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Ph.D. in Aviation

Aimed at producing the next generation of scholars to teach and conduct aviation research, this program is designed to help working professionals elevate their careers.

The mission of the Ph.D. in Aviation program is to produce outstanding scholars for careers in research and teaching in the aviation field.

At Embry-Riddle, Ph.D. in Aviation students take part in a rigorous, research-driven program that pushes them to their greatest potential.

The Embry-Riddle Ph.D. in Aviation program allows highly qualified students and professionals from diverse backgrounds and aviation career paths to immerse themselves in this high-powered world of aviation.

As the nation’s first Ph.D. program in Aviation, this degree is designed to educate students and professionals in conducting state-of-the-art research in all areas of this important field of study, extending the aviation body of knowledge.

Your academic journey will focus on building skills and foundational knowledge to conduct research in Aviation Safety, Aviation Human Factors, Aviation Operations and Intradisciplinary Studies.

The program has been designed to accommodate working professionals who seek to advance their knowledge and conduct high-quality research in aviation while being employed; the flexible, mainly online and hybrid delivery of this program enables students to continue professional careers while pursuing doctoral education.

The program consists of 60 graduate credit hours , 36 of which will come from online courses designed to provide Ph.D. students with aviation knowledge in their intended specialization. Eighteen credit hours are earned completing the dissertation — an extensive, real-world research project.

Application Deadline

The deadline for applications and all supporting documents is February 1st for the following August cohort. The application package is considered an indication of your ability to perform in a challenging, professional environment. It should be carefully and thoroughly prepared, completed and submitted on or before the deadline of February 1st.

About Aviation at the Daytona Beach, FL Campus

The Ph.D. in Aviation program at Embry-Riddle takes place as a part of the world’s largest aviation-oriented university — Embry-Riddle's Daytona Beach Campus, which has extensive experience in graduate education and leading-edge research. The Ph.D. in Aviation degree is housed in the College of Aviation.

Program Educational Goals

Graduates of the Ph.D. in Aviation degree program will:

Contribute at the high levels of performance and productivity in academic, business or scientific fields of aviation.
Conduct and disseminate scholarly research addressing contemporary or future problems in the global aviation industry.
Actively participate in national and international bodies to sustain continuous improvement in aviation.
Perform professionally and effectively across multicultural and multidisciplinary units in aviation.

Specializations

The program offers four areas of specialization:

Aviation Safety: This specialization focuses on safety management systems, safety management practices and tools in aviation, and national and international aviation safety regulations.
Aviation Human Factors: This specialization focuses on human factors theories and principles, human factors practices in aviation, and human-centered design concepts for real-world aviation technologies.
Aviation Operations: This specialization focuses on current practices and future trends in aviation, operations research and decision-making tools, multicultural team operations, and aviation organizational dynamics.
Intradisciplinary: For students with a broader interest in aviation, this specialization offers a cross-disciplinary approach to aviation where they can build a curriculum appropriate for their educational needs.

The program consists of coursework, residencies, qualifying examination and dissertation.

Coursework – 36 credit hours: The coursework consists of four core courses, specialization courses and elective courses.
Residency – 6 credit hours: Students are required to complete a minimum of three Residency seminars at the Embry-Riddle Daytona Beach campus.
Qualifying Examination: The exam is administered over a two-day period and tests the student’s mastery of completed course subject matter and preparation to conduct dissertation research.
Dissertation – 18 credit hours: Students work on the dissertation research under the advisement of the Dissertation Advisory Committee. The student must complete and defend the dissertation successfully.

Students are required to complete three five-day on-campus Residency seminars. The seminars include multiple activities and allow students to network face-to-face with other students, faculty and staff while participating in sessions that prepare them for the next phase of the program. The residencies are scheduled during mid-August.

