If you notice the speck in the picture, that's me. I used to be an intern at a general construction firm during my pursuits as an architecture student. That internship caused me to realize two valuable things: I had no interest in becoming an architect after high school, and I had a passion for aviation. One of my responsibilities included going to various construction sites and surveying the project status. During a routine site walk, my supervisor offered me the chance to fly a $3,000 drone across Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. As a typical nervous teenager, I said, "No, thank you." The fear of accidentally crashing the drone was too overwhelming even to risk. Fortunately, after a bit of back and forth, my supervisor reassured me that I would not cause any damage, and so an hour later, I found the drone remote in my hand. I was allowed to take various pictures of the hospital and one final selfie of myself.

The next day, I spent my shift in my cubicle researching all I could about drones. I investigated every industry implementing drones, including film, real estate, and construction. The innovation and images produced by drones intrigued me. Days later, my superior invited me to fly a few indoor drones at the office, and these interactions inspired me to pursue my drone pilot's license.

I have scheduled my exam date for later this year, which will mark the end of my journey toward licensure. I hope to eventually save enough money to purchase a used DJI drone from a Facebook Marketplace. I plan to fly drones whenever the opportunity arises and capture the beauty of the world around us through a unique angle. One day I might even become an airplane pilot once I overcome my fear of heights.