Drone industry leading in diverse approach to operations

The technology sector has long been known for introducing new and innovative ways to benefit different businesses, challenging the status quo set by more traditional industries, while also embracing innovative practices that hint to the future of how companies will carry out their operations.

This is true for the drone industry, which is one that is appealing to a variety of personalities, demographics, and skillsets, ranging from those with more traditional military and aerospace expertise to individuals that are savvy with modern methods, such as social media and new communications approaches.

In line with this, the tech sector often affords women notable opportunities to rise through the ranks. Training, consultancy, and drone management software provider Consortiq is proud to strive for a balanced and diverse workforce where employees – regardless of demographics – are able to contribute to its success.

“Yes, I’m a young woman, but I’m given just as many opportunities as my male colleagues,” Miriam Hinthorn, US Operations Manager at Consortiq, says. “I am especially grateful that my gender is not being commoditized here. At Consortiq, I don’t feel like I’m in a fishbowl as the token ‘woman in the drone industry’. I feel that actually my colleagues and I are all pulling our weight equally, mutually reinforcing one another, and growing together as a team.”

While admittedly the team in the US is relatively small and is still growing, there is a 50/50 gender mix in the Annapolis, Maryland-based office.

Miriam recently celebrated her one-year anniversary at Consortiq, and in her role is responsible for ensuring that all US operations are carried out effectively. She has helped lead engagements with multi-billion-dollar corporations and says she has grown tremendously thanks to the dynamic opportunities afforded to her, and the collaborative approach her teammates embrace daily.

“Because this is such a new area of technology, and because companies need to embrace nontraditional strategies and practices to succeed in the UAV sector, it is a good place to both learn and leverage each person’s pre-existing skillsets, regardless of age and gender,” Miriam says.

Given a rise in commercial UAV operations, there are more people in Miriam’s general demographics in the industry, with an interest from those fresh out of school that wants to make a tangible difference in their work.

“I wouldn’t say that those people don’t exist in the traditional aerospace and defense industry – far from it – but I’d say that there’s a much more visible concentration of rising female leaders here that may have previously gravitated to other sectors. You can see that there are many ways that drones are helping people, which encouraged me to think beyond the status quo for a young businesswoman,” she adds.

Consortiq is helping stakeholders in the US — such as AUVSI — form rigorous standards by which to exploit UAS technology both effectively and safely, some of which will be unveiled in the coming months.

“We’ll always continue to influence policy making – we have some of the best standards in the country, and even the world – but I think that what is key is taking it from concept development to deployment.”