Having sold a home in the last few years, I know the pictures captured by the Realtor’s drone were a major innovation over the previous ones where snapshots taken from my neighbor’s yard were the best one could hope to get. Now, some local Realtors are working with Central High School student, Brodie Hackworth, who earned his Remote Pilot Certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration, which is comparable to a driver’s test but for drones.
Brodie took an instant interest in flying drones, and is also a member of the CHS drone team, which competes against other schools in the area. Central hosted a competition that included an obstacle course and a relay race. Bearden High School competed with two teams against Central’s three teams.
Central’s ROTC instructor, Russell Bazemore, who introduced drones to the program last spring, believes learning this technology early on in his career will help Hackworth, whether he pursues his dream of attending the Naval Academy or decides to use his skills in the public sector.
“I think it will look fantastic on his résumé, because people know how much discipline it takes to pass this test, especially with someone so young,” Bazemore said. “I think Brodie has aspirations to be a naval aviator, and this is a great first step. He’s exposed to aviation terms and weather. He’s one step ahead already.”
Photo credits: John Valentine
All of us have a story and I want to tell yours! Send them to susan@knoxtntoday.com