First Energy Foundation provides grant to support drone training for police and educators

A new grant from FirstEnergy Foundation to the Warren County Community College Foundation is helping to provide training to technology educators and police officers from throughout the region at the college’s nationally known drone program, leading toward certification to fly unmanned systems.

The FirstEnergy Foundation is donating $55,000 to New Jersey educational programs focused on electrical trades and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programming. The grants are part of more than $5.5 million in community support distributed across FirstEnergy’s service area to date in 2025 and are going to five vocational school and community college programs.

The company says its commitment to customers “extends beyond delivering safe, reliable electricity to engaging meaningfully and investing in the communities we serve.

Doug Mokoid, FirstEnergy’s president of New Jersey, said, “We need to prepare the next generation to meet those demands, whether they are working on electrical systems, flying drones or engineering the next great device. STEM is a vital part of the future. New Jersey has been at the center of innovation since the invention of the light bulb, and we’re proud to help continue that great tradition in the communities we serve.”

The $15,000 grant to Warren is helping defray the cost of Part 107, FAA Remote Pilot Certificate exam prep training for 20 high school STEM teachers and 10 police officers at WarrenUAS, the college’s unmanned systems program.

“With ongoing tight budgets for both school districts and local police departments, high-tech training is not always accessible for these community heroes,” said Pete Miller, chief pilot at WarrenUAS. “We believe more training in unmanned systems is critical in many sectors and this is one way WarrenUAS can make it easier for these professionals to gain it.”

The next and final class will be held this fall and the college is taking applications from school districts for their STEM teachers.

“Drone technology is the future of many industries as well as critical now for public safety. Pilot training and acquiring an FAA Remote Pilot Certificate is essential for law enforcement and first responders in today’s world.”

He noted that police are using drones in many beneficial ways such as search and rescue, reconnaissance of dangerous locations, and suspect tracking.

Delaware Township Police Chief Robert Illes said he participated to understand the technology today and prepare for the future.

“Use of drones is, and will be, incorporated into law enforcement operations for years to come. From search and rescue, crime scene investigations, to serious and fatal traffic accidents, drone usage will become the norm as departments incorporate their use,” he said.

He said the understanding he gained about the complex FAA regulations that surround using drones was very valuable, along with the hands-on experience the participants had using some of the extensive unmanned systems at WarrenUAS.

He noted, for example, that his township has an aging population and is fairly rural and his department receives calls about elderly residents with dementia becoming lost. Drones, he noted can search over a vast area without having to call in a New Jersey State Police helicopter.

“Having been a flight simulator enthusiast since my younger days, I’ve also had an interest for the past 5 to 10 years to get into the field of drone flying but never had the opportunity,” he said.

He said his department is actively searching for a cost effective drone in the next budget year, which will allow the department to gain an understanding of the technology and begin putting it to work

“Our obligation as a community college is to serve the community. Making this important training more accessible to our community partners helps fulfill our mission,’ Miller said.

Through a robust STEM program at high schools, students can be exposed to these new expanding technologies giving them the opportunity to broaden their options for chosen career paths.

The classes conducted at Warren’s state-of-the-art UAS labs were limited to ten students at a time and span four days which include live flight time for the participants.

Participating school districts:
• Allentown School District (PA)

• Delaware Valley Regional High School (NJ) 

• Hillsborough Township Public Schools (NJ) 

• Hunterdon Central Regional High School (NJ)

• Manville School District (NJ) 

• Mountain Lakes School District (NJ)

• North Warren Regional School District (NJ)

• Pequannock Township School District (NJ) 

• Randolph High School (NJ)  

• Roxbury High School (NJ) 

• Warren Hills Regional High School (NJ)  

Participating police departments:
• Sparta (NJ)
• Washington Township (NJ)

• Nazareth Borough (PA)

• Delaware Township (NJ)

• Mount Olive (NJ)

• Mansfield Township (NJ)

• Franklin Borough (NJ)

• Hopatcong (NJ)

• Clinton (NJ)

• Newton (NJ)

WarrenUAS is accepting 10 teacher nominations from any local school district not having already participated in the unique program. The next course will be held November 11– 20, 2026, Wednesdays & Fridays, 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Deadline for submissions is Friday October 9, 2026.

Interested teachers and school administrators should contact Dawn Smith at 908-835-4029 or dsmith@warren.edu for nomination information for this grant-funded program, sponsored by the FirstEnergy Foundation.

WarrenUAS draws students from around northern New Jersey as well as the greater Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania. WarrenUAS also trains law enforcement from around the United States.