When you were buying your very first drone, did you have any idea that these aerial vehicles would become so popular and useful that full-bodied training courses and study modules would be made available to public through university and college degree programs? Well, there are a good number of colleges in the USA that are already offering drone training to thousands of students. Of course, drone engineering is a full-fledged discipline because there are so many types of unmanned aerial vehicles now available throughout the world ranging from simple just-for-fun drones to combat flying vehicles housing missiles and other payload and military surveillance drones. Next is the category of drone pilots that need robust training as well as certification in order to become skilled, reliable and expert pilots of these aerial vehicles. In the years to come, the drone industry is only expected to grow and therefore more study modules need to be added to the pool for producing highly skilled drone experts in various fields.
Career Opportunities for Drone Experts
Students who decide to pursue a degree in drone education have a number of career paths to take. Some of these include;
· Military drone pilot
· Disaster control and relief
· Agriculture
· Search and rescue
· Traffic control and reporting
· Package delivery
· Filming and cinematography
· Aerial photography
· Seismic study and storm chasing
· Engineering and computer studies
· Drone consultancy and training
· Drone insurance
· Security
· Firefighter
There can be many other fields where drone applications are being recognized throughout the world. Since the concept is relatively new and still in its infancy, there is a horde of opportunities for fresh graduates of drone training programs. With the growing number of people who wish to take these courses, there is also a need for more teachers and instructors who will be paid huge amounts of money for transferring their skills to the next generation of drone experts.
How to Apply
If you are interested in one of the degree programs or certifications in drone training, you first need to do a little research on various colleges that are currently offering study programs in this field. There are online degree programs as well, which you can easily take while sitting in the comfort of your home. The application procedure is just like applying for any other degree program; you need to fill out an application form and submit it to the concerned department along with required documents and a covering letter to show your interest in a particular college.
Before you decide to apply, determine whether you want to learn to build drones or to fly them. These are the two basic categories that exist when it comes to drone training or education. Some of the degree programs offered by colleges in this discipline include;
· Bachelor of Science in Unmanned Aircraft Systems Science
· Master of Science in Unmanned and Autonomous Systems Engineering
· Master's in Unmanned Systems
· Bachelor of Science in Professional Aviation Flight Technology
· Bachelor or Master of Science in Aviation Management
There are many other disciplines as well; the complete details can be obtained from an official college website. Some universities are also offering a post-baccalaureate certificate in UAS technology and application to students who come with an IB background. This is yet another factor that shows the future direction of drone training because IB is the current standard of education in most countries.
Some minor courses in aviation and drone applications are also offered to students who are currently enrolled into computer science or electronics engineering disciplines. These courses can help them change their area of study later on if they have decided to become a drone expert. There are tons of research opportunities for these students who can even opt for a doctoral degree in drone education.
Courses Offered in Drone Training
When you choose any of the above-mentioned degree programs, the most common subjects or courses you need to pass include design and construction of unmanned aerial vehicles, UAS structure, flight path management, aerodynamics, industrial robots, private pilot theory, principles of flights, human factors of drones, payloads and sensors, communications and data acquisition, advanced aerial vehicles, military intelligence, information security, and so on. As you can see these are complete modules and require years of training to master. The degree programs are therefore planned over 4 years for Bachelors and 2 years for Master's degree.
Since the future of aviation largely depends on the success and effectiveness of today's drones, there are golden opportunities for those who decide to take drone courses today. If you are interested in this area, you can also enter as an entrepreneur to offer your unique and useful services to those who want to benefit from this wonderful technology.
Many people are turning to aerial photography as their means of making a living. If you hold a certification or diploma in aerial photography, you have improved chances of gaining clients and being successful in this field. Moreover, such a course or training program helps to polish your skills and teach you how to take full advantage of a drone meant just for photography and videography. You may also apply for a post in filming or cinematography where you capture and edit videos or help with the marketing campaign of a company through your exclusive photographs and videos captured and recorded using a high-tech drone.
Drones or aerial vehicles controlled by a remote pilot are expensive machines. They are not just meant for having fun and taking part in drone racing but have applications in very sensitive departments, such as military surveillance for intelligent data acquisition and real-time streaming of the battlefield to take important decisions. Moreover, drones are now being employed to minimize the impact of natural disasters and to inspect the health of crops in agriculture. There is a need for highly skilled and experienced drone pilots in all these fields so that maximum benefits could be achieved and the risks associated with unmanned flight could be reduced. Drone training comes into play when all these requirements are analyzed and therefore many colleges and universities are now offering special degree programs in this field.
