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Drone Delivers Dum-Dums To The Islands
On Friday, August 16th, history was made when a drone carrying a small package was flown from Catawba Island to South Bass Island. The package contained Dum-Dum lollipops. This was the first time a drone made a delivery to the island.
Two islanders were among those who made the drone delivery a success. Nikolai Blumensaadt (PIBHS Class of 2008) captained the chase boat that followed the drone over the South Passage, and PIB High School junior Cody Kowalski was on hand at the SBI lighthouse for the landing.
The drone flew approximately 7 miles from the Catawba Island State Park Boat Launch on E. Moore’s Dock Road to Put-in-Bay. The drone took off for the 16-minute trip at 1:19 p.m. and landed at approximately 1:35 p.m. It flew at a height of 69.8 feet, with a tailwind. The estimated speed was between 15 mph and 20 mph.
The inaugural flight was a key element of a drone certification program at the Liberty Aviation Museum, attended by several area high school students and taught by Pramod Abichandani, founder of LocoRobo. The three-day program was a partnership between the Erie-Ottawa International Airport, the Ottawa County Improvement Corporation and LocoRobo. The drone certification program prepared the students to take the FAA exam, available at the Bowling Green Flight Center.
Dubbed “Operation Lollipop Drop,” the delivery of the package of Dum-Dum lollipops donated by the Spangler Candy Company, was the perfect celebration of the 100 birthday of the iconic candy. Dum-Dums started out being delivered by horse and buggy.
Welcome Home!
LTJG Meredith Engel (PIBHS Class of 2016) and parents, Christie (Ontko) Duffy and Eric Engel, smile upon her ship’s (USS SOMERSET, LPD-25) return to San Diego, CA, from a 7-month deployment to the Indo-Pacific Region. Eric rode SOMERSET for the last eleven days of her deployment voyage, on what’s known as “Tiger Cruise,” where family and friends embark the ship to immerse in the Navy life with their loved ones. Christie waved in the ship from the pier – one of many greeters with signs and flowers. This is Meredith’s second ship and third deployment. She currently serves as the Navigator onboard SOMERSET, and traveled over 63,000 nautical miles this trip! Pictured on the right she is holding the February 2024 Gazette, the first of several mailed to her while away from home.
The previous piece is published in this month’s Put-in-Bay Gazette. The Gazette has been producing incredible independent Put-in-Bay island news for over 40 years. If you have any interest at all in what is happening on South Bass Island, we urge you strongly to subscribe to the Put-in-Bay Gazette. One-year online subscriptions are only $15, and print subscriptions are available as well. To subscribe please click here.
