“Black women fly too. And it’s time we get paid for it.” That’s the message of Steffanie Rivers, a FAA-certified drone pilot, published author, video producer, licensed insurance adjuster, scuba diver and salesperson.
As proprietor of TCB Drones, LLC, Rivers is the first Black woman in Texas to register a drone technology company. Her company provides infrastructure (roofs, utility lines, solar panels, erosion control) inspections, search and rescue missions and drone curriculum. The purpose of the curriculum is to help train others, particularly people of color, to earn certifications, begin careers in drone technology, and hold major contracts in the industry.
The global drone market is reported to be growing, with its size being estimated at $73.06 billion in 2024. It is projected to reach $163.60 billion by 2030, according to Grand View Research. The growth in the industry is largely due to technological advancements, including the integration of technologies like 5G and IoT and the increasing enterprise applications across various industries.
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After breaking barriers in the industry and benefiting immensely from it, Rivers would like others who look like her to also cash in on the sector.
Hence, recently, she organized a FREE Zoom webinar for aspiring drone pilots, techpreneurs and career changers under the title: “From Hobby to Hustle: Master Drone Certification and Monetize Your Skills.”
Ahead of the webinar on June 23, Rivers said in a press release cited by Black News that attendees will “discover how FAA-certified drone pilots are earning $300–$500 per hour, and how TCB Drones can help them become one of the few—and the first—in their communities to cash in.”
“Most of the time when I walk into an industry event, I’m one of the only Black women in the room. That’s exactly why I’m here — to change that,” Rivers said.
She explained in the release that her programs are for high school students, military veterans, and adults who want an alternative to traditional career paths. “Through summer camps, self-paced online certification courses, and specialty training in aerial mapping, inspections, and search-and-rescue support, TCB Drones is preparing a new generation to take flight,” she said in the release.
Rivers is known for her work with national organizations such as Black and Missing, Inc. and the Dock Ellis Foundation, supporting safety efforts in remote areas and finding missing persons with her drone technology.
The published author and video producer will take the stage this fall as a featured panel moderator at the Commercial UAV Expo in Las Vegas.
Usually, when she is not doing any contract work with her drone, she loves to capture video of skylines from around North America to be used in various productions including movies and commercials.
Before her drone technology company, Rivers worked as a print and TV news reporter in North Carolina, where her professional career began. She is a journalist by profession with a Bachelor’s degree in mass communications from Tennessee State University and a Master’s degree in journalism and public affairs from American University.
After her news reporter job in North Carolina, Rivers moved to Washington, D.C. where she became a news writer for one of the leading news organizations in the nation’s capital. She also served as a college professor at Morgan State University in Baltimore where she taught media writing and TV production classes, her specialty.
Today, besides her decades of experience in print media, broadcast media, marketing and sales, she is trying to change the world with her drone technology company.
She recently outlined her inspiration in business. “I am inspired by entrepreneurs who realize their dreams of success long after others have given up on them; people such as Madam C.J. Walker whose passion for helping Black women improve their image and self-confidence led to her success as the first Black woman millionaire at 51 years old; people such as Harland Sanders who franchised his chicken recipe when he was 62; and people such as Daymond John who didn’t allow the ups and downs of FUBU to keep him from multi-millionaire status after 50.”
Rivers also owns Women of Ruth Entertainment and Productions with her business partner, LaVerne Adekunle. The company has produced several programs, including the reality TV show “Women Pastors – Ladies In the Pulpit” (first episode) and “Holding Out”, a TV show about the lives of women who are single and celibate.