Learn more about the Daytona Beach, FL Campus

Students will:

Demonstrate mastery of seminal knowledge, foundational skills, and modern technology and tools in one or more aviation disciplines (safety management, human factors, aviation operations, and aviation training and education).
Pose and solve theory-based and research-based problems designed to advance applications in the field of aviation.
Extend the aviation body of knowledge by conceiving, planning, producing, and communicating original research.
Apply expertise in instructional processes.
Demonstrate leadership, collaboration, and communication necessary for scholarly work in aviation.

The program consists of 60 graduate credit hours. Of those 60 hours, a minimum of 48 hours must be above a Master's degree, and a minimum of 54 hours must be completed at Embry-Riddle. The combined total transfer credit hours that can be applied to the Ph.D. in Aviation degree may not exceed six credit hours. The list of acceptable Master's courses is provided below.

DAV courses are offered primarily online; limited courses are offered in-person on the Daytona Beach campus.
Only listed MSA courses are acceptable for the Ph.D. program.

Core Requirements

Students are required to take the following core courses:

Specialization and Elective Courses

Students will complete eight of the following courses:

Acceptable Master's Courses

Only the following MS in Aviation courses are accepted (pre-approval required)

Students are required to attend three, five-day annual residencies at the Daytona campus.

Qualifying Examination

Students must pass the Qualifying Examination to be admitted to candidacy. The exam is administered over a two-day period and tests the student´s mastery of completed course subject matter and preparation to conduct dissertation research.

Dissertation

Once the student has successfully completed the Qualifying Examination, the student will register for Dissertation Research 1. The student must complete 18 credit hours of dissertation courses, at a minimum, and register for at least 3 hours of dissertation courses each semester (i.e., continuous enrollment) until the dissertation has been completed.

Face-to-Face Courses

There are limited face-to-face Ph.D. and Master's courses offered on the Daytona Beach campus, as follows

Ph.D. Residential Courses

Master's residential courses (pre-approval required).

Students can select one of four specializations.

Aviation Safety

In addition to completing all other required coursework, students must take the following courses to specialize in Aviation Safety.

Aviation Human Factors

In addition to completing all other required coursework, students must take the following courses to specialize in Aviation Human Factors .

Aviation Operations

In addition to completing all other required coursework, students must take the following courses to specialize in Aviation Operations .

Intradisciplinary

The Intradisciplinary Specialization is for students who wish to work outside of the traditional academic boundaries, combining coursework from any specialization, while meeting basic course requirements. Students will complete all four core courses and eight other courses.

International Students

International residential students must be enrolled full-time during required semesters (Fall and Spring) to remain in lawful F-1 status. Students must enroll in at least six graduate credits for each required semester of study (APD 03 - Ph.D. Course Load Definition). They can complete a maximum of three credits of online coursework per semester toward the minimum number of credits for full-time enrollment during required semesters. Other courses must be completed in face-to-face classes on the Daytona Beach campus.

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Important dates.

Summer 2025 Cohort: Deadline is February 1, 2025

Residency 2024

August 12-16

Online Course Schedule

Request Degree Info

Request Information

If you would like to receive more information about the Ph.D. in Aviation degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University , please complete this form and a representative will reach out to you and answer your questions.

Katie Esguerra Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Department of Doctoral Studies 1 Aerospace Boulevard Daytona Beach, FL 32114 (386) 226-6546 [email protected]

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Imaging Ph.D. in Aviation 1 Aerospace Boulevard Daytona Beach, FL 32114-3900 (386) 226-7499 Fax: (386) 226-7279

We welcome you to apply to the Ph.D. in Aviation program. The Ph.D. application process is competitive, with limited positions in the program available.

Students are admitted only during the Summer E semester each year, which is the Residency Seminar in August. Then, the student will begin taking courses in the Fall semester.

The application package is considered an indication of your ability to perform in a challenging, professional environment. It should be carefully and thoroughly prepared.

The Admissions Committee carefully considers all applications completed by February 1.

Are you ready to become one of the world's leading authorities on aviation? Begin the application process to be considered for the Ph.D. in Aviation program.

How to Get Started

Admissions Requirements

International Applicants

Are you eligible to apply.

