Upstate pilots develop software for drone awareness

By Mike Switzer

Published August 18, 2022 at 5:30 AM EDT

The use of unmanned aerial vehicles also known as UAVs or, more commonly, drones, has grown exponentially in popularity over the past 10 years and as a result, has brought an increase in issues for the aviation industry. And that presented an entrepreneurial opportunity to a group of aviation pilots who have developed software to increase airspace awareness for all involved. Mike Switzer interviews Jason Cansler, co-founder and chief operating officer at UASidekick in Greenville, SC.

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Mike Switzer

After almost 20 years, Mike Switzer retired from Wells Fargo Securities in 2001 as Senior Vice President/Investment Officer and Certified Portfolio Manager. In 1999, he and his wife, Maggie, purchased and operated for eight years the Baskin Robbins ice cream store on Forest Drive in Columbia. They grew the store from a bottom-tier operation in the Baskin Robbins franchise system to one in the top 5% nationwide within three years, tripling sales along the way. While operating the ice cream store, Mike and Maggie received patents for a portable ice cream sink and fold-down sneezeguard they invented and in 2002 started Magnolia Carts, an ice cream cart manufacturing company, which they sold in 2013.

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