Kyle A. Butler

Aviation student Kyle A. Butler came to the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University to build upon his skills as an air traffic controller in the Marines, but he got a lot more out of his education than he previously planned.

What started as a degree in unmanned aerial systems turned into a double major when Butler decided to also pursue air traffic management. During his junior year, he decided to take on a third concurrent degree in air transportation management.

“Earning various degrees will aid me in being a well-rounded individual in the workforce,” Butler says, “allowing me to work in operations, dispatch, management, data-processing and collections.”

Though he was not able to qualify as a pilot when he enlisted because he didn’t have a degree, Butler’s “passion for airplanes and the men and women who fly them” motivated him to learn more about aviation operations, dispatch and the expansion of unmanned aircraft.

Along with a heavy academic load, Butler, is the vice president of Drone Devils — a student organization at ASU’s Polytechnic campus that builds, fixes and flies drones and kits. He and other Drone Devils officers generate access to simulators, kits, motors and other gear to engage members and promote their success.

He appreciates the impact Drone Devils has on its members and “plans to further grow the club and reboot it for future students.”

Following graduation, Butler will continue his education as an aviation management and human factors graduate student in the 4+1 accelerated master’s degree program at ASU. While pursuing his graduate degree, he will also complete his helicopter pilot training so he can reach his goal of becoming a rotary wing pilot. He plans to fulfill his career dreams in Phoenix because of the aviation industry’s strong presence in the Valley.

As a dean’s list student who is highly involved in academics and extracurriculars, Butler credits his successes to his mother and father, who are both senior software engineers, for providing him a strong foundation. He is also grateful for his professors whose “passion in aviation and engineering is clear,” and his friends who he “could not have finished college without.”

Read about other exceptional graduates of the Fulton Schools’ Spring 2022 class here.