Applicants must meet one of the following two conditions:

Possess a bachelor and a master's degree, one of which must be in an aviation-related field such as aeronautical science, aviation technology, aviation management, professional pilot, aviation maintenance, aviation electronics, aviation safety and aeronautics.
Possess a bachelor and master’s degree in non-aviation disciplines, supplemented by at least one year of full-time-equivalent service in the aviation industry as a professional pilot, maintenance manager, air traffic controller or other professional aviation position.

Application Materials

Online Application Form:

Click the "Apply Now" button on the Ph.D. in Aviation homepage or start the application process . This form will be processed internally, typically within 24 to 48 business hours.

Application Fee:

A non-refundable application fee of $50 will be required upon the submission of your application.

Application Submission

Deadline: A completed application package, including those items listed in the Admissions Requirement sections, must be received no later than February 1 in order to receive full consideration for summer admissions. Students are only considered for and admitted to the program for the Summer E semester.

Where to send:

All documents, with the exclusion of official transcripts, may be submitted through our Secure Upload link or may be e-mailed in PDF format to [email protected] . If an applicant so desires, printed materials and official transcripts may be sent to:

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Imaging Ph.D. in Aviation 1 Aerospace Boulevard Daytona Beach, FL 32114-3900

Notification of decision: Applicants will be informed of admissions decisions within 60 days of the due date.

Affirmative Action

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University shall actively seek to recruit and admit students promoting the concepts of diversity and ethnicity in the program.

Graduate Record Examination (GRE) Scores (optional):

GRE scores must be taken in the past five years.
Scores are to be sent directly to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Information about the GRE can be found at ETS .

Bachelor's and master's degree official transcripts are required and are to be sent directly from all colleges and universities attended. A GPA of 3.5/4.0 in graduate programs and 3.0/4.0 in undergraduate programs is required. If you are an international applicant, be sure to click on the “International Applicants” link for information regarding the evaluation of foreign credentials.

Statement of Goals:

Completing the Ph.D. in Aviation is a transformative experience that is designed to prepare graduates to make significant contributions to the industry as research scholars and leaders. In 500 words or fewer, please describe your personal and professional goals and how earning the Ph.D. in Aviation from Embry-Riddle aids you in achieving those outcomes with consideration to the Ph.D. experience as it affects your life in the short and long term.

Sample of Writing:

Please submit a writing sample in 500 words or less that describes a significant aviation or aerospace problem you believe would be worthy of research exploration as part of your doctoral program.

Please also briefly describe a method or approach you might use in addressing the problem.

Fiscal and Time Responsibility:

Because education at this level is expensive, students are requested to carefully review their options.

Costs for 2023-2024 will be $1,376 per credit hour, $300 for books per course, a one-time software cost of $200 and a residency fee of $1,500.

Additional details can be found under the Finance section.

Applicants are asked, in 500 words or fewer, to provide a brief fiscal plan, as well as to show how they will accommodate an anticipated workload of approximately 14 hours per class per week as part of their normal work/family schedule. Students are required to enroll in a minimum of five courses per year in addition to the annual residency seminar. Most students will enroll in two courses per term, three terms per year, in addition to the annual residency.

Letters of Recommendation:

Three letters of recommendation are required. Both professional and academic references are suggested.

The letter of recommendation form can be found here and is also provided in the application package.

Applicants must provide a current resume outlining past educational and work experiences.

Video Introduction Statement:

Up to two minutes of video recording, answering the questions that are listed on this application page . Please follow the directions on the recording options, as well as condensing the video file for proper submission.

All documents, with the exclusion of official transcripts, may be submitted through our Secure Upload link.

Evaluation of Foreign Credentials:

International students who completed their postsecondary education outside of the United States will be required to have their transcripts evaluated by World Education Services, Inc.

