David is Chairman of Drone Training Ltd which means he does his best to keep the directors strategically focussed despite their enthusiasm and greater joy for doing practical things with drones and training others to do so safely and legally.

David originally trained and practised as a lawyer, but has since run a law firm, a software company, a NASDAQ e-discovery business and a high tech cutting machinery company. Since 2013 he has worked mainly as a business coach and non-exec across various sectors.

David first met JC in 2004 working in the software sector where they were both directors of an extremely successful company that achieved sector domination within the legal and medical fields. Having kept in touch ever since that business was sold, JC introduced Elliott to David in 2014 and the three have worked to develop Global Drone Training ever since. This means that David can now tell if a drone is the right way up and JC and Elliott can sit through board meetings without (obviously) falling asleep.

Elliott is a director of Drone Training Ltd and also the Accountable Manager, which means that if we get things wrong then he goes to prison!

Elliott has a wealth of experience from custom builds to high end DJI drones and has been involved in both creative drone filming and technical survey work. The original operating company that Elliott established (HexCam) is now run by two very experienced drone pilots and occasionally Elliott is permitted to go on operational forays that keeps him current with the latest drones. Elliott has a blooming passion for FPV and is currently developing ways that this can be used in the industry.

Elliott is based in Norwich and runs the drone training centre there and flies both fixed-wing and helicopter/multirotor types.

Elliott and Jonathan met in 2012, and in 2014 helped establish the company that became Global Drone Training (formerly The Aerial Academy). The goal of the company is to deliver drone training in an operationally relevant way, support drone pilots and organisations that use drones, and do all that in the nicest possible way!

Jonathan is a director of Drone Training Ltd.

Jonathan co-founded his drone operating business in 2010, although drone was not the term used back then! At that stage he was flying large remote controlled custom-built helicopters. By the time he met Elliott in 2012, large multirotors had replaced the spinning discs of death. He was mainly involved in creative filming but has also undertaken survey and inspection work. Jonathan almost exclusively focuses on training and developing systems to aid remote pilots.

Jonathan is based in Swansea and runs the drone training centre there. He flies both fixed wing and helicopter/multirotor types.

Jonathan and Elliott met in 2012, and in 2014 helped establish the company that became Global Drone Traning (formerly The Aerial Academy). The goal of the company is to deliver drone training in a relevant way, support drone pilots and organisations that use drones, and do all that in the nicest possible way!

Steve is a commercial long haul airline pilot who has been teaching and examining in aviation since 2001.

He began his flying career in the RAF as a pilot, operating around the globe, and was a qualified flying instructor on single engine, twin turbo-prop and multi-jet aircraft. In the civilian world, Steve qualified as a flight instructor and still flies light aircraft outside of his current role as a commercial pilot.

He started training drone courses at Whispercam in 2015 and joined Global Drone Training in 2018.

Steve delivers the GVC and A2CofC Theory Course and Practical Flight Tests at Cupar, Scotland.

Alexandra worked with Elliott at HexCam before moving back to the USA. In late 2017 she thankfully returned and took up the Operations Manager role in Norwich with Global Drone Training.

As the Operations Manager, Alex takes responsibility for ensuring that all current candidates go through their training in a smooth fashion and, in particular, makes sure that they stay on track for achieving their goals, whether that is to receive an Operational Authorisation or simply gaining their personal drone certifications.

Alex is also responsible for helping Global Drone Training Pro members interact with the CAA, especially at the time of permission renewals and variations. Her dedication to that process means she has developed an excellent understanding of the CAA processes and we get very few issues with initial applications and renewals.

Lacey joined Drone Training Ltd in 2017 to assist with social media and to help run the Swansea drone training centre.

She works with Elliott to coordinate the social media side of Global Drone Training and is always on the look out for interesting projects to write about that our Pro members undertake.

Lacey is responsible for the company books, chasing down missing receipts and ensuring that our instructors have up to date course materials.

Lacey also works with Elliott to source and supply drone equipment for our clients.

