On October 8 and 9, 2020, seven Holladay Construction Group associates gathered at the Portage, IN office to take part in a two-day drone training session. Zachary Huffman, CEO/Founder of Drone The News led the training.

The Holladay team members who participated in the training included: Clayton Trueblood, Project Manager (Portage, IN); Nick Sebert, Assistant Project Manager (Portage, IN); Charlie Healy, Intern (Portage, IN); Frank Trapane, Assistant Project Manager (Clarendon Hills, IL); Maddie Mayernik, Intern (Portage, IN); Robert Cundiff, Pre-Construction Manager (Indianapolis, IN); and Scott Brown, Vice President (Clarendon Hills, IL). 

Huffman founded Drone The News in 2017 in Atlanta, GA. The program uses industry specific training techniques to provide hands-on flight experiences, enabling professionals to become licensed FAA pilots.

Nick Sebert and Clayton Trueblood set up the two-day training event. Huffman used the time to help prepare the Holladay crew to take the Part 107 exam. 

The Remote Pilot Certificate from the FAA permits drone pilots to fly a drone commercially under the FAA’s Small UAS Rule (Part 107). The certificate demonstrates that a drone operator understands the regulations, operating requirements, and procedures for safely flying drones.

Since the training, both Nick Sebert and Scott Brown have taken and passed the Part 107 exam and received their certifications.