World Education Services, Inc. Bowling Green Station P.O. Box 5087 New York, N.Y. 10274-5087 (Tel) 212-966-6311 (Fax) 212-739-6100

The official evaluation must be in English, include a course-by-course evaluation, and be certified by the credential evaluating service. A fee is charged for the translation service and must be paid by the applicant.

The results of the evaluation must be sent directly from World Education Services, Inc. to:

English Proficiency Exam: Applicants for whom English is not their primary language must submit an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam score. The minimum IELTS requirement is 6.0 and TOEFL minimums are:

600 on the paper-based exam
250 on the computer-based exam
105 on the Internet-based exam

TOEFL or IELTS scores must be sent directly to Embry-Riddle by the testing agency.

If an applicant's primary language is not English but he/she has completed an undergraduate or graduate degree in an English speaking institution, they may request the TOEFL/IELTS requirement be waived.

RESIDENTIAL OPTION

The School of Graduate Studies offers a residential option for Ph.D. students who desire to study on the Daytona Beach campus during required semesters. All residential students must follow the degree requirements on the Ph.D. in Aviation website.

International Residential Students

International students interested in the residential option must go through the admission process as other applicants and meet the requirements for international applicants. Once they are admitted to the program, they can apply for an F-1 visa. See the links below for the detailed requirements for international students.

Information about international programs
Ph.D. in Aviation admission requirements
International graduate admissions
Requirements for international applicants
Visa : Visit the Office of International Student & Scholar Service (ISS) for the detailed process and requirements for the F-1 visa application.
Requirements : International residential students must be enrolled full-time during required semesters (Fall and Spring) to remain in lawful F-1 status. Students must enroll in at least six graduate credits for each required semester of study (APD 03 - Ph.D. Course Load Definition). They can complete a maximum of three credits of online coursework per semester toward the minimum number of credits for full-time enrollment during required semesters. Other courses must be completed in face-to-face classes on the Daytona Beach campus.

Ph.D. Assistantship

The School of Graduate Studies may provide Ph.D. assistantship positions to selected, qualified residential students. They are designed to assist Ph.D. students with the enrollment cost in the Ph.D. program and to provide research experiences that contribute to an enrichment of the academic experience. The number of assistantships available each year depends on the program’s budget availability and must be approved by the Dean of the College of Aviation.

Assistantship Application

To be eligible for a Ph.D. assistantship, applicants must have been admitted to the Ph.D. in Aviation program. A position announcement will be sent to applicants with complete admission applications in early March when the positions are confirmed. Applicants interested in the assistantship position must submit a separate letter of assistantship application explaining their qualifications and why they think they are a good fit. The admission committee will review all applications and select final applicants for web conference interviews. After the interviews, the committee will submit recommendations to the Associate Dean for the School of Graduate Studies. The final selection will be reviewed and approved by the Dean of the College of Aviation.

Ph.D. residential students will receive the Ph.D. assistantship, which covers tuition waivers, residency fees and an annual stipend for up to four years , pending budget availability and satisfactory performance. The student is responsible for other costs, including health insurance.

Requirements

To be eligible to receive and maintain this assistantship, the student needs to comply with the University Academic Doctorate Policies APD-09, Ph.D. Research and Teaching Assistantships. Specifically, during the assistantship appointment, the student is expected to:

Reside in the Daytona Beach area and maintain daily office hours at the Ph.D. Residential Students office.
Perform tasks assigned by the Program Coordinator and/or academic advisor, including but not limited to assisting faculty in funded research projects and journal publications, and supporting the School of Graduate Studies in academic and promotional activities.
Work 20 hours per week to support faculty and the program in the aforementioned assigned tasks.
Sign an annual 12-month contract and perform the assigned tasks satisfactorily during this contract appointment. The contract is renewable annually, pending budget availability and satisfactory performance.
Be registered as full-time students as determined by the program.
Be enrolled in a Ph.D. degree program and be performing satisfactorily. Satisfactory performance includes maintaining a CGPA of 3.20 or higher, passing the Qualifying Exam on time and progressing well with the dissertation research.
Meet with the academic advisor to complete the annual performance evaluation at the end of each contract year.

