Giving Veterans a Path Forward: The Mission Behind Vet To Drones
A veteran-built drone nonprofit is saving lives, training pilots, and proving there's still a mission after the military.
Chris Lewis, founder of Vet To Drones, served in both the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Army from 2009 to 2018. After his military career was cut short by injury, he earned a degree in science and technology from North Carolina State University. When the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted traditional job opportunities, Lewis sought alternative ways to apply his skills and education. Opting out of a corporate career path, he deployed to California to assist with wildfire mitigation, supported recovery efforts after Hurricane Dorian by inspecting power lines, and conducted utility inspections across the Midwest, including salt tower capture—experiences that helped shape his capabilities as a drone pilot and laid the foundation for his business.
“I didn’t want to sit in an office and pretend that was success,” Lewis says. “I wanted to build something that mattered.”
The company was founded unofficially, as Chris puts it, in a bar in San Bernardino in 2022, and officially became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit on Feb. 1, 2023.
Building a Path Forward for Veterans
While Chris doesn’t shy away from the topic of veteran suicide, his focus is on showing his fellow service members that there’s a path forward—one that leads through the drone industry. As he puts it, it doesn’t hurt that you get to play with some cool tech along the way.
“It’s not just about flying drones. It’s about reminding these guys they still have value,” Lewis says.
The soft skills veterans develop in the military—discipline, adaptability and mission focus—translate well to the drone industry, which is similarly driven by objectives and coordination. While conferences can be valuable for networking, the suit-and-tie atmosphere and bright lights may not appeal to veterans more accustomed to putting boots on the ground.
Vet To Drones Trains Thousands, Builds Community Through Strategic Partnerships
Vet To Drones has since trained more than 3,000 pilots, with 15,000 awaiting training and 112,000 inquiries in the past month alone.
“We've pushed 2,500 through the Part 107 since January this year. So we were fairly small before 2025, and we've just been growing rapidly,” says Chris Lewis, co-founder of Vet To Drones.
The drone industry is projected to generate over 472,000 certified remote pilot positions by 2028, reflecting rapid expansion in commercial UAS operations. Vet To Drones is already off to the races—positioned to train former service members for careers in a field that mirrors their mission-driven military experience. As demand grows, the nonprofit will scale its training programs significantly, providing veterans with both purpose and promising job opportunities in a booming industry.
Providing Real-World Help During the Kerr County Floods
As deadly flash floods struck Kerr County, Texas, over the July Fourth weekend, Vet To Drones deployed its crew to support search-and-rescue efforts. The nonprofit joined a broad coalition of responders—including the United Cajun Navy, Czech urban deployment teams, canine units, and drone pilots—scanning more than 100 miles of river and rubble-strewn terrain. These operations, part of a mission that saved more than 440 people and recovered over 100 flood victims, benefited from drones transmitting live imagery to emergency coordinators in real time.
Vet To Drones also emphasized responsible operations amid the cloud of unauthorized drone flights that disrupted official helicopters and forced rescue efforts to pause under FAA restrictions. Lewis said his team coordinated with local and state agencies to comply with temporary flight restrictions and deploy mobile broadband kits, ensuring safe, mission-aligned operations.
“We’re not here to play drone club—we’re putting people into actual field work, sometimes within days of training,” Lewis says.
Mission Ready: Tactical Fly Day With 5.11 Tactical
Vet To Drones recently partnered with 5.11 Tactical to host a “Tactical Fly Day” in Columbia, South Carolina, as part of its ongoing mission to empower veterans and build national drone readiness. The event brought together 14 active-duty service members, 18 veterans, and 17 civilians with prior military experience for hands-on flight training and field testing. Over the five-hour operation window, five drones flew in continuous rotation, logging more than 12 collective flight hours. The team deployed mobile broadband kits and used the AirData enterprise platform to stream live telemetry and build a real-time operational picture for coordination and situational awareness.
Let the Drones—and the Beats—Fly
From white girl anthems to “Let the Bodies Hit the Floor” and smooth jazz, the Vet To Drones training playlist covers all moods—and the smiles show it. Music remains a lighthearted staple during training exercises, keeping spirits high no matter what’s flying.
“The guys joke around, but they also show up for each other,” Lewis says. “Some haven’t had that since the military.”
"No Lady Gaga or Katy Perry?" I asked him.
"That's what I play with my headphones on," he says.
Editor’s Note
This article was originally reported in 2025 by Sean Campbell and published by DroneXL. It was later removed from their archive. We’re republishing it here to preserve the story of Vet To Drones and the veterans it continues to serve. At The Zero Lux, we don’t bury reporting—we protect it. Their work, and their words, deserve to be part of the permanent record.