The Navajo Nation spans a 27,000-square mile area across multiple southwestern states, including Utah, Arizona and New Mexico. Key leaders within the vast reservation recently joined ZappCare, a Native American-owned innovations and technology company, for a demonstration that highlights the use of drone technology in improving health care for tribal communities.  

Getting crucial medical cargo to residents in important places such as Aneth, Utah is a priority for the Navajo Nation, and with uncrewed aircraft flights the sky is the limit. Should the Navajo Nation formally engage ZappCare, drone service to remote areas has the potential to significantly reduce delivery times. With a 20-plus mile flight radius and the ability to capture live video and solar-powered technology, each drone follows automated flight paths in varying weather conditions. They would be especially useful in conditions where communities become inaccessible due to weather-related issues. 

Navajo Nation Vice President Myron Lizer was honored to be a part of such a historic demonstration. “Working with world renowned corporate minds...always pushes me to ask how we can find parallel opportunities to maximize our land, resources and manpower. I am grateful to serve as the connection between these individuals and hope we can continue to think outside the box as we overcome the Nation’s challenges."

The Aeronautics Division of the Utah Department of Transportation is hosting the state’s first-ever Aeronautics Conference. As the only event of its kind in Utah, this premier conference will bring together over 500 aviation professionals, state and local officials, mechanics, engineers, planners, and industry leaders to improve safety networks, share best practices and foster collaboration. Continuing education credits and certifications will be available.

The Utah Aeronautics Conference comes with many benefits, including opportunities to hear from nationally renowned keynote speakers, obtain cutting-edge training that offers continuing education credits, attend breakout sessions with subject-matter experts across the state, engage in networking during conference receptions, interact with new industry technologies, experience static displays at the Provo Airport, and much more. Registration includes all meals during the conference.
 

The Utah Aeronautics Conference will feature a variety of training sessions on Monday, May 9 from 12 p.m. - 5 p.m. The drone pilots track provides training on sUAS safety practices and risk mitigation techniques. 

Attendees will learn best practices for sUAS operations including normal, abnormal, and emergency procedures, maintenance checks, battery management, safe launch / land procedures, crew communication, and understanding potential flight issues. Training includes pre- and post-testing and attendees will receive a Certificate of Completion for Safety & Risk Management. More information on training tracks can be found at utahaero.com/training.

Experienced with features, advantages, welding, and packaging of all lithium-ion chemistries and form factors, Electric Power Systems (EPS) comes from a legacy of building aviation, military, and commercial standard power. Safe, reliable and certifiable, EPS lithium battery solutions disrupts the way we look at powering the commercial and military-grade projects of the future. EP Systems relocated to Logan specifically to take advantage of the Industry Partnership Program, as well as other state programs and opportunities such as working with scientists and engineers at USU.