Other Employment

While holding a funded assistantship, a student’s total University employment (including the assistantship) may not exceed 25 hours per week. Students holding an assistantship may have other University employment, but it must be approved by Associate Dean for the School of Graduate Studies. Employment outside the University while holding a funded assistantship is generally not allowed. Exceptions to this rule must be approved by the Office of the Provost.

International students are not allowed to work outside of the University, and the total University employment must not exceed 20 hours per week to remain in lawful F-1 status.

Earning a Ph.D. in Aviation from Embry-Riddle comes with costs, but we’ve worked to make it as easy as possible for students to receive assistance and pay for their tuition and other expenses.

Many of our students earn grants, scholarships, and fellowship funding throughout their tenure in their program from various entities.

Veterans are eligible to receive Financial Aid through several federal programs, and other students can receive aid from the government and private lenders.

We also break down the Estimated Cost of Attendance to see what expenses to expect during an online semester or on-campus residency.

Financial Aid

Estimated Costs

Payment Options

Veterans’ assistance.

If you are a U.S. Veteran, you may be eligible for funds through the various programs from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA).

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University degree programs are approved by the appropriate State Department of Veterans Affairs (State Approving Agency) for enrollment of persons eligible to receive education benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA).

For further information concerning approved programs and the application process, eligible persons should contact Donna Giambra, Daytona Beach Veterans Affairs at 386-226-6350 or by email at [email protected] .

Private Lenders

To be eligible for private educational loans, borrower and co-borrower must pass a credit check. Applying with a qualified co-borrower may give you the best rate.

Private loan credit checks are valid for a limited time. Most private loans have variable interest rates.

We recommend you contact them prior to applying.

Federal Financial Aid

Students wishing to use federal financial aid can apply online on the federal website .

The FAFSA application will have to be filled out every year. The application is available January 1 of each year.

One of the final steps in completing the FAFSA is supplying Embry-Riddle's federal school code. Our school code is 001479 .

After completing the FAFSA, you will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR). This document lists the information you and your family have provided and tells you what your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is for the year you are applying.

The Financial Aid Office receives this information in an electronic format, as well. You do not need to mail your SAR to us unless you would like us to make corrections for you. You can also correct your information online.

Once we receive your information, we will prepare an award letter that outlines the aid programs for which you are eligible.

Federal Direct Loans

As a doctoral student, you are only eligible for Federal Direct Loans.

Students must meet enrollment requirement of three credit hours per term to receive a Federal Direct Loan disbursement. The residency of two credit hours is not covered under federal financial aid. Please review the Financial Aid Terms and Conditions for a better understanding of financial aid policies and student's responsibilities as a Financial Aid recipient.

Please keep in mind the maximum aggregate limit for Federal Direct Loans is $138,500 (includes undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral studies).

You can review your loan information on the federal website to determine if you have enough loan eligibility to cover your entire doctoral program.

Estimated Cost of Attendance

Tuition: $1,376 per credit hour ($4,128 per three-credit course)
Books: $300 (estimated) per three-credit course
Software: $200 (one-time expense)
Total: $4,628 for a one-course semester

Residency Seminar

Tuition: $1,376 per credit hour ($2,752 per two-credit residency course)
Residency Fee: $1,500
Books, Software and Materials: $300 (estimated) per three-credit course
Room and Board: $90 per day plus tax for a room in an off-campus hotel within walking distance of the Daytona Beach campus ($630 for one-week residency)
Meals: $30 per day ($210 for one-week residency)
Total: $5,392 for one residency course session
American Express
Personal checks are acceptable forms of payment.

Ways to Pay

All payments must include the student's name and identification number.

Online: Payments can be made online by logging in to ERNIE and accessing the Student Services tab. Under Manage Your Student Account , click on View Account Statement .

