Aug 26, 20224 min read

Press Release: 2cofly Trains High School Students for Part 107!

Written by Greg Barnes

Contract signing on a computer — Andresina McManus, Career Tech High Academy Charter School (CTHACS) principal, and Dong Won Lee, 2cofly cofounder and chief pilot, digitally sign the contract. Jeni Ann Flores, Emmanuel Carino, and Greg Barnes observe.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 26, 2022

Tumon, Guam: 2cofly is pleased to announce a partnership and contract signing with Career Tech High Academy Charter School (CTHACS) which took place Friday, August 19, at 10:00 AM, at the CTHACS campus at 681 N Rt. 2 in Agat.

For this program, 2cofly will provide training to 20 CTHACS high schoolers. Students will learn Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) drone rules and regulations, be tested on their knowledge and receive their FAA Part 107 drone license, log flight hours on both a simulator and a real drone, and conduct fully autonomous drone missions.

2cofly's Part 107 online course. All who sign up for this course, including the CTHACS students, will receive lifetime access. On our end, we are able to track students' difficult topics and refine as necessary.

Students will receive lifetime access to 2cofly’s online Part 107 training course, which is specifically localized to Guam and the Micronesia region. The course will be kept up-to-date as government regulations regarding drones change in the future.

People standing around a table with drones and computers. — Representatives from 2cofly (left) and CTHACS (right) pose for a photo after the contract was signed.

“We at CTHACS are very pleased and excited to partner with 2cofly,” said Jeni Ann Flores, Chairwoman of Career Tech High Academy Charter School. “This alliance marks the first time on Guam that a high school has had a drone program of this scope."

Academic classes featuring drone training are typically done at colleges and universities. “This is normally something that an adult would do,” said Greg Barnes, operations manager of 2cofly. “This is the first time in Guam that this is being opened up to high schoolers that are at the youngest eligible age.”

“This is a groundbreaking effort by CTHACS to provide training and licensing in order to prepare our students for careers in technology,” said Andresina McManus, CTHACS interim principal.

In everything we do at 2cofly, “safety is always our top priority,” said Dong Won Lee, 2cofly co-founder and chief pilot. Teaching the rules and regulations is essential, but practical skill in flying is also necessary. "Our focus with this program will not only be to educate students in Part 107, but also carefully train them in the correct procedures of flying drones."

Career Tech High Academy Charter School is a charter high school which, as implied in its name, is specifically designed to prepare students for careers. We are 2cofly are excited by the job opportunities that currently exist in the drone space, but we are even more excited by the possibilities the future holds. "As the commercial drone industry in Guam is growing at a rapid pace," said Lee, "our team at 2cofly is extremely pleased that CTHACS has taken this initiative to certify their students for the future."

Man sets up drone — Preparing for launch: After the contract signing, Dong flew his drone for a brief flight for celebration and photos.

About 2cofly (pronounced Eco-fly): 2cofly is a local Guam-based drone service provider headquartered in Tumon, which specializes in remote sensing, aerial mapping and more. Our core focuses are assisting construction companies in their work, and educating the next generation of drone pilots. 2cofly regularly produces articles and videos that are meant to be not only informative and educational, but entertaining. You can follow 2cofly on Facebook and Instagram @2cofly, on YouTube under “Drones in Guam,” and at 2cofly.com.

About CTHACS: Career Tech High Academy Charter School is the only charter high school on Guam that prepares students specifically for careers in the vocational fields. CTHACS is an almost completely paperless school which provides all their students with a notebook computer and a tablet for learning. Read more about CTHACS at careertechguam.org, and follow them on Facebook and Instagram @ctechguam.

About Dong Won Lee: Lee has had long-term career goals ever since his youth. That’s why, upon graduation from John F. Kennedy High School, he did not go to college, but began forging his path as an entrepreneur. He became a photographer and videographer and started a marketing company, KLARA M, and soon added a drone to his list of marketing tools. Before long, Lee realized that there were so many more uses for drones than simply taking photos and videos, so he opened 2cofly, focusing on education and drones in construction. Lee is one of three FAA Safety Team Representatives on Guam.

People watch as man flies drone — Representatives of 2cofly and CTHACS

About Greg Barnes: A few years ago, Barnes was advised by Lee to get a drone — advice he took seriously. Since then, he has become FAA Part 107 certified as well as AUVSI TOP certified and led a number of drone missions. Barnes has always enjoyed writing, a skill he now uses to develop internal 2cofly documentation and articles for public consumption. He is one of three FAA Safety Team Representatives on Guam. Barnes also works at marketing company KLARA M.

About Emmanuel Carino: As a child, Carino dreamed of flying. He began his adventures in aviation just after high school. X years later, he finally got his Private Pilot Certificate (PPL). In 2019, at the urging of friends, he became Part 107 certified. Since then, he has been involved in countless drone projects, including Guam’s two drone light shows. He has also personally taught some students Part 107 rules and regulations. “Mr. Carino,” as he is known to the CTHACS students, is the main teacher of this program, and as such, he is the one the students will get to know throughout the semester.