Published by Yahoo! News: May 30th, 2025
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Moments after John Eberhardt fell to the turf Friday at Trojan Stadium, a drone was hovering overhead to lower medical supplies.
It was just a drill. But Eberhardt, the managing director for ATA Aviation, and other partners in the Drone814 initiative hope the scenario will be saving lives statewide and creating jobs in the years ahead.
ATA Aviation, Aerium and Virginia-based DroneUp deployed a trial run of their Drone814 concept at Greater Johnstown High School – in front of the school-aged audience they hope will be piloting and maintaining those drones one day soon.
The test run signals upcoming live trials this summer that will see remote medical drone operators work with 911 dispatchers to deliver Narcan, EpiPens and other supplies to real-life emergency scenes across Greater Johnstown.
“This first demonstration is just the beginning,” Aerium Executive Director Glenn Ponas told a crowd of approximately 60 students, educators and emergency responders Friday.
“Not only can these drones save lives … but drones can be a key part of any (career) field,” he said. “It’s going to allow people to make a living with drones, and we’re going to do it right here in Johnstown.”
Building a workforce
The Drone814 initiative has been underway for several years through a partnership among Aerium, the Cambria County Department of Emergency Services, the Southern Alleghenies Planning and Development Commission, and companies in the drone industry.
The aim is to show that dispatching medical drones to certain emergency scenes can lead to faster treatment, quicker recovery times and lower medical costs while creating local jobs, project partners have said.
Greater Johnstown School District Superintendent Amy Arcurio announced Friday that Greater Johnstown students will be able to pursue that career path this fall – and obtain a drone operator’s certificate by the conclusion of the 2025-26 school year.
Teens are already passionate about drone technology, and over just one school year, they’ll be able to graduate with the training needed to find well-paying jobs that support Johnstown’s burgeoning aviation industry, she said.
“The sky isn’t the limit – it’s just the beginning,” Arcurio said.
