Ethan Cunningham trained originally as a robotics engineer. He's son of Alex Cunningham the brilliantly-gifted biologist, Wendy Cunningham (missing in action).
The silent protagonist from Beyond Flesh and Blood is you - the viewpoint of a drone. Ethan is himself an adept scientist and engineer with a strong family heritage. The UGR had been keeping an eye on Ethan with high expectations; UGR officials and those closest to Ethan expected him to become an Elite pilot. While he may have failed his Elite pilot tests – and the expectations of everyone around him – but as part of the Manchester operation, he must make the decision to go Beyond Flesh and Blood.