DART (Drone, Aviation & Robotics Technology) is pleased to announce Peter Church as Project Lead for the Maturing Regional AgTech & Aerospace Job Readiness Pathways program, referred to as MsUAS Pathways. This new, two-year workforce initiative was awarded to Hartnell College and in partnership with DART by the James Irvine Foundation.

MsUAS Pathways is designed to mature and expand equitable, FAA-aligned workforce pathways in drone-enabled agriculture and aerospace technology across the Monterey Bay region, with a strong emphasis on underserved students, community members, and veterans. As sUAS Project Lead, Church will be responsible for translating the initiative’s regional vision into coordinated, on-the-ground implementation across education, community, veteran, and industry partners.

“MsUAS Pathways is about creating clear, credible workforce onramps, including for veterans and military-connected learners,” said Josh Metz, Executive Director of DART. “Peter brings deep operational aviation experience and an educator’s perspective, along with firsthand understanding of military-to-civilian transitions. That combination is critical to building pathways that truly work for both learners and employers.”

The MsUAS Pathways program is led by Hartnell College with DART serving as the regional workforce systems catalyst. Together, the partners are advancing integrated pathway components: a Hartnell-led drone education strategy embedded within AgTech and STEM programs; community-based aerospace pilots in partnership with Monterey Peninsula College and the Monterey County Black Caucus in Seaside; and a veteran- and DoD-focused pathway supporting FAA certification and civilian career transitions. 

Implementation of MsUAS Pathways will be coordinated with the CITRIS Initiative for Drone Education and Research (CIDER) at UC Santa Cruz, ensuring alignment between community-based delivery and statewide FAA Part 107 curriculum.

In his role, Church will support curriculum integration and instructor development, coordinate community and college pilots, advance veteran transition pathways, and strengthen employer connections to ensure learners move from training to employment.

“I’m excited to join the DART team and get started,” said Peter Church. “This program will create great opportunities and community-based on-ramps to a growing industry. We can’t wait to connect people to quality training and meaningful careers in UAS operations.”

Church joins DART with a diverse background spanning military aviation, higher education instruction, and advanced air mobility workforce development. During his service in the U.S. Navy, he flew H-60 Seahawk helicopters and later served as an instructor at the United States Naval Academy. He subsequently worked at Joby Aviation in Marina, California, where he helped develop pilot and manufacturing training programs.

As a Navy Reservist, Church continues to support drone training programs and personnel development, maintaining strong ties to military and UAS training ecosystems. An experienced airplane and helicopter instructor, he brings deep familiarity with FAA standards, safety culture, and instructional excellence. Church holds a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Colorado Boulder and an M.A. in National Security Studies from the Naval Postgraduate School.

DART welcomes Peter Church to the team and looks forward to his leadership in advancing MsUAS Pathways as a model for inclusive, scalable workforce development in the emerging low altitude economy.