“Women to Watch in UAS List” to Be Announced by Drone360 and Women And Drones

 

Drone360 magazine and Women And Drones will jointly announce honorees of the Women to Watch in UAS List on August 29. Nine savvy women from around the world were selected for their work disrupting, innovating and shaping the future of the UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems) industry.

This is the first of an annual list designed to highlight exceptional women from across the UAS world. The nine winners come from all corners of the industry and represent the brightest women working in drones around the world.

“Why UAS, and why women?” asked Tim Kidwell, Editor in Chief of Drone360. “The technology question is easy: UAS (drones and robotics) are improving processes for everything from construction to agriculture to news reporting, and they’re entertaining people through photos and movies and racing. In this brand-new industry, there’s an opportunity for organizations to break the gender stereotypes that dominate science careers and the STEM workplace.”

“We see a lot of headlines about the struggles women face in STEM and tech fields, and we know they’re real. But we want to shed more light on the successes, too,” said Sharon Rossmark, Founder/CEO of Women And Drones. “The UAS industry is in its infancy, and is poised to be a leader in the inclusion of women at all levels.”

The criteria for selection as one of the Women to Watch in UAS (http://www.drone360mag.com/WomenInUAS) include:

• Positively shape the public perception of drones.
• Advocate for and empower more women to enter the industry and pursue high-level roles.
• Are dedicated to delivering innovations and solutions that create value for others in the industry.
• Distinguish themselves by leading people and companies, and/or investing time and money to enable drone technology to benefit the world.

There were 110 submissions from seven countries for this year’s award. Judges were experts from the drone industry, including representatives of Women And Drones, Drone360, and others. The winners represent four countries and will be named in nine categories:

• Business
• Champion
• Education
• Emerging
• Entertainment & Culture
• Global Trailblazer
• Humanitarian
• Influencer
• Technology

“We challenge the UAS industry, as well as other sciences, to be intentional in their hiring and promotion philosophies, to look at the depth of skills and talent of the women in their businesses, and to give women opportunities to excel,” Rossmark concluded.