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Sky Keepers

Connecting First Nations talent through drone technology.

Project Overview

Updated January 28, 2025.

The Problem

First Nations peoples continue to be underrepresented in the digital economy. Many First Nations communities express an interest in supporting their members to expand into this sector, but lack connections to trainers and employers, or otherwise find themselves too far away from where opportunities are located. 

Bringing drone technology and training into Indigenous communities also allows them to have a bigger presence when stewarding their land, such as monitoring their lands, fisheries, wildlife, cultural heritage sites and community education. Drone operation and analysis offers valuable adjacent skill-building opportunities for community members, particularly by engaging youth in drone technology fostering interests in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).   

How We Are Solving It

The Construction Foundation of B.C.’s Sky Keepers program includes a multi-week digital skills training program for individuals in First Nations communities to learn a range of digital and vocational skills associated with drone technology. The program trains participants across British Columbia to be ready for drone piloting jobs through access to online tools, resources and training for drone operations, maintenance, mapping, film and photography. 

At the end of training, participants receive their Advanced RPAS Pilot Certificate, their Aeronautical Radio Operator (ROC-A) Certificate from ISED Canada, be certified under Transport Canada, and receive certificates of completion in Regulation Training and Hands-on Application Training from Aboriginal Training Services Ltd. 

To ensure the critical link to employment, Sky Keepers is additionally supported by the Two Eyed Seeing Network – comprised of Indigenous communities/businesses, education and training providers and industry partners, and connects graduates to employers.

The Result

DIGITAL’s co-investment in Sky Keepers in 2023 exceeded original targets by certifying 53 new Indigenous drone operators in British Columbia. Participant stories included using their Sky Keepers training to start new businesses and  reconnect to their culture.  

In 2025, we announced our continued co-investment in the Sky Keepers program to train and certify an additional 24 new Indigenous drone operators in British Columbia. DIGITAL’s re-investment is additionally supporting closer connections to employers for work-integrated learning placements, additional post-certification support, and revisiting communities where certification has already occurred to provide further mapping and LIDAR skills training for 24 previous graduates.

Project Lead

  • CFBC

Project Partners

  • Funded in part by Canada Wordmark(SSP) EN ()
  • "DIGITAL's support has enabled a wider reach for Sky Keepers and spurred conversations for future partnerships in B.C. and across Canada. With their support, the Construction Foundation and its partners have been able to offer this timely training in several First Nations communities across B.C., and allowed for important conversations at the Two Eyed Seeing Network table to better understand and support opportunities for Indigenous people to participate in drone-related careers."
    Colleen McConnell Director of Public Relations & Engagement, Construction Foundation of B.C.