Drones in Education: Unlocking Potential and Shaping the Future

The increasing prevalence of drones, also known as Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS), across diverse sectors like agriculture, construction, filmmaking, and emergency response, highlights the growing demand for skilled drone operators. Pursuing an education in drone technology, particularly through online platforms, presents a flexible and effective avenue for acquiring the necessary skills to thrive in this dynamic field. Moreover, integrating drones into elementary technology classes offers a unique and engaging learning experience for young students, enhancing critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and preparing them for future career opportunities.

Flexibility and Accessibility of Online Drone Education

One of the primary advantages of pursuing a drone education online lies in its flexibility. Online education empowers students to access virtual classrooms at their convenience, breaking down geographical barriers and accommodating diverse schedules. Most online drone technology programs provide 24/7 access to coursework, enabling students to work at their own pace while adhering to set deadlines for assignments and projects. This flexibility is particularly beneficial for working professionals or individuals with other commitments who seek to enhance their skills without disrupting their existing routines. SDI, for example, is an online college that helps students learn the skills and techniques students need to be successful in the firearms and uncrewed technology industries. SDI’s faculty is composed of professionals with specialized industry experience, and SDI programs are designed to combine modern learning methods and the flexibility of online education with materials delivered to your home.

Cutting-Edge Curriculum and Practical Insights

Online drone technology programs often feature a cutting-edge curriculum that covers foundational aspects of UAS operations, drone programming, and remote sensing. Courses may delve into topics such as drone safety regulations, aerial photography, data analysis, and commercial applications of drones. Through detailed coursework, students gain both theoretical knowledge and practical insights into the drone industry.

Hands-on Learning in the Virtual Realm

While a lack of hands-on learning is a common concern associated with online education, drone technology programs have creatively addressed this challenge by incorporating innovative tools that offer practical experiences. These hands-on learning tools allow students to practice their skills in a safe and controlled virtual environment, simulating real-world scenarios and fostering confidence in their abilities.

Affordability and Reduced Financial Strain

Pursuing an online drone technology degree can be more affordable than traditional on-campus programs. Moreover, online learning allows students to continue working while pursuing their degree, reducing the financial strain and making education more accessible to a wider range of individuals.

Expanding Career Opportunities in a Growing Industry

As industries increasingly adopt drone technology, the demand for skilled drone operators and technicians is rising. Companies are actively seeking professionals who can effectively operate drones, collect and analyze data, and ensure safety compliance. An online degree in drone technology equips graduates with the necessary skills and knowledge to meet this demand, positioning them for success in a rapidly expanding job market.

Drones in Elementary Education: A New Frontier

Beyond online education, integrating drones into elementary technology classes presents a unique opportunity to engage young students with cutting-edge technology. Drones can enhance critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and prepare students for future career opportunities by providing a hands-on learning experience.

Safety and Regulations

Drones can be safely used in elementary schools as long as proper safety precautions are taken, and guidelines are followed. According to FAA regulations, anyone operating a drone for educational purposes does not need a license as long as they are flying within a designated area and following safety guidelines. Pilots may fly for non-recreational purposes without further FAA authorization if they possess a small UAS (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) rating certificate issued by the FAA, operate under the Part 107 regulations. Regardless of the regulations, it is recommended that teachers receive proper training before using drones in the classroom.

Drone Models for Elementary Education

Mini drones, quadcopters, and fixed-wing drones are all suitable for elementary technology classes. Mini drones are the most affordable and easy to use and are ideal for young students. Quadcopters, with four propellers in a cross shape, are popular because they are versatile and easy to fly. Fixed-wing drones, like traditional airplanes, fly through the air using wings rather than rotors. They tend to be more expensive and challenging to operate than mini-drones or quadcopters.

Integrating Drones Across Subjects

Drones can be integrated with other subjects such as science, math, art, and design. For example, students can collect and analyze data from drone flights for science and math projects. In art and design classes, students can use drones to create aerial photography and videography projects. Drones are also an excellent tool to teach students the basics of map reading. Aerial images taken with drones can be used to make rudimentary maps of places that students are familiar with, such as the school grounds or the surrounding neighborhoods. These maps can then be used to develop basic navigation and map reading skills. These lessons can then be extended to more advanced concepts such as different coordinate systems and map projects, how to read topography maps, and how maps are generated.

Planning and Preparation

Before introducing drones into the classroom, it is crucial to carefully plan and prepare. It is essential to teach students about drone safety and maintenance to prevent accidents and prolong the life of the drone.

Collaboration and Group Work

Collaboration and group work are essential when introducing drones to the classroom. Activities such as building and programming drones in groups can promote teamwork and cooperation, as well as foster creativity and innovation.

Essential Skills and Learning Opportunities

Much like playing a sport, flying a drone can help train the fine motor skills of young students. The great thing about drones is they are quite easy to learn to fly, even for young students. They can grasp basic flight maneuvers quickly without feeling intimidated or overwhelmed. Skills can then be advanced through the use of simple indoor obstacle courses. An element of competition can even be introduced through timed races or obstacle challenges. This does not mean flying a drone can replace playing a sport - they are two completely different but complementary ways to learn motor skills.