How would she describe herself; “the balancer of books, crocheter and Disney freak?”

Lucy set up HexCam with Elliott in 2012. Whilst she doesn’t really have an interest in drones, she is incredibly organised and assists Elliott in the day to day running of his home office.

Lucy is also responsible for the wellbeing of the team and monitoring our compliance records to ensure everything we do is above board.

Ben is an extremely talented and experienced drone operator. He founded his company, Rogue State Media, in 2013 and has been involved in many exciting projects, witnessing the rapid development of drones in the creative industry. He has produced video sequences of almost any subject you can imagine and frequently works with a small team on standby for every conceivable drone project.

Ben has worked closely with Elliott and Jonathan over the years, and was involved in some of the early training of Global Drone Training. Since then Ben has focussed on producing high end film and television content and his website has a long list of big name productions. Rogue State Media uses the latest and greatest equipment. Currently their clients are being assigned the DJI Inspire 2 with X7 cinema package (20 minute flight time, 6K RAW, excellent lenses).

Given his knowledge and experience, the practical flight training that Ben provides for Global Drone Training is of great worth for remote pilots looking to improve their creative flying skills.

Carys Kaiser (www.caryskaiser.co.uk) is a freelance producer director (BBC, Channel 4, Channel 5 – Yorkshire Vet, Lakes and Dales) and has broadcast TV camera credits for The Truth about plastic surgery (BBC Scotland), BBC Songs of Praise, BBC network news, BBC Breakfast and regional news. She has flown drones for BBC Sport, BBC News, Channel 4 and various independent TV production companies as well as flying the drone on live outside broadcasts for TV. Carys has been a film maker for 15 years.

She is a drone pilot and has been writing a blog and public speaking about drones for the last 5 years as The Drone Lass.

She was invited to talk about the creative use of drones at the World Congress of drones in Brisbane in Autumn 2019 after appearances in the UK and Switzerland at camera and drone training industry events including the Photography show.

She enjoys running, walking and cycling so she can eat cake!

Carys joined the Global Drone Training team in early 2019 and delivers the GVC and A2CofC Theory Course, Practical Flight Tests and practical flight training in Glossop, Derbyshire.

Tiamiyou Radji (Tiam) brings over 20 years of experience working in the International Development. Founder and CEO of KRANTH a Senegalese Social Enterprise that develops concepts of collecting, sharing and using data with drones to stimulate change. Tiamiyou worked and consulted for the UN, DFID (UKaid) Millennium Promise of Columbia University under (UNOPS), EngenderHealth, ONE Campaign, Action Aids, Sight Savers, CRS and more. Tiam has significant experience in service business, Technology Resource Planning, Technology Risk Management and elaboration Standard Operating Procedures, Feasibility studies and consulting missions for international donors and agencies. He has a Master’s degree in computer science from the University of California, Extension, and a degree in business strategy/information systems management from the International Institute of Management in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.

Tiam joined the team in 2019 and runs Global Drone Training courses in West Africa as part of his work with Senegal Flying Labs.

Leka’s background is in technology transfer. He set up the Tanzania Flying Labs to build local capacity in robotics with a special focus on drones and related data products. He has also acquired experience in remote data connectivity, mobile health and renewable energy in Tanzania. Leka is a Tanzanian Digital Changemaker with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical/Electronic Engineering from the University of Houston and an MBA from the International University in Geneva.

Leka joined the team in 2019 and runs Global Drone Training courses in East Africa as part of his work with Tanzania Flying Labs.

Sam has been operating drones commercially since 2016 and is currently running a successful drone-based business, Tremio Aerial Photography, in Mid Wales He has recently been creating and delivering drone workshops for the Forestry and agriculture/farming sector.

Sam also works with key stage 2 students in delivering a Drones for School workshop and is a mentor for Big Ideas Wales – a mentorship scheme providing support for young entrepreneurs.

Sam delivers the delivers the GVC and A2CofC Theory Course, practical flight training and Practical Flight Tests in Builth Wells and has been part of the Global Drone Training team since December 2019.