Chris Lewis knows that a civilian career can give Veterans a paycheck without giving them the sense of purpose found in military service. Through Vets to Drones, he has worked to deliver both. What began with Veterans joining him on commercial drone contracts has grown into a nonprofit offering free training, job-placement support and, perhaps most importantly, community. With nearly 8,000 active portal members and a Veterans Day week of activities planned, Lewis continues to build on the simple idea of helping Veterans find their next mission, then empowering them to help others.
A Search for Camaraderie And Desire To Help Others
Lewis served seven and a half years in the Marine Corps before transferring to the Army. He medically retired in 2018 after nearly a decade in uniform. He then attended North Carolina State University, where he worked in a plant physiology laboratory and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Science, Technology and Society. He envisioned a future in research, but the pandemic disrupted those plans. A chance meeting in a Raleigh park opened another door. When asked whether he wanted to travel to California, “fly robots and make money,” he said “Yes!”
Lewis began flying drones on Southern California Edison’s wildfire-mitigation work. He later performed post-storm power-line inspections in Florida and collected data for telecommunications inspections, digital twins and construction mapping in the Midwest. As his responsibilities grew, he supervised between 14 and 40 teams.
He started bringing other Veterans onto contracts with him. Their military experience translated directly into the work, particularly for infantry Veterans whose civilian career paths did not always seem obvious. Out in the field, skills like off-road driving, land navigation and a mission-driven attitude all mattered.
“Technology is dirty, dangerous, and things break all the time,” Lewis said. Veterans know how to adapt and finish the job.
United States Marine Corps Veteran and Vets to Drones co-founder Sgt. Patrick Kinane helped shape the organization’s deeper purpose. The two had served together, and Kinane later helped Lewis navigate his own transition into the civilian world. After earning a degree at NC State and building a career at Cisco, Kinane showed Lewis what a successful civilian future could look like. He also contributed the first $300 to launch the Vets to Drones website. Lewis brought drone-industry expertise; Patrick brought an unwavering focus on helping veterans.
In 2022, Patrick died by suicide.
Lewis changed course. He stepped back from his startup ambitions, redirected that money into Vets to Drones and made the organization his primary focus.
The first informal Vets to Drones training took place in December 2021.
The organization formally became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit on February 1, 2023.
Free Drone Training Builds Careers and Connections
Vets to Drones supports Veterans across the uncrewed aircraft systems industry, from flight operations to manufacturing. Rather than prescribe one career path, the organization helps each Veteran identify the skills needed for the work they want to pursue.
Its free, authenticated member portal provides training access and connections. A member map helps Veterans locate one another by ZIP code without displaying home addresses. Secure chat supports private conversations. For Lewis, that connection matters as much as any credential. “I can go learn some stuff. I can go find a gig, but really searching for camaraderie is what led to all of this,” he said.
He hears from Veterans who once struggled to envision their futures and now look forward to learning, working and building something new. Members report landing jobs inspecting power lines, flying first-person-view (FPV) drones and teaching drone-building courses. Others launch businesses. When those businesses grow, Vets to Drones helps connect them with Veterans ready to work.
Training weeks and fly days bring together Veterans and civilian specialists to teach flight proficiency, mapping, autonomous operations, FPV flying and applications such as agricultural spraying and drone-based cleaning. Industry partnerships broaden those opportunities. Examples include the Midwest Microelectronics Consortium’s workforce-development support and Red Cat’s recent training that qualified four members on the company’s Black Widow system.
Expanding Drone Workforce Development and Military Training
The organization’s work now extends beyond the commercial inspections that first brought Lewis into the industry. Vets to Drones members also support military training, including opposing-force and red-team roles that expose troops to drone threats. Veterans with experience in Ukraine contribute lessons that help units understand how to respond.
In October, the organization supported a vendor expo and an overnight drone competition at Fort Polk. For Lewis, who was born on the installation, the trip marked a personal homecoming as well as another opportunity to serve.
A larger workforce initiative will take the organization across the country. Lewis said a U.S. Army DEVCOM-funded effort called “Cornerstone” is planned to support 20 workshops over two years. He calls it a “drone pilgrimage”: introducing people to drone technology, connecting them with employers and recruiting talent, including aerospace, electrical and mechanical engineers. One culminating exercise at Fort Polk per calendar year will bring industry partners and participants together with infantry units.
In the future, Lewis anticipates that manufacturing will play an increasingly important role. He sees growing demand for technicians who can assemble FPV aircraft, work on motors, solder and support production lines. “We need more of those technician skills than just drone piloting alone,” he said.
Whatever the need, Vets to Drones’ goal remains consistent: help industry partners grow, then connect veterans with the opportunities that growth creates.
A Big Week to Celebrate Veterans
Vets to Drones will spend Veterans Day week in the New Orleans area, combining giveaways, hiring opportunities and recognition.
On Veterans Day, November 11, the organization will broadcast live on its Facebook and YouTube pages from donated space at Abita Brewing in Abita Springs, Louisiana, where Lewis grew up. The celebration includes giveaways of two custom-built, black-and-gold FPV drones funded through the organization’s workforce-development fund. One drawing will serve existing members; the other will serve new members. Membership costs nothing. Eligible members who claimed their portal accounts and clicked Enter by 11:59 p.m. Eastern on November 10 are included in the drawings. Additional giveaways include drone simulator offerings from Zephyr and courses donated by Pilot Institute.
The week also includes interviews, media activities and participation in the National WWII Museum’s Family Block Party. On Friday, November 13, Vets to Drones will participate in a hiring fair at Bastion, a New Orleans community serving veterans. Lewis’s sister, a local catering chef, will prepare food.
On Saturday, November 14, the organization will hold its annual gala at the National WWII Museum, recognizing veterans, industry partners and sponsors.
Behind the celebrations, Lewis wants veterans to hear one message: find ways to get together. The digital platform can open that door, but reconnecting with other veterans remains the point.
Pay It Forward: Support a Vet
Want to get involved? Supporting Vets to Drones can begin with an individual donation through its website. Companies can explore partnerships and sponsor the organization, its gala or training events. They can also contribute equipment, software access and other in-kind resources. Lewis welcomes conversations about arrangements that give veterans useful tools while helping companies evaluate technology and develop their workforce.
Another opportunity will connect veterans with Law-Tech Connect at XPONENTIAL 2027. Vets to Drones, P3 Tech Consulting, AUVSI and Messe Düsseldorf North America are collaborating on a registration add-on that will create a pathway for registrants to help a veteran access the week’s programming. The “Pay It Forward” add-on will support a veteran to attend Law-Tech Connect (LTC), a co-located techno-legal workshop to be held in conjunction with XPO27 in Miami Beach, Florida on May 17th with bonus content (and drinks) Sunday May 16th, a happy hour at The Clevelander and access the XPO Hall all week. The option will appear during registration for Full, VIP or Law-Tech Connect pass purchasers. Registration should launch this month. The intent is to make LTC and XPO27 free to as many veterans as possible through individual or industry support.
Sgt Kinane once helped Lewis see a future beyond military service. Lewis now works to extend that same opportunity to thousands of others, through a training session, an introduction, a job or a place in the community…one veteran at a time.
Image credits: Vets to Drones