Who we are

Victor Lee & Associates, Inc. (VLA) is a US-based advisory, manufacturing, and systems integration firm specializing in unmanned aircraft systems. Founded in 2008 and incorporated in North Carolina, VLA operates from Charlotte, NC, the Northeast Tri-State area, and Newport Coast, CA, with engineering partnerships in New Zealand and Europe.

For over 20 years, VLA has supported commercial, governmental, and emergency response organizations worldwide—providing custom UAS design, regulatory strategy, and expert consultation in both manned and unmanned aircraft operations. Our commitment to advanced aerial safety standards, high-performance avionics, and rigorous engineering sets us apart in a rapidly evolving industry.

Principal

Victor Lee is the founder and principal of Victor Lee & Associates, Inc. He brings over two decades of experience in custom UAS design, FAA regulatory strategy, and extreme-environment flight operations.

Mr. Lee is an ArduPilot specialist who has designed, built, and flight-tested heavy-lift UAS platforms exceeding 100 kg all-up weight, operating in conditions ranging from volcanic summits to high-altitude missions at 9,500 feet density altitude. He holds the only FAA approvals in the United States to operate UAS at 88, 131, and 219 lbs maximum takeoff weight for commercial broadcast and cinematography—authorizations secured under Section 44807 of U.S. Code, the federal provision that permits the FAA to grant operational authority for unmanned aircraft without traditional airworthiness certificates.

His regulatory expertise spans FAA Part 107 waiver architecture, FCC equipment authorization, and NDAA/Blue UAS compliance. He has served as Program Manager for FCC Equipment Authorization of 5 GHz airborne microwave systems for international aerospace manufacturers, and has held leadership roles in aviation technology, electronic news gathering, film production, and law enforcement aerial programs—including serving as Director of Technology at a leading US helicopter aviation services company.

Mr. Lee has a demonstrated track record of bringing UAS platforms from product launch to live broadcast deployment. He assisted Freefly Systems with the market introduction of the ALTA series and served as the systems validation, commissioning, and training lead for the Shotover U1 drone and Shotover helicopter camera platforms, certifying operators worldwide for commercial broadcast operations. His aerial production credits include live national broadcasts, the U.S. Olympic Trials, and high-end commercial media for Hendrick Motorsports and the Hendrick Automotive Group.

Mr. Lee holds remote pilot certifications from the FAA (Part 107), Transport Canada (Basic and Advanced Operations), EASA (Basic and Advanced Operations), and the UK CAA (BNUC-S), as well as a current FAA-issued Manned Private Pilot Certificate. He has logged more than 4,000 hours on UAS platforms and personally trained over 80 pilots across eight countries.

His work has been featured in The New York Times, Good Morning America, and leading industry trade publications.

Advisory Board

VLA’s advisory board comprises retired professionals from:

•       Los Angeles Police Department — Air Support Division

•       Los Angeles Fire Department

•       Department of Homeland Security / Customs and Border Protection

•       FLIR Systems — Global Customer Support

•       Intel & HP (Hewlett Packard / HPE) — Senior Engineering 

Certifications & Authorizations

•       FAA Section 44807 Exemptions: 88, 131, and 219 lbs MTOW

•       FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate

•       FAA Part 61 Private Pilot Certificate

•       Transport Canada Remote Pilot Certificate — Basic & Advanced Operations

•       EASA Remote Pilot Certificate — Basic & Advanced Operations

•       UK CAA BNUC-S Remote Pilot Certificate

•       FCC Equipment Authorization Program Management (Part 74/78/90/101)