CNY Drones presented a 6-hour drone program for the Capital Region New York State Master Teachers Program at the University of Albany. Nice STEM Teachers from eight school districts participated in learning the basics of drone building, radio controller programming and First Person View (FPV) flying. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. By the end of the session, attendees were maneuvering a drone that they could introduce to their classrooms with ease and repair as needed. Support materials were provided via the CNY Drones website, where regular updates on the swiftly changing technology can be easily accessed along with answers to questions as they integrate drones into their existing curriculum.
Sunday’s class came about after discussions with teachers who attended the CNY Drones Team Drone Challenge Kick-Off in October in Utica. This year’s challenge is scheduled for April 15th in Utica and will be hosted by the SUNY Polytechnic Institute AMA University Model Aviation Student Club. The AMA is the Academy of Model Aeronautics, a national organization that promotes safe flying and advocacy for recreational pilots. Those who already had experience with robotics expressed an interest in incorporating drone technology into the classroom. Like CNY Drones advocates, they immediately saw the need to get students involved in a technology with direct ties to the growing drone entrepreneurship and Unmanned Air Systems (UAV) companies setting up in New York’s drone corridor.
Six CNY Drones mentors led Sunday’s program. They included a cyber security software engineer, a SUNY Polytechnic Adjunct Professor, a training and development specialist, and a teacher with first-hand experience using drones in the classroom. Two local college students, one, a senior in Mohawk Valley Community College’s UAS program and the other, a sophomore SUNY Polytechnic mechanical engineering student, rounded out the presentation team.
CNY Drones Lead Mentor is local drone enthusiast, Paul Brown. Paul is a Music Education Teacher at Poland Central School. He has already integrated activity-based drone training into STEM curriculum. He joyfully connects music education to his passion for flying drones, turning STEM into STEAM by folding music arts and video arts into his presentation style. “We have an opportunity to use drones for good and bad. Students need to be given a forum to discuss the implications, opportunities, and hazards drones and their integration into society will create. This is a paradigm shift that will need some careful thought, according to Brown. “As students learn about and are around flying robots, more insights will be gained. That will lead them to make informed decisions and help them share novel ideas for future drone uses.” Brown added, “By starting with Master Teachers in New York State, we hope inspirational seeds will be planted. We’ll continue to help them grow by being the go-to information hub as the technology evolves.”
The entire CNY Drones mentor team shared their ups, and downs, and inevitable crashes using equipment that is a part working with a very fluid and ever-evolving technology. They encouraged the attending teachers through hands-on trial-and-error working with drone parts and accessories. Participants left the program with an extensive beginner flight and repair kit along with connection to the CNY Drones information hub.
CNY Drones regularly provides a variety of programs to introduce drone technology to the community. Build workshops, flying sessions and meets, drone clinics, interactive demonstrations, drone races and competitions are all STEM-centered. The group’s informational hub keeps the local drone community connected to events, safety updates, and the latest industry and technical information. CNY Drones mentors and volunteers gather regularly in-person and online to share information and help establish new programs. Information is available on the CNY Drones website https://www.cnydrones.org/. To receive their monthly newsletter email: CNYDrones@gmail.com.