george moe of fliteworks

Member Highlight for march

Tell us about yourself

I'm the CEO at Fliteworks, which is monitoring critical infrastructure at scale using autonomous drones. I studied Computer Science & Philosophy at Harvard and helped start the undergrad competitive drone team. In my free time, I love tinkering with fun projects and joining hackathons and innovation challenges.

HOW DID YOU GET STARTED?

I started small, and I started early! My first projects as a kid were made of tape, cardboard, and aluminum foil - DIY projects like those found in Popular Mechanics, including a solar oven, rain barrel, and small wind turbine. Gradually, I picked up more and more advanced concepts like programming and electronics, which introduced me to the world of robotics. As soon as I could, I joined my high school robotics team, and that was my first experience with a full machine shop. I've been making ever since, and now I do it full-time as a startup founder!

WHAT INSPIRES YOU?

We're entering an era of great physical uncertainty as climate change brings extreme weather and aging infrastructure struggles to keep up. The success of our modern world was built on the supply networks laid down last century - and if we want to keep growing, we need to step those up to an entirely new and much more sustainable level. And while software has held the spotlight and gotten us very far for the past couple decades, it has to go hand-in-hand with hard-tech innovation to continuing bringing progress to the real world. That's why I've joined the fight with other makers to infuse technology into the way we run our physical world and prepare it for the 21st century.

Do you have any upcoming projects you can tell us about?

Yes! I'm excited to share that Fliteworks is starting widespread deployment of our Palletized Drone Systems (PDS) at solar farms across the country. Our PDS are home bases for autonomous drones which can be built quickly and shipped to distant locations for long-term remote operation, allowing us to monitor far-away places that would be hard for people to inspect in-person. This is helping to run existing solar farms and speeding up construction of new ones, because when before people had to slowly walk around these massive thousand-acre sites and find problems one-by-one, the drone can fly every day and help them diagnose issues across the entire site. We want to bring this broad-scale visibility to all infrastructure - from highways, to pipelines, to the electric grid - to help prevent disasters and keep everything running more smoothly than ever before.

  HOW DID YOU FIND OUT ABOUT MAKERSPACE?

Google Maps - I've been looking for a local MakerSpace in NYC with the right tools to develop the Palletized Drone System, and I saw from the website that MakerSpace NYC had it all.

What is your favorite tool at Makerspace?

Don't laugh, because they're really the unsung hero the workshop: the tables! From woodworking benches to welding tables to work desks, we might take them for granted but they are literally the foundation upon which all projects are built. Before I found the Makerspace, I was working out of Home Depot parking lots on a folding table, and I have to tell you: I cannot overstate what a difference it makes, having a solid sturdy table that doesn't jump around or flex when you saw, drill, and build.

WHERE TO FIND fliteworks:

https://fliteworks.com

Jun!

Instructor Highlight for January

We are so excited to have Junyi Min teaching Arduino at our Brooklyn shop!

Tell us about yourself

Hellooo, I am an interdisciplinary artist working in performance, film, ceramics, and tinkers with Arduinos! While, my current practice is mostly performance and film based, I teach art to university students and specialize in teaching drawing and electronic technologies :)

HOW DID YOU GET STARTED?

My journey with art started from drawing, specializing in large portrait drawings in college, and branching towards electronic technologies and performance later.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU?

I have a group of really talented literature friends and their practice and artistry always inspires me :)

On a sidenote, I am looking for opportunities to exhibit and perform, and also work with collaborators, if you or you know someone who might be interested in working together, let's make something happen :)

Do you have any upcoming projects you can tell us about?

I am working on a film about a butterfly right now!

  HOW DID YOU FIND OUT ABOUT MAKERSPACE?

I found the MakerSpace through the Sunset Park Open Studios just last year.

Tell us about your class

In my foundational class, you will learn how to operate an Arduino and learn basic programming skills in C. The class will use the Arduino IDE to experiment with LEDs, servos, and other sensors to get you familiar with the basic operation of an Arduino. Through hands-on activities, you will learn to build, code, and troubleshoot Arduino programs. No prior coding or Arduino experiences necessary. Arduino kits will be provided for in-class practice.

WHERE TO FIND Jun!

IG: @iamperformanceartist

https://junyimin.cargo.site/

Angry Elephant

Member Highlight for november

Tell us about yourself

My name is Al Felder, also known as Heck which is short for "hectic." Growing up, that was a nickname I got - and also for being on the go go go! I use that handle for writing graffiti. I was born in Brooklyn and raised between the 2 boroughs. Staten Island always felt like home.

HOW DID YOU GET STARTED?

Angry Elephant was created in one of the darkest yet most shining moments in my life. I was incarcerated for nearly two decades in federal prison for "drug conspiracy". During that time, I received such bad news about my 10 year old son. He was thrown out a window from a van that flipped over due to a faulty tire on the way down to Disney. He was unconscious on a pitch black highway in Florida and couldn't be found for a half hour. I was woken up at 12 at night on my birthday and asked to go to the office so prison officials could tell me; and then was questioned about trying to escape. He was in a coma and I called to check on him for days. On the 10th day (his mom's birthday), I asked if someone could place the phone to his ear so he could hear my voice, because I couldn't see him and he wasn't waking up. His mom was reluctant because it wasn't allowed but I insisted and she did. I smiled and just asked him softly if he was going lay there or get up and fight. The machines started ringing and his mom asked "What are you saying to him?" I smiled and said "He's gonna make it." The doctors ran in so she pulled the phone away. I told her he's gonna be ok and she couldn't believe it but was happy.

That day I was watching Nat Geo and it was an episode about how elephants are captured and broken. I couldn't believe how the elephants were treated and tortured, just to be able to work and to be ridden by people. I felt like that elephant in a small cage, and I thought this elephant has to be upset and angry, because I was for them. It reminded me of myself being in prison. I thought I have to do something on both sides to help raise awareness about this because most people, like myself, were very unaware. Angry Elephant was the start of my vision in 2007.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU?

Being able to show my art through fashion awareness.

Do you have any upcoming projects you can tell us about?

In 2025, we want to start the Elephants Business Academy to teach youth about becoming an entrepreneur and finding the passion that will help keep them going.

  HOW DID YOU FIND OUT ABOUT MAKERSPACE?

My mom has been a part of Makerspace with DB and Scott for years. She asked if I could join and they have been amazing at helping and supporting us with Angry Elephant for years. So grateful for them and Makerspace.

What is your favorite tool at Makerspace?

All the tools are awesome! I can't choose one lol

WHERE TO FIND Angry elephant:

@Angryelephantnet on Instagram

Www.angryelephant.net