From high school math teacher to drone entrepreneur and aviation educator, Matt Johnson has built a career around exploring new opportunities and inspiring the next generation.
As Vice President, Director of Education, based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Matt has been part of the Volatus journey since the very beginning. Drawing on his experience in the Canadian Armed Forces, education and entrepreneurship, he has played a key role in developing educational programs that introduce students to the possibilities of drone technology.
Among his proudest accomplishments is the award-winning Science Experiential Aerial Research (SEAR) Program, which has introduced thousands of students across Canada and beyond to the use of drones in environmental research.
In our latest Voices of Volatus feature, Matt shares what drives his passion for education, the experiences that have shaped his career and a few surprising facts about life outside of work.
What do you enjoy most about working with your team?
This is a good group of dedicated people who just want this thing to go to the moon!
What is one project or accomplishment at Volatus you are especially proud of?
I am particularly proud of the Science Experiential Aerial Research (SEAR) Program that I developed in 2021 for high school and university students to learn how to use drones for aerial research applications. It won the prestigious Energy Globe Award in the Youth category in 2024 for its commitment to environmental sustainability, and has been delivered to thousands of students across Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, and Nunavut, and in Florida as well, to date.
What excites you most about the work you do?
I really enjoy having the freedom to focus on projects that matter to me, and that genuinely reflect well on the drone industry and Volatus, as we help inspire and educate the next generation of aviation and aerospace experts, from as early as Grade 3!
What first sparked your interest in aerospace, aviation, drones, autonomy or technology?
I started a drone business as a side hustle while I was still teaching high school math back in 2015. Back then, drones were fairly novel, and I could see a ton of opportunities for the technology to be utilized across different niches. I really enjoyed the entrepreneurial endeavour of starting and building a successful company, and that drive still sticks with me at Volatus as I strive to build out our educational programs within the Volatus Academy.
What skills or experiences have shaped your career the most?
I spent 10 years in the Canadian Armed Forces, and taught high school math for 5 years before starting my own business. Those two experiences had an incredible effect on my work ethic, drive, confidence, and ability to compartmentalize large projects in order to complete them effectively.
How would you describe the culture at Volatus?
Everybody seems to share a vision of what the future holds for this technology – and when you get a group of likeminded people together working on a common goal that they believe in, the morale is going to be high, which makes the experience very enjoyable.
What’s something people may be surprised to learn about you?
Here are three!
1) My record for solving a rubix cube is 53 seconds;
2) The largest fish I’ve ever caught was just under 9ft long and roughly 180 pounds;
3) I did a ‘polar plunge’ into the Arctic Ocean between a crack in the ice in Paulatuk, Northwest Territories.
What is the best career advice you’ve received?
Do something that you enjoy.
Discover more stories from across Volatus Aerospace and meet the people whose expertise, dedication and ideas are helping move our organization forward. Explore more Voices of Volatus employee profiles.
