender equality across our business and beyond, from training through to instruction and operations. We look forward to seeing our first exclusive classes of women complete their practical exams as 2018 draws to a close and hope to be able to share more positive news next year on their individual growth and development within the drone industry.”