By Telephone: 386-226-6329

By Mail: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Imaging Ph.D. in Aviation 1 Aerospace Boulevard Daytona Beach, FL 32114-3900

Required Dates

Tuition charges are due at the time of registration. Registration for all course work occurs two weeks prior to classes beginning.

Residency fees (currently $1,500) are due six weeks prior to the start of the residency.

Embry-Riddle is the world’s largest aviation-oriented university and has extensive experience in graduate education and leading-edge research.

The Ph.D. in Aviation program draws its faculty mainly from the Daytona Beach, Florida, campus and the Worldwide Campus of Embry-Riddle.

The doctoral faculty members are nationally and internationally recognized scholars in aviation and closely related disciplines and in research methods.

These faculty members have extensive teaching, research and publication records in their disciplines.

Faculty members also participate in professional development to build their skills as instructional designers and facilitators and work with exceptional instructional designers to develop rigorous, engaging and meaningful courses.

Also, learn more about the Ph.D. in Aviation Advisory Board .

Dr. Frank Ayers

Adjunct Faculty and Professor of Aeronautical Science

Dr. Bruce Conway

Adjunct faculty and Professor and Associate Dean, College of Aeronautics, Worldwide

Bruce Conway, Ph.D.

Title: Professor and Associate Dean Email: [email protected]

Dr. Bruce Conway began his professional career in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, working for 37 years at the Langley Research Center in Hampton, VA. At Langley he held positions ranging from research engineer working on advanced spacecraft control system research to service as Chief of the Instrument Research Division. In this latter position, he was responsible for sensor and measurement technology R&D in a wide variety of disciplines, including electro-mechanical instrumentation, nondestructive evaluation techniques and instrumentation, thermal instrumentation, nonintrusive gas parameter and optical spectroscopy measurements, photo-optical techniques, and pressure measurement instrumentation; Prior to this, Dr. Conway served as Assistant Chief, of the Flight Electronics Division at NASA - Langley, where he managed electronics and instrumentation research and applications to spacecraft and aircraft flight experiments. In the early 1970's he was a Principal Investigator and project engineer for a Skylab space flight astronaut-manned experiment (Experiment T-013) to assess disturbances to spacecraft control systems from onboard crew movements.

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Dr. Andy Dattel

Associate Professor of School of Graduate Studies

Dr. David Esser

Adjunct faculty and Professor of Aeronautical Science

David Esser, Ph.D.

Title: Professor Email: [email protected]

Dr. Esser was a member of the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Flight Department from 1981 to 1995, and has been a member of the Aeronautical Science Department since that time. His undergraduate degrees are from Embry-Riddle in Aviation Management, Computer Science, and Aeronautical Science. In 1989, he was awarded the M.S. in Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle, graduating at the top of his class. Professor Esser completed the Ph.D. Degree in Organization and Management Leadership from Capella University, again graduating at the top of his class. His dissertation pertained to airline Advanced Qualification Training and Line Check Safety Audits to validate Threat and Error Mitigation techniques. It also involved Flight Operations Quality Assurance and Aviation Safety Action Program data collection. He holds FAA Airline Transport Pilot certificate with a Type Rating in Airbus A319/320: Advised Graduate Research Projects and Thesis in Topics of CRM, AQP, Flight Data Monitoring, and FOQA.

Dr. Mark Friend

Professor of School of Graduate Studies and Program Coordinator for the M.S. in Occupational Safety Management

Mark Friend, Ed.D.

Title: Professor Email: [email protected]

Dr. Mark A. Friend, CSP, Professor of Doctoral Studies at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, is a professional member of the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) with more than thirty-five years in higher education. He is a former Director of the Board of Certified Safety Professionals BCSP) and Professional Member of the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) where he helped establish the Academic Practice Specialty. He has worked as a safety consultant, trainer, expert witness, and author. His text, Fundamentals of Occupational Safety and Health, a top-selling book in the field, is currently in its fifth edition. He has received the PPG Safety Educator of the Year, the National Safety Management Society/West Virginia University Alumni Achievement Award, the ASSE Culbertson Award for Volunteer Service and the ASSE Academic Practice Specialty Safety Professional of the Year Award. He and his wife Kathy live in New Smyrna Beach, Florida.

