Women Who Drone

Women Who Drone® is an online platform and community dedicated to inspiring, educating, and empowering women and girls through drone technology. Founded in October 2017 by Elena Buenrostro, a Part 107 FAA Licensed Drone Pilot from San Diego, California, the organization grew out of her personal drone journey that began on the Great Wall of China. After documenting that experience with a drone, Buenrostro became passionate about aerial photography and videography, and soon found herself fielding questions from other women eager to start their own drone journeys. Recognizing a significant gender gap in the emerging drone industry, she created Women Who Drone as a hub for awareness, knowledge, and connectivity. The platform operates around three core pillars: Inspire, Educate, and Empower. Under "Inspire," Women Who Drone shares stories, content, and a community of women and mentors using drone technology worldwide. Under "Educate," it offers drone programs including one-on-one lessons, workshops, online courses, school curriculum, and travel retreats covering drone technology, creativity, safety, and regulations. Under "Empower," it connects a global network of like-minded individuals with career opportunities through a growing job board, a pilot network of certified drone pilots, and a partnership with Getty Images. Women Who Drone also provides commercial drone services such as aerial photography, inspections, and mapping. The organization runs a job board where companies can post opportunities that are shared with its pilot network and weekly newsletter. Its hashtag, #WomenWhoDrone, coined in 2017, has grown to over 94,000 posts. The community highlights a persistent industry statistic: fewer than 11% of certified drone pilots in the U.S. are women, a figure cited on its website as motivation for its mission. While Women Who Drone inspires and educates all genders, it passionately advocates for women by providing inspiration, education, and career opportunities in the rapidly growing drone industry.

Women Who Drone® was founded in October 2017 by Elena Buenrostro, a Part 107 FAA Licensed Drone Pilot originally from San Diego, California. Her interest in drone technology began during a hike on the Great Wall of China, where she used a drone to document the experience. That adventure gave her a new perspective and ignited a passion for aerial photography and videography, leading her to pursue formal certification as a drone pilot. As Buenrostro continued capturing the world from above, she received numerous inquiries from women seeking advice on starting their own drone journeys. These requests highlighted a significant gender gap in the emerging drone technology field. In response to the need for greater awareness, knowledge, and connectivity among women in the drone community, she founded Women Who Drone in October 2017. The organization was established in New York City, according to the About page, while the Our Story page notes her San Diego roots. The platform was built around three pillars: Inspire, Educate, and Empower. It curates content and stories of women using drones worldwide, offers educational programs such as one-on-one lessons, workshops, online courses, school curriculum, and travel retreats, and provides career pathways through a job board, a pilot network, and a partnership with Getty Images. The hashtag #WomenWhoDrone, coined in 2017, has grown to over 94,000 posts, reflecting the community's reach. Women Who Drone also offers commercial drone services, including aerial photography, inspections, and mapping. Companies can post jobs to its network, which are shared on the WWD job board and through a weekly newsletter. The organization continues to advocate for women in the drone industry, citing statistics such as fewer than 11% of certified drone pilots in the U.S. being women, and positioning itself as a catalyst for expanding the presence of women and girls in the UAV industry.

• 2017

  Women Who Drone founded by Elena Buenrostro in October.

• 2017

  Hashtag #WomenWhoDrone coined.

• Partnership with Getty Images established.

• Hashtag #WomenWhoDrone reaches over 94,000 posts.

A mission-driven online platform and community that advocates for women in the drone industry through inspiration, education, and career empowerment.

• Online community platform

  A platform connecting women and mentors in drone technology worldwide.

• Drone training and education programs

  One-on-one lessons, workshops, online courses, school curriculum, and travel retreats.

• Aerial photography, inspections, and mapping services

  Commercial drone services offered through the platform.

• Job board and pilot network

  A job board and database of certified drone pilots for career opportunities.

1. 1Women Who Drone | Inspiring Women in Drone Technologywomenwhodrone.co
2. 2Our Story | Women Who Dronewomenwhodrone.co
3. 3About | Women Who Dronewomenwhodrone.co
4. 4Post A Job | WomenWhoDronewomenwhodrone.co
5. 5Women Who Drone - Wikidatawikidata.org