A flying drone demonstrates many physical concepts - gravity, lift, Newton’s laws of motion, and angular velocity, just to name a few. A class can even delve into more advanced concepts such as how accelerometers and gyroscopes work. There is a lot to explore just within the concept of lift that can be demonstrated with drones.

Some drones can be programmed to follow basic instructions autonomously. A prime example of this is the Ryze Tello, a fairly inexpensive drone that provides a basic platform for young students to learn about coding. The Tello can be used to make simple projects such as autonomous flight, face or object tracking, or controls via hand and body gestures. For beginners, Tello can be programmed using block programming. However, more advanced users can also program the Tello using Python. Using drones to teach coding is like hitting two birds with one stone - not only do students learn how to code, but also how a drone works. Along the way, students also develop problem-solving skills.

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Learning about drone flight is an excellent gateway to learning about basic aviation concepts. This is a topic that is not typically covered in schools, so there should be some benefit to having students learn even just the fundamentals. When students become comfortable with drone flight, they can then be given lessons on relevant drone rules. This can be extended to concepts such as flight safety standards, airspace classifications, and air traffic communication among several others.

Despite their seemingly complex nature, drones are fairly rudimentary electronic devices that you can put together yourself. Drones can be used as educational tools for basic lessons on electronics. The motors can provide a good lesson on the difference between brushed and brushless motors, and the value of micro-stepping versus full-step operation for stepper signals. The Electronic Speed Controller (ESC) of a drone is also an excellent demonstration of feedback systems.

Students who are interested in photography and filmmaking will surely get excited at the prospect of flying drones in class. While the photography techniques are nothing new, having a camera mounted on something so mobile and maneuverable as a drone is a completely different experience. Drones offer photography and filmmaking opportunities that you just would not have on the ground. With drones, photographers can hone their skills in taking shots of cityscapes, natural sceneries, large bodies of water, or sunsets, all from a unique perspective and with a much wider field of view.

By far, the biggest advantage of integrating drones in the classroom is the fact that they are incredibly fun. Drones still maintain the novelty of being new and unfamiliar technology for most people, so they tend to draw attention instantly. There are lots of ways to be creative with the use of drones as a tool for instruction. The great thing about drones today is they come in a wide range of prices and levels of sophistication. For young students, toy drones that are relatively safer and designed for indoor flights are ideal. On the opposite end of the spectrum are the prosumer drones that come with high-end cameras and autonomous flight capabilities.

Creative Applications in the Classroom

With the coming of drones, no space is now unreachable to the human eye. The ability of drones to reach areas we wouldn’t be otherwise able to see can be a great source of inspiration for writing exercises. You can also take pictures of familiar areas, such as school grounds but from different angles, so that the students wouldn’t be able to recognize them instantly.

Math can be quite challenging to teach, especially to the students that have not developed interest for it. The lack of application in practice is what makes math so abstract to students, and thus engagement can be reduced to a minimum. Students will retain information better if they can apply them in the real world. Thus using drones to teach proportional relationships, for example, will give students a new perspective and an opportunity to see math at work, and as a consequence, become more involved and interested.

Developing motor skills and hand-eye coordination is a crucial part of the child’s development. It influences many other skills such as reading, writing, balance, sense of direction and other fine motor skills. It is important to practice those skills and drones are a fun way to do so. Flying drones requires excellent hand-eye coordination, as children need to use visual cues and be aware of the special relations so that they could use their hands to control its path and destination.

It is of crucial importance to engage children in more physical activities, and drones are the perfect tool to get them outside and get them interested in outdoor activities. During a PE class, you can use the drone to record children play certain sport and later analyze what they can do to improve their moves. Another creative use of drones for physical activity is to play hide-and-seek. Instruct the children to go and hide while you try to find them with the help of the drone.

There are many creative ways you can use drones to teach science and demonstrate some abstract notions to students to help them have a better understanding. You can use drones to help them understand cell structure by making a large scale model and then zoom in and out to show individual parts and the larger structure. Laws of physics can also be taught with the help of drones - you can get students to calculate how long it will take the drone to cross a certain distance, or how the wind influences drone’s path.

Legal Considerations

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has established regulations governing the use of drones in educational settings. Schools and educators should obtain a Remote Pilot Certificate from the FAA before using a drone for educational purposes. Schools also need to consider insurance and liability issues. Before using drones in the classroom, schools should check with their insurance provider to make sure they are covered in case of any accidents.

Drones: More Than Just a Fad

Drone technology is pretty much here to stay and will continue to be part of the modern world. It is then up to us to think of ways of harnessing this technology, not just to earn money but also to improve lives. Using drones as education tools is a no-brainer - these are sophisticated pieces of technology that are easy to pick up and can play an important role in future industries. Mobile devices may have enabled the breakthrough of disruptive technology in modern classroom, but new gadgets keep enriching the possibilities to engage students in more interactive classes. Alongside smartphones and tablets, a number of new devices have entered a classroom - from smart boards to VR headsets, a wide range of tech inventions have helped reinvent traditional teaching methods. Among the latest tech trends, the use of drones has become a widespread among photographers, journalists, farmers, police officers and many others. Their benefits have been highlighted by numerous education experts, who have made the use of drones a part of their curricula.

