There’s no question about it: drones are changing the future of education.
From developing coding and programming skills to strengthening critical thinking and competitiveness, drone education is now readily available for even kindergartners, and becomes more advanced as the students grow.
A kindergartner, for example, works through a curriculum geared toward observation and exploration. Middle schoolers are actually building and programming their own drones. And high schoolers are training to pass the Part 107 Drone Pilot License exam, preparing them for their future careers or additional college classes.
Understanding the impact drones will have on society, a number of different STEM-based education companies have created specific drone curriculum that’s making its way into schools across the country.
As a maker of custom pop-up drone netted enclosures, TentCraft has kept a close eye on this movement and has even helped a handful of universities, like Utah State University, launch specific educational drone initiatives. We’re also the official arena provider of U.S. Drone Soccer.
The Best Drone Curriculum STEM Programs for Schools
Drone Legends
Drone Legends’ curriculum gives teachers a turnkey solution that makes teaching drone technology easy — even if they’ve never used one before. No coding or robotic experience is needed.
Lesson plans offer interesting storylines and engaging artwork geared toward 4th-6th grade students, but can also be adapted for younger and older students. When it’s all said and done, students will learn principles in science, physics, engineering, and teambuilding.
The curriculum includes segments on programming so students can learn more about autonomous flight.
U.S. Drone Soccer
We may be a bit biased here because we manufacture the official arena for U.S. drone soccer, but this up-and-coming e-sport is a fantastic way of getting kids involved with drones and coding — and developing some competitive spirit.
The program is designed by educators and can fit inside any school classroom or gymnasium. Students of all ages will learn about careers in aviation and several technical skills.
It's best suited for after-school clubs, but could be incorporated into a classroom environment.And best of all, if students get really good at drone soccer, they have a chance to represent Team USA at the World Championships.
Drobots Company
Drobots offers a number of curriculum programs, including sports technology and drone soccer, that are geared toward all grade levels.
Accredited by STEM.org, Drobots is a top pick among educators because their team works one-on-one with teachers to determine which program(s) are suited best for classrooms or even entire school buildings.
Sports technology programming is especially interesting, as students learn coding, analytics, pattern recognition, and public speaking. With drones expected to play a big part in the future of sports — especially in broadcasting — students experience real-life applications that can motivate them to pursue drone-related careers.
For more artistic-minded students, Drobots teamed up with Droneblocks to create an education program around synchronized drone dancing, which is shown in the video above.
iCEV
After acquiring DroneCurriculum.net, iCEV has expanded its curriculum library to focus on four primary areas: Theory and design; flight skills; programming; and preparation for the FAA Remote Pilot Certification Exam.
This curriculum is geared more toward preparing high school students for future careers in drones and includes interview opportunities with drone professionals across a bevy of industries, which is a nice bonus.
In addition to a pathway to certification, students learn emergency flight procedures, airport operations, and maintenance and inspection procedures.
DroneBlocks
The DroneBlocks curriculum teaches through real-world applications and focuses on drone coding, simulators, and professional development. When it’s all said and done, students are exposed to Blockly, Python, and JavaScript.
We appreciate how Droneblocks offers a low price for up to 10 educators to teach an unlimited number of students, making the program accessible to all schools.
Beagle
Beagle provides teachers and students with a unique curriculum based on not only the technology and coding aspect of drones, but also the hands-on building aspect. Thankfully, the Beagle drone features a solder-free design, which allows students to quickly learn how to assemble a basic drone.
Understanding how hardware is married to software is the core focus of this curriculum.
The curriculum can be designed for an in-school program, but also for after-school clubs. Once drones are built, there are missions and programs students can compete in, including races and activities that determine who is the best pilot in the class.
Pitsco Education
Pitsco, in partnership with CrossFlight Sky Solutions, has one goal with its curriculum: Certify high school students with an FAA-Certified UAS Pilot license before they graduate.
The curriculum covers all test prep, in addition to hands-on flight training, 2-D mapping, 3-D modeling, autonomous flight, and more.
The curriculum is designed for 11th- and 12th-grade students.
Drones and TentCraft
When investing in a drone curriculum for your school, make sure your classroom has protective equipment, like a netted drone enclosure. Reach out to TentCraft today to invest in your custom pop-up drone enclosure.
