How to Incorporate Drones in STEM Education

How to Incorporate Drones in STEM Education

As a drone enthusiast, I never imagined that my love for flying drones could have such a significant impact on education. Over the years, drones have become more affordable and accessible, opening up a world of opportunities for STEM education. In this article, I will highlight some ways in which educators can incorporate drones into their STEM teaching.

Understanding the basics:

Before delving into the use of drones in STEM education, it is essential to understand what drones are and how they work. A drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle controlled remotely or by an autonomous system. Drones can come in various sizes and shapes, depending on their purpose. Generally, drones comprise of four basic components: a frame, motors, battery, and a controller. Understanding these basics is helpful in determining how to integrate drones into STEM education.

Teaching coding with drones:

Drones are fantastic teaching aides when it comes to teaching coding to children. Thanks to the availability of open source software, drones can be programmed to execute various tasks. Educators can introduce children to coding concepts by programming drones to fly in a specific pattern or complete a particular mission. This approach helps students learn how to code in a fun and engaging way.

Using drones in Science and Math:

Drones are also useful tools for teaching scientific concepts such as environmental monitoring, atmospheric research, and climatology. Students can collect data with a drone and analyze it later in math class. Additionally, using drones to teach geometry is a fantastic way of engaging students in math class. Drones can be programmed to fly in different geometric patterns, introducing students to geometric concepts in a fun and engaging way.

Droning for robotics:

Incorporating drones into robotics classes can help students better understand how robots work. With the use of drones, students can learn about the various components that make up a robot, including sensors, motors, and programming. Robotics classes can use drones as a teaching tool to inspire students to build better robots that can navigate the world much like drones fly.

Using drone racing as an educational tool:

Drone racing has become a global sensation, and it is an excellent way for educators to engage their students in STEM education. Students can learn the physics, engineering, and math of drone racing while having fun. Drone racing is a competitive, high-stakes sport that requires a lot of skill and practice, making it an ideal way to motivate students to learn about STEM concepts.

The rise of drone technology has opened up new horizons for STEM education. Incorporating drones into STEM education can offer students new and engaging learning opportunities. Drones can be used to teach various STEM concepts such as coding, math, science, robotics, and engineering. With more educators embracing drones, we can expect to see more future professionals in the aviation industry. So, let’s get out there and start droning!