One of the reasons we teach drones in schools is because we firmly believe they’re not a fad. The point is that drones are here to stay and that’s a very compelling reason to have a drone curriculum in any STEM program and teach kids how to use them. But it’s not the only reason. What makes something stick around for educators has to go far beyond that.

Reasons to Teach Kids to Fly Drones

The Adorable Look on Their Faces: As soon as that drone is up in the air, all eyes are transfixed on it. There’s a mix of excitement, confidence and wonder in the air.
Their Brains are Wired for Technology: Kids grow up with technology today in a way that we never did. Those formative neurological pathways give them a huge advantage when they take drone lessons and fly them for the first time.
Drones Give Maths Teachers a Huge Reprieve: Drones give Maths teachers an opportunity to make the abstract real for their students. Students can calculate distances, read graphs and use data that they create themselves from simple flight paths.
Educational Drones Lend Themselves to Intrinsic Motivation: Using a tool in the classroom that students feel intrinsically motivated to use is a godsend for any teacher.
Viewing the World From Up High is Exciting and Intuitive: People like an aerial perspective - a sense of space and discovery of what’s beyond their normal field of vision.
Drones are Fun! It’s incredibly easy to gamify the collection of data or have students work on their coding skills by creating a choreographed dance.
Flying Drones Instills Confidence: The great thing about using drones, particularly microdrones, is that they are very student-friendly. Very easy to use = quick confidence growth.
Drones are Simple for Teachers to Learn: The great thing about drones, particularly if you invest in ones with educational apps attached to them, is that they’re easy to learn. With a small amount of training, most teachers can easily work the controls, understand how to code flight paths, and feel confident enough to use them in the classroom.
Drones Easily Create Student-Centric Classrooms: A student-centred learning environment encourages students to be more independent and autonomous.
Drones are Practical: STEM professional development should be supportive. Drones lend themselves to practical, actionable lessons.
Drones Fit into All Sorts of Subjects: Drones go far beyond STEM subjects. Photography is an obvious choice and the technology here is becoming better and more affordable every year.
Drones are Really Cost-Effective: Most teachers in more generalised subject areas or lower year levels can easily get away with using microdrones. They’re actually what we recommend for most classrooms for safety and ease of use.
Drones Develop Enterprise Skills: Because of the ability to create real-world situations with drones, students are able to work together as they would in a future job. This means they develop crucial skills, such as: Decision making, Innovative and original thinking, Problem-solving, Prioritisation, Strategic thinking, Working independently, Being able to communicate professionally
Drones can see the Complex Issue: Drones help to do this because they can see the issue at hand with their own eyes.
Drones Help Students Understand the Concept of Data: Using tools like drones where they see, understand and process data is crucial for student learning.
Drones Encourage Reward-Based and Active Learning: As soon as a student gets a drone in the air there’s a positive feel-good reward.
All Students are Included: Drones can be operated by people of all types of bodies. Drones don’t care about race or gender.
STEM by Stealth: Kids had such a good time that they often didn’t realise they were learning STEM skills and taking on knowledge when they were operating drones.
Drones are Exploding as an Industry: It means that you can feel confident that you’re putting technology into the hands of your students that will be really relevant when they enter the workforce.

Choosing the Right Drone for Education

When selecting a drone for educational purposes, several factors should be considered, including the learning outcomes, budget, experience level of students and teachers, and the environment in which the drone will be flown.

Key Features and Considerations

Camera: Most drones in the sub 2 kg category will have cameras - the price difference will be in the camera quality and the type of gimbal (support that allows a camera to pivot seamlessly) they have, as well as some of the additional sensors they have onboard, and access to third party mission planning apps.
Rechargeable batteries: Battery management is a crucial part of an effectively run drone program.
Educational Coding Apps for Microdrones: There are a number out there, but many are clunky and not ideal for the classroom.
Flight Mission Apps for Sub 2kg Drones: If you are flying a drone outdoors to collect data, you may need to use an automated flight plan to collect robust, usable data.
Learning to Fly: With the exception of racing drones, many drones these days are generally easy to fly ‘out of the box’ and intuitive.
Cost of Educational Drones: There is a big difference between the two categories.
Drone Platforms and Programs: equipped with apps and programs to support coding.
Level of Skill Required: Start them off with a smaller, low-risk solution in the microdrone market. It’s far less stressful and much more rewarding for all involved.
Pre and Post-Sale Support: Local support for tech and warranty issues is essential.
Ratio of Drones to Students: As a solo teacher getting started, we recommend starting with a class pack of around 5-7 microdrones per classroom and having 3-5 microdrones flying at once, though of course, this depends on the space you have available.

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