Course Covers Basic Principles of Flying UAS (Drones) and Prepares Students to Take the FAA’s Remote Pilot—Small Unmanned Aircraft General Exam
Responding to the commercial demand for workers with drone skills and experience, SUNY Sullivan is launching a new Science, Technology, and Math elective course this fall that will train students to use and maintain unmanned aerial systems (UAS). Upon completion of the course, students will be eligible to take the FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot—Small Unmanned Aircraft General exam.
Drones are used increasingly by law enforcement agencies for investigations, by engineers as part of infrastructure inspections to collect pictures and data of hard-to-reach areas such as wind turbines, and by videographers in fields such as media arts, computer graphics, and marketing.
The new course, Unmanned Aerial Systems: Drones, will teach students many of the aspects of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), including their various technologies, sizes, capabilities, and limitations, as well as the Federal Aviation Administration governing (UAS). The course covers the basic principles of flying UAS (drones). Different UAS systems and concepts will be covered, as well as the maintenance aspects of associated support equipment. Students will maintain and fly different flight systems and learn basic troubleshooting techniques for ground control stations and maintenance.
“This new drone class will be extremely valuable to future law enforcement officers as they are used for apprehensions, search and rescue, missing persons, and other important missions,” said Professor Criminal Justice Program Coordinator Robert Eiler, who said he plans to take the class. “The importance and value of this new technology cannot be understated.”
Graphic Design/Computer Graphics Associate Professor Joe Poon said graphic arts students would benefit from taking the drone class because of the strong interest these days in drone footage and “floating camera” angels in the commercial, design, and marketing fields. Poon added that aerial photography skills are needed for many jobs, including real estate photography, promotional event photography, weddings, journalistic photography, and even the filming of commercials.
“Graphic designers also are involved in presenting scientific data in a concise, user-friendly and visual manners so drone flying skills can be applied to a designer who can retrieve and seek visual data for environmental, ecological, scientific, and natural aesthetic purposes,” said Poon. “Graphic Arts students also have tangential interests in video game design, so video footage from a drone could be interpreted in their portfolio of work in animation and video editing.
Unmanned Aerial Systems: Drones is running on campus this fall on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4–5:15 pm. No prerequisite is required. For more information about SUNY Sullivan’s fall course offerings or to register, visit sunysullivan.edu/fall-registration-2023 or call the Office of Admissions at 845-434-5750, ext. 4287, or email admissions@sunysullivan.edu.
The Sullivan Promise Scholarship provides eligible Sullivan County residents who earn a high school diploma or GED in 2023 the opportunity to receive free tuition and fees at SUNY Sullivan. Learn more at sunysullivan.edu/sullivan-promise-scholarship.
About SUNY Sullivan
SUNY Sullivan is the leader of innovative higher education and a catalyst for workforce development throughout the Sullivan Catskills and beyond. Our diverse community cultivates personal growth and professional advancement, preparing students for success in a sustainable and interconnected world. A forward-looking, top-tier community college in New York, SUNY Sullivan offers over 40 degree programs, certificates, and microcredentials for learners at all levels of their educational goals. We value critical inquiry and creativity while supporting our students in a culture of inclusion and respect. For more information, visit sunysullivan.edu.
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July 25, 2023.