Unmanned Safety Institute

What Unmanned Safety Institute does

Unmanned Safety Institute (USI, Inc.) is a privately held U.S. provider of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) safety education, training, and professional certification, founded around 2014–2015 and headquartered in Denver, Colorado. The company delivers a tiered certification portfolio — from entry-level Small UAS Safety Level 1 through Advanced Safety Levels 1–4, including Visual Line of Sight (VSO) Ground and Flight credentials — aligned to ASTM International standards (including F3600 for UAS Maintenance Technicians) and FAA Part 107 requirements. Its core technology asset is standards-aligned curriculum and a credentialing framework recognized by employers in utilities, energy, agriculture, construction, public safety, and engineering sectors, complemented by community content such as The Unmanned Podcast, white papers, and the USI Safety Brief newsletter.

USI operates a hybrid go-to-market model spanning three customer segments: enterprise organizations (custom training and pilot sourcing, e.g., American Electric Power with 250+ pilots trained), educational institutions (Fast Track Programs delivered through partner colleges including Central Arizona College, West Georgia Technical College, HACC, Horry-Georgetown Technical College, and Texas A&M-RELLIS), and individual learners (self-serve enrollment, including FAA Part 107 Exam Prep priced at $99 with one-year access). Revenue is generated primarily through certification program fees, exam preparation course sales, cohort-based accelerated training tuition at partner colleges, and bespoke enterprise training contracts.

The company has issued 15,000+ certifications and trained 20,000+ students across 1,000+ organizations, supported by a network of 350+ certified instructors. In 2026, USI expanded its footprint via new college partnerships in Pennsylvania (HACC), Texas (Texas A&M-RELLIS), and a new 12-week UAS Maintenance Technician program launched at three colleges, while concurrently positioning editorial and guide content around the anticipated FAA Part 108 BVLOS regulation. Leadership comprises co-founder Joshua Olds (Vice President), Chief Commercial Officer Brad Tucker, and VP of Enterprise Partnerships Matt Hernandez.

Name

Unmanned Safety Institute

Legal name

USI, Inc.

Website

https://unmannedsafetyinstitute.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Unmanned Safety Institute (USI) provides ASTM-aligned UAS safety training and tiered certifications for remote pilots and maintenance technicians, serving enterprises, educational institutions, and individuals across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

UAS Aviation Training & Certification

NAICS

Flight Training (611512), Testing Laboratories and Services (54138), Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336413)

SIC

Aircraft Parts & Auxiliary Equipment, Nec (3728), Aircraft & Parts (3720), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Emerging Aviation Maintenance (UAS/Drone, eVTOL & Advanced Air Mobility) (EDAOAFAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Regulatory, Compliance & Type Training (FAA/EASA/ICAO, Part 147/145) (EDAOAFAN), UAS Integration, Certification & Compliance Systems (Remote ID, Detect-and-Avoid) (IMABAIAO)

Keywords

• UAS safety training
• Drone pilot certification
• FAA Part 107 preparation
• UAS workforce development
• ASTM-aligned aviation training

Headquarters

HQ city

Denver

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Certification Programs: USI issues professional certifications for UAS pilots and maintenance technicians. Revenue is generated through exam fees, certification issuance, and program enrollment for multi-tier safety level certifications (sUAS Safety Level 1 & 2, VSO, Advanced Safety Levels 1-4).
2. FAA Part 107 Exam Prep: Online exam preparation course for the FAA Commercial Remote Pilot license. The course is offered at a fixed price of $99 with full year of access.
3. Fast Track Training Programs: Accelerated training programs delivered through partner colleges (Arizona, Georgia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas) with cohort-based enrollment for remote pilot and maintenance technician training.
4. Business Solutions: Custom training solutions and organizational safety solutions for enterprises deploying drone operations, including workforce development and remote pilot sourcing for companies like American Electric Power.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Unmanned Safety Institute (USI) delivers standards-aligned education, training, and professional certification programs for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) pilots and maintenance technicians. Its offerings include FAA Part 107 exam preparation, multi-tier safety certifications (sUAS Safety Levels 1-2, VSO Ground/Flight, Advanced Safety Levels 1-4) aligned with ASTM International F3600 standards, accelerated Fast Track Programs delivered through partner colleges, and custom enterprise training solutions for organizations deploying drone operations.

