(MENAFN- EIN Presswire)
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Uncrewed Aviation Systems Industry
First-of-its kind report by Women And Drones, P3 Tech Consulting and the Diversity Development Network of Canada
We knew we had a diversity problem in the industry. We wanted to understand the extent of the problem and gauge industry interest in changing it. Our survey and report scoped both of these things.” — Sharon Rossmark, Women and Drones CEOCHICAGO, ILLINOIS, USA, April 20, 2022 /EINPresswire.com / -- A triad of women-owned businesses, Women And Drones , P3 Tech Consulting and the Diversity Development Network of Canada (DDNC), announced the release of the first-of-its kind Uncrewed Aircraft System (UAS) and Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) 2021 Survey Report.
The Report culminates more than eight months of work that began in July 2021. At that time, the three companies collaborated to develop and implement a national survey to understand the current DEI status within the UAS and AAM sector.
Marlene Conway Diels, President of DDNC, explained the purpose of the project.“We hoped, through this DEI Survey report, to set the bar in establishing a DEI benchmark and provide real opportunities to provide access, opportunity and sustainable growth for both diverse peoples from all groups and the AAM/UAS industry,” she explained. The project achieved those ends.
The survey remained open between August 6 and September 17, 2021. It probed a range of topics, including respondent organizations' UAS/AAM size, location, funding, identity group composition at all levels, as well as their available DEI efforts and initiatives. The survey also addressed respondent perceptions relating to DEI and willingness to participate in future change-making programs.
The Vertical Flight Society (VFS), the world's only international technical society for engineers, scientists and others working to advance vertical flight technology, sponsored $50 gift cards in support of a random draw as an incentive for survey completion. Ultimately, over 1000 UAS/AAM industry professionals provided survey responses.
The co-authors then compiled and analyzed the data over the next several months. The data validated that women and other minority identity groups remain underrepresented in the UAS and AAM industry, particularly in leadership positions. The African American identity group consistently surveyed as the least represented across all employee categories (entrant, middle management, and leadership).
That said, respondents also expressed beliefs that DEI is important to the success of UAS/AAM and UAS/AAM-related businesses, that a lack of DEI would result in financial impacts to businesses and that it is important for the industry to understand the value DEI brings to the table. Perhaps most heartening, the data also indicated that the industry, as represented by respondents, desires change and that they are willing to help make that change happen. Specifically, almost all respondents expressed interest in participating in an UAS/AAM DEI Advisory Group (DAG) to provide industry input towards DEI, skills & competencies development, programming and training to ensure Industry relevance.
“This was an absolute labor of love,” explained Dawn Zoldi, CEO of P3 Tech Consulting and host of the popular Dawn of Drones podcast.“We spent countless hours working on this project because we believe in the importance of DEI and accessibility to the industry.” Zoldi also dedicated the month of March on her podcast to the theme of DEI. Rossmark was one of several diverse industry guests. (Watch all episodes on demand on DroneLife TV: .
In late January of this year, the companies released a free downloadable preliminary summary, consisting of the top ten industry takeaways from the survey.
As an additional lead up to the Report's final release, Sharon Rossmark, CEO Women And Drones, participated in a VFS DEI panel: , Zoldi appeared on VFS' new DiversiFlite Podcast and Zoldi and Conway Diels presented to the North Central Texas Council of Governments' Know Before You Fly Your Drone Workshop. View the presentation:
“We knew we had a diversity problem in the industry. We wanted to understand the extent of the problem and gauge industry interest in changing it. Our survey and report scoped both of these things. We are ready to now do the work needed to impact change, together,” said Rossmark.“Individuals and companies interested in learning more about the state of industry DEI and how to make changes in their own organizations should seriously consider obtaining this report,” she continued.
As follow up to the report, the collaborators plan to put out a call for Diversity Advisory Group members soon, with follow-on educational initiatives. They also plan to launch a 2022 survey in August.
The 125-page market report is now available for purchase through the Women And Drones website, on the DDNC website and through the P3 Tech Consulting site.
For additional information on the report or to get involved to make change, contact POCs:
Dawn Zoldi:
Marlene Conway Diels:
Sharon Rossmark:
About Women and Drones
Women And Drones is the leading membership organization dedicated to driving excellence in the uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) and Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) industry by advocating for female participation in this dynamic segment of the global economy. The organization partners with companies committed to an inclusive culture where women can thrive. Our educational programs range from kindergarten to career in efforts to balance the gender equation in the industry now, as well as for the future of flight.
About P3 Tech Consulting
P3 Tech Consulting LLC is a U.S. company that connects people who have a passion for advanced technology platforms with full spectrum policy-relevant information to propel their companies and to do global good. Its services include consulting, expert presentations and publications on tech legal & policy issues, strategic planning and policy/program creation with an emphasis on UAS and AAM. P3 Tech delivers unique education programs that partner with academia, the legal ecosystem, technical programs and commercial expos and produces the weekly Dawn of Drones podcast, affiliated with DroneLife news.
About Diversity Development Network of Canada Corp.
The Diversity Development Network of Canada Corp. (DDNC) is a Canadian non-profit corporation that supports Industry, Industry Organizations, Academia, Other Diverse Groups, Individuals and Government spanning Aerospace & Aviation, Defense & Space, Advanced & Digital Manufacturing industries such as Automotive, Rail and Marine sectors. It aims to leverage resources to directly increase diverse peoples' access, entry and advancement to fill current and future highly skilled employment gaps to directly support workforce actualization and sustainable Industry growth.
Media Contact
Women and Drones
+1 8479890909
email us here
MENAFN20042022003118003196ID1104056106
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.