When you take on a venture of this magnitude, you sometimes need to remind yourself why. I first picked up a drone in 2014. It was a DJI Phantom 1 I borrowed from my friend, Eddie Codel. I managed to lose it three flights later. Discouraged, I held off purchasing another drone for a year. It wasn’t until I found myself in Iceland, surrounded by otherworldly beauty, that I was inspired to fly again.
Fast forward to September 2016. A week before I was heading to New York City to witness the unveiling of DJI’s original Mavic Pro, I found myself attending a conference in Portland, Oregon. Amelia Dronehart’s founder, Rhianna Lakin, lived there and we found some time to meet up. I’m so glad we did.
I wanted to get a shot of downtown Portland’s famous Old Town sign, but doing so safely and legally meant launching and landing from a narrow corner of the sidewalk next to a bridge. A hand catch was the only way I was going to land without damaging my drone.
“You can do it. You got this.” Rhianna was so patient with me. What she gave me in that moment was a boost of confidence I desperately needed. Operating a drone is not for the faint of heart, and having genuine support matters.
It was about much more than learning how to properly catch my drone. That little moment of encouragement gave me the courage to say “yes” to a daunting first commercial drone job documenting San Francisco’s towering Embarcadero buildings. I remember thinking about Rhianna again when I found myself standing at the base of my first 2,000-plus-foot tower, preparing to scale it for an inspection. That old voice came back to me: You can do it. You got this.
Encouragement matters at the beginning. It matters when you take the next big step. And it matters when you’re standing somewhere you’ve never been before, wondering if you really belong there.
Rhianna and I developed a wonderful friendship, and eventually we drifted apart. What happened is not my story to tell. But when Stacy Weskerna Garlington reached out and asked me to help out as an admin for Amelia Dronehart’s private group, I immediately accepted her offer.
Because that group existed back in the early days of the industry, I was able to confidently pursue a career in it. Seeing some of its original members featured in publications and on DJI’s media channels inspired me to keep working on my own craft. What Rhianna created made a lasting impact on so many people.
Today, along with an incredibly talented board of directors and advisors, I intend to honor that legacy. And I want to be very clear about what that means. We are not here to compete with other women, organizations, or communities. There is room for all of us.
Women and Drones CEO Sharon Rossmark serves as an advisor to Amelia Dronehart. Elena Buenrostro of Women Who Drone once helped me put on my contact lens before we filmed a scene for a course. These are the kinds of relationships I value: women supporting women, sharing expertise, opening doors, and cheering each other on. Competition happens at the bottom. Collaboration happens at the top.
There is also no place here for an “us versus them” mentality when it comes to men. We are not anti-men. Quite the opposite. I am personally grateful for the many male colleagues, friends, mentors, and industry professionals who have supported me throughout my career. There are some great guys in this industry, and I know many women who would say the same.
Our goal is simply to see more women in the room, in the field, in leadership, and at the table where decisions are being made. Representation matters. If younger generations can see women doing this work, they can understand that they are capable of doing it too. There are still plenty of gaps to fill, particularly across STEAM-related disciplines. If we can help change that ratio, even a little, then every bit of this effort will be worth it.
That is what Amelia Dronehart is here to do: support, educate, inspire, encourage, and create opportunities for women to see what is possible. To Rhianna: thank you for starting this wonderful organization and for creating something that has meant so much to so many people for more than a decade.
I am grateful for your trust in me to carry it forward. I don’t take that responsibility lightly. My hope is to honor what you started while giving Amelia Dronehart room to grow, evolve, and create new opportunities for the women who come next.
There is still a lot of work to do. I am here for it.
