Wilmington City, Delaware, partnered with a drone school to provide drone lessons for teenagers. The city is working with Drone Workforce Solutions Drone School to provide a 16-week course for operating these remote-controlled flying machines. Ian Smith, Wilmington Parks and Recreation Director, says it can open jobs for high school students.
Contrary to popular belief, drones aren’t just flying toys for children. Numerous industries rely on remote-controlled flying devices, such as filmmaking, shipping, and farming. As the world adapts to the latest technologies, learning about drones could give you and your children better career opportunities.
This article will discuss the latest drone lessons from a city in Delaware. Later, I will elaborate on modern drone applications to illustrate the significance of this project.
How does the city provide drone lessons?
Wilmington City, Delaware, collaborated with Drone Workforce Solutions Drone School (DWS) to provide drone classes to teens. They divided the lessons into a 16-week training course and a four-week virtual reality class.
The first focuses on basic drone operation and related technologies. They will occur at the New Castle County Chamber of Commerce at 920 Justison Street on the Christina waterfront.
The second uses virtual reality technology to simulate environments for training. It will be at the Williams “Hicks” Anderson Community Center on 501 North Madison Street.
The latter helps students perform test flights without damaging equipment. After all, trainees may crash their devices often as they familiarize themselves with the controls.
Classes start on October 23, 2023, and will occur every Saturday. The city will provide scholarships to its 11th and 12th graders to subsidize lessons and equipment. Also, its Parks and Recreations Department will transport them to class and provide lunch.
However, it will only choose ten teenagers to join the program. Wilmington Parks and Rec. Director Ian Smith says drone lessons can open career opportunities for students:
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“We know for a fact the entry price point to get into this industry is beyond what our youth are able to afford, so it’s giving them access to the entry into this industry.”
“It’s giving them the knowledge of the industry, which has many legs in terms of other business opportunities for them either as a private business or joining other companies that are utilizing drones.”
Also, Smith explained the VR courses enabled students to test these flying machines in real-world scenarios. Completing the courses provides a six-to-12-week paid internship and opens the FAA exam to help passers become licensed drone pilots.
What are the uses of drones?
Most drones are cameras that fly using four propellers. Despite its simple design, modern drones are highly versatile. For example, you can watch people fly drones through abandoned buildings on YouTube.
You see through its camera, showing what gliding through the air at high speeds is like. Also, modern movies rely on drones. For example, have you noticed footage of cities and landscapes before important film scenes?
Those are establishing shots, which help audiences follow where the characters are going. Previously, film crews relied on helicopters and cranes to shoot these.
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You often only see them in big-budget films because these heavy machines are highly expensive. Nowadays, you can do the same with a budget DJI drone. Here are the other real-life applications of drones:
- Military drones scout battlefields so that soldiers can enter them safely.
- Also, more countries send drones to areas devastated by floods and earthquakes before sending human rescuers. As a result, the latter could find stranded people quicker.
- Believe it or not, modern agriculture uses drones and artificial intelligence to monitor fields, plant crops, and harvest them!
- Wildlife conservationists use drones to scan forests for endangered species. Moreover, drones can help protect animals against poachers.
- Amazon and other companies are testing drone delivery systems. Soon, you may receive your next Amazon package from the skies!
Conclusion
The city of Wilmington, Delaware, is offering drone lessons to its teenage students. Parks and Rec. director Ian Smith hopes these will open new career opportunities for them.
If you live outside the United States, you may find drone flying courses in your country. However, you should first check your country’s drone regulations.
For example, Filipinos need a license from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) to fly commercial drones. Check out more digital trends at Inquirer Tech.