Shyanne Smith’s Professional Drone

A local business in southeast San Diego has just launched ! But it isn’t like any ordinary business, the business offers aerial photography and videography but was founded and ran by a child. Now 18 year old Shyanne smith started planning this business at 16 years old! with the help from her mother Alysia Shaw Smith and the right determination Shyanne was able to launch this business in January of 2023. When asked what keeps her motivated her answer is “The fact that God saw my inequities and still chose me to live for him! I want to make him proud and I pray this business will do that” so if anyone is in need of a drone pilot, aerial photography or videography or FAA part 107 tutor Shyanne’s contact is shsmith@ucsd.edu<mailto:shsmith@ucsd.edu> and remember folks when you “Wanna Fly? Reach for the Shy!”

Shyanne Smith

Shyanne Smith was born and raised in San Diego, California, is currently 18 years old and graduated high school in 2022 as Salutatorian. Shyanne is currently a first year student at UCSD where she is studying Communications and is affiliated with the Black Alumni Scholarship Fund. She also serves on the Black Student Union Board as the Kujichagulia Retention Coordinator. She hopes to one day become either a journalist or a pilot. She is a part 107 Commercial drone pilot and currently holds the state title for California Hosa’s prepared speaking first place champion.

Shyanne is a devoted Christian and missionary. During her free time she enjoys serving in her church and community. Shyanne enjoys traveling, hanging out with friends and family, writing, speaking and being in nature. When you ask Shyanne what she is most proud of, her answer is “That God chose me to live such a beautiful and fulfilling life for him!”

Shyanne currently serves in student leadership at her high school and has been inducted and represented her school in Washington DC in the National Honors Society. Shyanne has been a sought-after speaker and panelist with the AAAE (African American Association of Educators) where she spoke to San Diego Unified School District’s principals, along with California’s Secretary of State Dr. Shirley Weber on the vital importance of teacher efficacy. Shyanne is also a student ambassador at her high school, has worked as an intern at Sharp Mary Birch in the Pulmonary Department, appears on their commercials and speaks as a panelist to dignitaries who visit their campus. Shyanne is an ambassador at church in the high school ministry where she welcomes new people, gives tours, and sit with them during church service so they won’t be alone. Shyanne is a middle school math tutor at Holly Drive Leadership Academy, and is studying American Sign Language at Cuyamaca College. Shyanne currently has a 4.2 grade point average, has 51 college credits and because of the ELC Pathways Program has a guaranteed acceptance to a one of the UCs in the State. Shyanne is in ASB at her high school, and recently received the Youth Money Award from the Young Black and N Business Organization. Shyanne was chosen to do the voice over for an Amazon thank you commercial with, I am my Brother’s Keeper Organization and serves the beautiful souls who are facing housing instability with the Pancake People and The Gathering at Shadow Mountain Community Church. She has participated in Tech Trek at UCSD, finance park at Junior Achievement and her most recent accomplishment is graduating from the Elementary Institute of Science’s Girls Take Flight Program; where Shyanne, at 16 years old, possesses a part 107 commercial drone pilot license.

The Girls Take Flight program is a free, in-depth, three-phase drone education program offered through the Elementary Institute of Science to introduce high school girls in the 10th and 11th grade in San Diego to drone-related opportunities in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) field. This is the only program of its kind in the U.S. If selected into the program, participants must complete an Intensive 24-week, May through October course, master flight knowledge and skills, Learn to build and fly drones, visit local drone-related companies, complete a field video project, take the part 107 FAA exam, earn the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) drone pilot certification and upon completion of all those requirements will receive a $2,222 stipend.

“This program has opened my eyes to so many possibilities, and new friendships and experiences I will never forget. From flying drones over guy wires at SDG&E to filming and editing our own videos for our final project, Girls Take Flight has showed me how awesome S.T.E.M. Fields can be. Girl’s take flight quickly sparked my interest in aviation and drone usage by hearing amazing guest speakers, flying drones and preparing and taking our part 107 test/ When I first started this program, I had no interest in anything S.T.E.M. related and did not expect to enjoy this program as much as I did. I thought my only passion was literature but I was quickly proven wrong. Although I still have a deep passion for literature, I plan on using drones to help pursue that passion. I want to become a journalist or a broadcaster when I grow up and I hope to use drones to help me film in dangerous places and film angles I otherwise would not be able to capture on foot,” Says Shyanne

Shyanne still plans to finish her undergraduate degree in California and then attend Howard University in DC for Grad School to become a political Journalist or a News Anchor, but believes drones will play a vital role in that endeavor. Shyanne graduating from Girls take Flight Drone Program

“When you wanna fly reach for the shy”