August 10, 2026
For our 2026 Ignite interns, building the 2nd Order Effects (2OE) Hourglass First-Person View (FPV) Drone was more than a technical project—it was an opportunity to put STEM skills into action and see how talent developed right here in West Virginia can contribute to emerging defense technologies, solve real-world challenges, and support the warfighter.
Throughout the summer, the interns from Clay County High School worked alongside experienced professionals at Fort Andrew to produce parts and assemble the Hourglass FPV Drone, a modular, mission-ready platform designed to deliver responsive capabilities to the warfighter.
Along the way, interns gained hands-on experience in drone technology, electronics, fabrication, systems integration, and troubleshooting while seeing firsthand how those skills come together in a real-world application.
The results spoke for themselves. Over the course of their 10-week internship, the students successfully completed the builds of more than three dozen drones.
At the CMI2 IGNITE Internship Family Day and Awards event on August 7, interns were recognized for their accomplishments and contributions to the project. Each intern received a Certificate of Appreciation from 2OE recognizing the technical skills, dedication, and hands-on work they brought to the assembly of the Hourglass platform.
Experiences like this are at the heart of IGNITE: connecting young West Virginians with meaningful STEM opportunities and showing students careers supporting national defense, emerging technology, and the warfighter can begin in the Mountain State.
Thank you to our partners at 2OE for investing in our interns and giving them a real-world look at the connection between STEM education, emerging technology, and mission impact.
