Who we are

Victor Lee & Associates, Inc. (VLA) is a US-based advisory, manufacturing, and systems integration firm specializing in unmanned aircraft systems, with deep roots in manned aviation operations, helicopter services, and broadcast aerial production. Founded in 2006 and incorporated in North Carolina in 2008, VLA is headquartered in Newport Coast, California, with operational offices in Charlotte, North Carolina and the New York Tri-State area, engineering partnerships in New Zealand, and an established UAS professional network in Europe.

For nearly two decades, 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.

President

Victor Lee is the founder and President of Victor Lee & Associates, Inc., with over two decades of experience spanning manned and unmanned aviation. He holds the only FAA approvals in the United States to operate UAS at 88 lbs (40 kg), 131 lbs (59 kg), and 219 lbs (99 kg) MTOW for commercial broadcast and cinematography — authorizations secured under Section 44807 of U.S. Code. A certified remote pilot under the FAA (Part 107), Transport Canada, EASA, and UK CAA, Mr. Lee also holds a current FAA Private Pilot Certificate for manned aircraft. He has logged over 4,000 flight hours on UAS platforms and personally trained more than 80 pilots across eight countries.

Mr. Lee's career bridges professional helicopter aviation, broadcast production, and unmanned systems engineering. He served as Director of Technology at a leading US helicopter aviation services company before transitioning to UAS full-time, bringing manned aviation rigor to unmanned operations. His regulatory expertise spans FAA Part 107 waiver architecture, FCC equipment authorization — including Program Manager for 5 GHz airborne microwave systems on behalf of international aerospace manufacturers — and NDAA/Blue UAS compliance advisory. He is an ArduPilot specialist who has designed, built, and flight-tested heavy-lift platforms exceeding 100 kg all-up weight in environments from volcanic summits to 9,500-foot density altitude operations.

His production and deployment credits include systems validation and global training lead for the Shotover U1 and various helicopter camera platforms, market introduction support for the Freefly ALTA series, live national broadcasts, U.S. Olympic Trials, and commercial campaigns for Hendrick Motorsports and the Hendrick Automotive Group. His work has been featured in The New York Times, Good Morning America, and leading industry trade publications.

Company Qualifications

Quality Management

VLA operates under a documented internal Quality Management System (QMS) encompassing design review, manufacturing inspection, flight-test validation, and post-delivery support.

Information Security & Data Handling

VLA maintains IT controls aligned with industry best practices, including encrypted communications, access-controlled project environments, and secure storage for client technical data. Data handling procedures address GDPR requirements for EU clients, including lawful basis for processing, data minimization, and defined retention periods. Incident response procedures are documented and reviewed annually.

Operational Safety

All VLA operations are governed by a Safety Management System (SMS) that includes hazard identification, risk assessment, and mitigation protocols for every mission. Our pilot training program—through which we have certified over 80 operators across eight countries—follows a structured curriculum covering regulatory compliance, emergency procedures, and platform-specific proficiency. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are documented for each platform type and operational environment.