Our story

Built from lived experience

The Foundation exists to reshape the employment landscape for disabled people, starting with the drone industry.

Where it began

The Foundation began after founder Joseph Barnaby was left with life-changing injuries following a skydiving accident in 2020. After experiencing adversity first-hand, Joseph set out to build a social enterprise that helps disabled individuals kickstart their careers in a new and exciting industry.

Today the SBS Foundation works to reshape the employment landscape for disabled people through specialised skills training and business education, empowering them to be innovators and influential voices in shaping the future of work.

Joseph Barnaby
Joseph Barnaby Founder, SBS Foundation
Joseph teaching a trainee pilot on site
A DJI Matrice 350 survey drone ready for takeoff

Two entities, one mission

The SBS Foundation (CIO) is the charitable entity: it runs the workforce pathway and owns the social value evidence. Sky Based Specialists Ltd is the commercial drone-services business where programme graduates gain placement on live projects.

The clean separation means corporates can engage SBS commercially and support the Foundation for documented social value, with a clear audit trail on each side. The change we are working toward is set out in our theory of change.

Be part of it

Join the programme, or talk to us about supporting the pathway.

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