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The Governor\u2019s Award for Excellence<\/a> is the highest honor a state employee can receive for noteworthy service to the government and the people of North Carolina. Walls is the only NCDOT employee to receive the honor this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As North Carolina state government\u2019s first, and still only, full-time professional drone pilot, Walls pushes the envelope every day. He said it was in 2014, while he was employed with the NCDOT Photogrammetry Unit, that he was first introduced to the possibilities of drone technology. At that time, he was tasked with working with N.C. State University and the Institute for Transportation Research and Education<\/a> to do a study about drones. After purchasing a drone from Germany, he began working with the organizations to test the accuracy and capabilities of the drone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since his initial work on that project, Walls has helped North Carolina break new ground with the BEYOND Program<\/a>, training NCDOT and other state agency personnel to use drones to support operations so they can be done more efficiently, safely and at lower costs. His work includes helping NCDOT make national news as the first in the nation to conduct a bridge inspection using a drone that flew beyond the visual line of sight of the operator, flown under a first-ever waiver granted by the Federal Aviation Administration, and the first in the nation to deploy tethered drones<\/a> on Incident Management Assistance Patrol (IMAP) trucks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Division of Aviation Director Bobby Walston said the team is\nhappy that Walls\u2019 career accomplishments are being recognized in this way and\nhe has been instrumental in \u201cintegrating drones into the Department of\nTransportation in all kinds of innovative ways.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Riley Beaman, the UAS program manager, echoed Walston\u2019s sentiments. \u201c[Tom] is the guy who shows up, every day, all day, no\nquestions asked, making sure everything is done,\u201d Beaman said. \u201cWe are super\nexcited that he is winning this award and it means so much to us that they are\ntaking the time to honor him for all of his work and service.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Walls has also supported medical and supply delivery\noperations by serving as a subject matter expert and advisor for several North\nCarolina companies. This includes advising on drone routes and local\nconditions, setting up equipment and observing tests. BEYOND company partners\nalso send their equipment to him to test and provide feedback.<\/p>\n\n\n\n