Can you describe how you came to join the EagleHawk team?
In the fall of 2017, I was in my senior year of my Aerospace Engineering degree at the University at Buffalo. The first time I learned about EagleHawk was from doing research for the career fair. I had been recreationally building and flying remote-control planes and racing drones for years, so what the company was doing interested me. From that career fair I got an internship with the company, which lead to a part time job in the spring, and then a full-time position once I graduated. 

What does a typical workday look like for you?
Typical workdays are pretty varied for me. They generally involve flying and conducting inspection work with the drones, working to analyze data that has been collected, generating reports for customers, and working on R&D projects with the drones. I enjoy how varied the workdays are because there is always something new and exciting to work on, so the days rarely get boring or repetitive. 

What three words or phrases would you use to describe your role?
Engineer, UAS Pilot, Data Analyst

How would you best describe EagleHawk’s culture?
I would best describe the EagleHawk culture as that of a family. The team is very supportive of each other and everyone is working together towards a common goal.

What has been your biggest professional success and challenge to date?
My greatest professional success thus far would have to be some of our sensor integration projects we have worked on, namely our methane sensor integration. Seeing this project go from a fixed downward facing sensor essentially just bolted to a drone, to the setup that we now have with full sensor control and real time video and data output was challenging but extremely rewarding.

The greatest challenge would have to be a current R&D project that we are working on and should be deploying in the spring. The project has undergone many challenges, design changes, successes and failures to get to the point we are currently at. It has, however, been exciting to take an ambitious idea from concept to actual prototype.   

What has been the most memorable or exciting EagleHawk project you worked on and why?
The most memorable project that I have worked on at EagleHawk would have to be a particular pipeline inspection that we conducted. The pipeline was under a bridge that was extremely close to the water. The gap between the water and the bridge was only a few feet and was so small that even a drone would not be able to safely navigate it. We took a remote-control boat and outfitted it with cameras and navigation equipment so that we could pilot it under the bridge and capture the needed data on the pipeline. However, when we arrived at the site the day before the inspection to scout it, we found that there was no access to the water to launch the boat. That night, we went and constructed a mechanism to lift the boat with one of our larger drones and drop it in the water. The next day we went out and completed the inspection by airdropping the boat into the water using the drone. While we had tested all the pieces, it was very rewarding to see it all come together and work to successfully complete a challenging inspection. 

What technologies are you excited to explore or learn more about in 2020?
In 2020, I am excited to learn more about AI technology and how it can not only improve our reporting process, but also how we perform inspections. I am particularly interested in how the technology can be used to improve the performance and capabilities of drones for flight in confined spaces, or areas where there are a lot of obstacles. 

Where do you hope your career is in 5 years?
I hope to be leading a team of engineers and pilots here at EagleHawk.