Somos Dron: "We understand drones as a resource to contribute to local, technical and professional development"

Somos Dron was born from the union of professionals from the world ofunmanned aircraft systems— popularly known as drones — training and aviation who shared the same concern: to provide rigor, safety and knowledge to a sector that was growing much faster than its regulation and training. The cooperative was created as a collaborative space where knowledge is built in a shared way and where the professionalization of the sector is the central axis.

Currently, Somos Dron combines specialized training with operational services for companies and institutions. This dual aspect allows the cooperative to remain connected to the reality of the sector to transfer practical criteria and real situations to the classroom. With a clear commitment to quality, safety and diversity, Somos Dron wants to continue expanding specializations and strengthening an open, responsible and prepared professional community for a constantly evolving sector.

To learn more about the project, from Xarxanet we spoke with Tània Garnica, training director , and Mariona Cuadrat, project director of Somos Dron.

How was the Somos Dron cooperative born?

Somos Dron was born from the meeting between professionals linked to the world of drones , training and aviation who shared the same goal. Our concern was to contribute to professionalizing a sector that was growing very quickly . We saw that there was more and more interest in drones, but also a lot of misinformation about the regulations, safety and real possibilities of this technology.

We decided to organize ourselves as a cooperative because it fits with our way of understanding the project: a collaborative space where knowledge is shared and built between different professional profiles. The cooperative form allows us to put quality training , responsibility in the use of drones and the creation of a community of professionals around the sector at the center.

What type of training do you offer and what professional skills are worked on?

We currently offer training aimed at both people who want to get started in the world of drones and professionals who want to incorporate this technology into their sector. We mainly work with drone pilot training in accordance with European regulations, as well as more specific courses aimed at professional applications such as topography or agriculture. In our training we not only work on piloting, but also everything that involves operating a drone professionally : knowledge of regulations , operational safety , flight planning , risk management and the use of drones as a work tool .

One of the aspects that also characterizes our project is the participation in international cooperation initiatives , where we use drone training as a tool for knowledge transfer and professional training . We have participated in training projects in countries such as Mozambique and Bolivia , working with local teams to train pilots and instructors and facilitate that this technology can be used autonomously in their own contexts. We understand drones not only as a technological tool, but also as a resource to contribute to local development , to the generation of technical capabilities and to the opening of new professional opportunities .

Apart from training, what professional drone services do you provide at Somos Dron?

In addition to training, we also develop professional projects with drones for companies and institutions that need to capture data or images from the air safely and efficiently. We work in areas such as audiovisual documentation , cartography and topography , infrastructure inspection or support for technical projects that require aerial information. We also offer aeronautical management services for drone operators.

This operational part is very valuable for us because it allows us to stay connected with the reality of the sector and with the real needs of professionals. Experience in real projects helps us transfer practical situations and operational criteria that go beyond theory to training . In addition, we also advise companies and institutions that want to incorporate drones into their work processes, helping them understand the regulatory framework, define operational protocols and train their teams.

How do you assess the growing interest in the drone sector and what professional opportunities do you detect?

Interest in the drone sector has grown significantly in recent years and we believe it still has a long way to go . More and more sectors are discovering where drones can provide more efficient, safe and sustainable solutions for many tasks that until now were done at a higher cost, longer time or higher risk. This is generating new professional opportunities in very diverse areas, such as precision agriculture , infrastructure inspection or emergency management . More and more profiles are being demanded that combine technical knowledge of drones with specialization in a specific sector.

In this sense, the future of the sector does not just depend on knowing how to fly a drone, but on understanding how to apply this technology in a useful and responsible way within a professional context. That is why quality training and the professionalization of pilots are key.

What technical or regulatory challenges do you encounter on a daily basis?

One of the main challenges is working in a sector with a very demanding and constantly evolving regulatory framework . Regulation is necessary to guarantee the safety of airspace and coexistence with other users, but it also means that drone operators must be very up to date with technical and administrative requirements. On a day-to-day basis, this translates into careful planning of operations , permit management , risk analysis or coordination with other actors who use the airspace. All of this requires technical knowledge, responsibility and a good understanding of the regulatory framework.

Furthermore, the drone sector, as with other technological and aeronautical fields, is still quite masculinized . This also represents a challenge, but at the same time an opportunity to make new professional profiles visible and contribute to making the sector more diverse and accessible. We believe that incorporating different perspectives, also from a female perspective, enriches the sector and helps build a more open and representative professional community.

What are the cooperative's next steps?

The next steps for Somos Dron are to continue consolidating the training project and expand the offer with new specializations linked to professional applications of drones. The sector is evolving very quickly and we believe that it is important to adapt training to the real needs of pilots, technicians and techniques and the different sectors that incorporate this technology.

We also want to continue strengthening the community that has been created around Somos Dro n: a network of pilots, professionals and people linked to the sector who share knowledge, experiences and opportunities. As a cooperative, we strongly believe in the value of collaboration and in the idea that knowledge grows when it is shared. In this sense, we want to continue growing a project based on the values ​​of cooperation, quality training and responsibility in the use of drones, contributing to the professionalization of the sector and promoting a more open, diverse and accessible environment for all people who want to work in it.