LT Thomas "Tank" Shuler became the first operational Coast Guard UAS pilot as he landed his Predator-B aircraft in Sierra Vista, AZ. He completed his final qualification check flight on Wednesday, 21 October at the CBP Predator-B training facility. LT Shuler will return to Aviation training Center, Mobile to develop the Coast Guard's UAS training and standardization program; he will also deploy routinely as part of the Coast Guard's partnership with CBP to Sierra Vista, with future deployments to operating locations in Jacksonville and Corpus Christi to gain operational experience. The Coast Guard currently plans to have four Predator-B qualified pilots.