Product overview

USI offers a comprehensive portfolio of workforce development solutions for the drone/UAS industry, combining curriculum, training, and standards-aligned certifications. The core offerings include turn-key educational curriculum for remote pilots and maintenance technicians, custom training solutions, and industry-recognized certification pathways aligned to ASTM International, FAA, and other global standards. Certifications span from entry-level Small UAS Safety Level 1 and 2 through advanced levels (Safety Levels 1-4) for both ground and flight operations, including VSO and BVLOS certifications. Supplementary offerings include FAA Part 107 exam prep, Fast Track accelerated programs at partner colleges across the US, The Unmanned Podcast, white papers, and Safety Brief publications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• FAA Part 107 Exam Prep Course Online self-paced exam preparation course for the FAA Commercial Remote Pilot license, targeting individual learners and career seekers pursuing commercial drone operation certification. Priced at $99 with a full year of access.
• sUAS Safety Level 1 Certification Entry-level professional certification for small unmanned aircraft system operators, aligned with ASTM International standards, providing foundational drone safety competency for individual pilots and workforce entrants.
• sUAS Safety Level 2 Certification Advanced professional certification for small UAS operators building on Safety Level 1, aligned with ASTM International standards, for pilots progressing beyond foundational competency.
• VSO Ground Certification Ground-based certification for Visual Line of Sight (VLOS) system operations, preparing drone operators and ground crew for visual-line-of-sight UAS missions.
• VSO Flight Certification Flight-based certification for Visual Line of Sight (VLOS) system operations, certifying pilots to conduct visual-line-of-sight drone flights.
• Advanced Unmanned Safety Level 1 Certification Entry-level advanced certification for beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations, aligned with ASTM standards, for pilots entering complex UAS mission profiles.
• Advanced Unmanned Safety Level 2 Certification Intermediate advanced certification for beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) UAS operations, aligned with ASTM standards, for pilots progressing in complex operations.
• Advanced Safety Level 3 (AUSO Ground) Certification Advanced certification covering ground operations for autonomous unmanned systems operations (AUSO), for personnel responsible for ground-side autonomous UAS mission support.
• Advanced Safety Level 4 (AUSO Flight) Certification Advanced certification covering flight operations for autonomous unmanned systems operations (AUSO), for pilots conducting autonomous UAS flights.
• UAS Maintenance Technician Program 12-week accelerated training program aligned with ASTM International F3600 standards, providing nationally recognized Safety Level 1 and Safety Level 2 certifications for drone maintenance technicians, delivered through partner colleges.
• Business Solutions / Custom Enterprise Training Custom training solutions and organizational safety programs sold directly to enterprise organizations (e.g., American Electric Power with 250+ pilots) deploying drone operations, including workforce development and remote pilot sourcing.
• Academic Curriculum for Educational Institutions Turn-key, standards-aligned curriculum for remote pilots and maintenance technicians delivered to high schools, colleges, and community colleges, enabling institutions to offer industry-recognized UAS training programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 15,000+ certifications issued to date
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Texas A&M-RELLIScoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 April 2026Partnership with Texas A&M-RELLIS to expand drone and UAS training programs across Texas, launching June 2026. Collaboration supports workforce development in energy, agriculture, and public safety sectors through FAA certification exams, operational training, and advanced skills development for complex operations.
• HACC (Harrisburg Area Community College)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 March 2026Strategic partnership with HACC, Central Pennsylvania's Community College, to expand professional UAS training across Central Pennsylvania. Certification programs launched April 13, 2026 offering FAA Part 107 exam preparation, Professional Remote Operator certification, UAS Maintenance Technician certification, and advanced BVLOS operator training.
• Central Arizona CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 February 2026Launch of UAS Maintenance Technician program at Central Arizona College. 12-week accelerated program aligned with ASTM International F3600 standards, providing Safety Level 1 and Safety Level 2 certifications. New cohorts begin February 23, 2026.
• Horry-Georgetown Technical CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 February 2026Launch of UAS Maintenance Technician program at Horry-Georgetown Technical College in South Carolina. 12-week accelerated program aligned with ASTM International F3600 standards, providing nationally recognized certifications including Safety Level 1 and Safety Level 2.
• West Georgia Technical CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 February 2026Launch of UAS Maintenance Technician program at West Georgia Technical College. 12-week accelerated program aligned with ASTM International F3600 standards, providing nationally recognized certifications including Safety Level 1 and Safety Level 2 for drone maintenance technicians.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• DroneU: Drone training and consulting focused on commercial pilots and Part 107 readiness; shares USI's SMB-to-enterprise customer base and Part 107 prep category.
• Pilot Institute: Online drone training school offering Part 107 prep and commercial drone operator courses; competes with USI in the self-serve certification and exam prep category.
• UAV Coach: Online drone training and Part 107 prep platform serving individual pilots and small operators; directly comparable to USI's self-serve FAA Part 107 and certification offerings, though with less enterprise and college distribution.
• Drone Pilot Ground School: Specializes in FAA Part 107 exam preparation and drone training content for individual learners — closely overlaps USI's Part 107 prep product line and shares the same target customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University: Large accredited aviation university with UAS degree and certificate programs; competes for the same workforce development segment but at a higher education tier and broader aviation scope.
• FlightSafety International: Premier aviation training provider with simulator-based crew training; a broader incumbent that could expand into UAS/BVLOS training if the market scales, threatening USI's standards-aligned positioning.
• AUVSI (Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International): Industry association delivering UAS advocacy, standards work, and training programs; overlaps USI's regulatory thought leadership and ASTM standards involvement at a broader industry level.

Others

• Drone Industry Insights: Drone industry research and market intelligence firm; adjacent rather than directly competitive, but engages the same enterprise buyer audience for UAS workforce planning decisions.

Emerging players

• Skyward (a Verizon company): Enterprise drone operations management platform that increasingly bundles training and compliance content; an emerging adjacent player that could expand into USI's enterprise workforce training category.
• DroneDeploy: Drone mapping and inspection software platform serving construction and enterprise; complements rather than directly competes with USI's training focus, but addresses the same enterprise customers deploying UAS.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/unmannedsafety
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@Fly_USI
• Facebookfacebook.com/unmannedsafetyinstitute
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/unmanned-safety-institute
• Instagraminstagram.com/fly_usi

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Unmanned Safety Institute