Dr. Steven Hampton

Professor of School of Graduate Studies and Associate Dean for Research & Graduate Studies

Steven Hampton, Ed.D.

Title: Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Studies, College of Aviation Email: [email protected]

Dr. Hampton was a member of the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Flight Department from 1974 to 1995, and has been a member of the Aeronautical Science Department since that time. He served as interim Associate Provost for Research and Graduate Programs from 2000 - 2003. His undergraduate degree from Embry-Riddle is in Aeronautical Studies and he holds both pilot and maintenance certifications from the FAA. In 1989; his major Applied Research Proposal on flight training was the basis for much of his research through the 1990's resulting in changes to Federal Advisory Circulars, training methodologies, and developmental training programs/curriculums for emerging technologies.

Hampton has received and managed multiple research grants from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and NASA, been a board member of the National Safe Skies Alliance (NSSA), National Coalition for Aviation Mobility (NCAM), and is currently a member of the Institute Management Council (IMC) for the NextGen Institute (NGATS) supporting the Joint program Development Office (JPDO). Executive Director of the Southeast SATSLab (NASA) (2001 - 2005). Currently, Steven is the Executive Director of the FAA Center of Excellence for General Aviation leading a coalition of four established universities conducting some 65+ research projects supporting the FAA and the Aviation Industry.

Dr. Dahai Liu

Professor of School of Graduate Studies

Dr. Kadie Mullins

Adjunct faculty and Executive Director of Administrative Assessment

Dr. Jane Pan

Assistant Professor of School of Graduate Studies

Dr. John Sabel

Adjunct faculty and Adjunct Assistant Professor, College of Business, Worldwide

John Sabel, J.D.

Title: Professor Email: [email protected]

John Sabel is an attorney and airline pilot, currently flying as an Airbus A-320 Captain. He served eight years as a Check Airman and FAA Aircrew Program Designee at a Part 121 air carrier. Sabel holds a Juris Doctor degree from Duquesne University School of Law, and Aeronautical Science and Aviation Management degrees from Embry-Riddle. He has logged over 15,000 hours of flight time and holds an Airline Transport Pilot certificate (EMB-110, DC-9, B-737, B-757/B-767, A-319/A-320/A-321), a Flight Engineer certificate, a Certified Flight Instructor certificate, and Ground Instructor certificate. He represents pilots in FAA certificate action matters and serves as a consultant and expert witness for aviation-related litigation. Sabel is a member of the US Airline Pilots Association’s Safety and Accident Investigation committees, and the Air Carrier Safety and Pilot Training Aviation Rulemaking Committee. He has taught aviation law courses for the past three years. His article, Airline-Airport Facilities Agreements – An Overview, is published in the SMU Journal of Air Law and Commerce.

Dr. Alan Stolzer

Professor of School of Graduate Studies and Dean, College of Aviation

Alan Stolzer, Ph.D.

Title: Dean of the College of Aviation and Professor in the Department of Doctoral Studies Email: [email protected]

Dr. Stolzer is the Dean of the College of Aviation and a Professor in the Department of Doctoral Studies. Stolzer has been in academia for 28 years in administrative positions including department chair and associate dean. Stolzer holds a Ph.D. in Quality Systems, an M.S. from Embry-Riddle, and a B.S. from the College of the Ozarks. He has over 8,000 of flight time, an Airline Transport Pilot Certificate, a Certified Flight Instructor Certificate, and an A&P mechanic's certificate. He also holds professional certifications from the American Society for Quality - Quality Engineer, Quality Manager, and Quality Auditor, as well as a Project Manager Certificate from the Project Management Institute. Dr. Stolzer's teaching and research interests include Safety Management Systems (SMS), aviation safety programs such as Flight Operations Quality Assurance, and project management. He has published two books on SMS - Safety Management Systems in Aviation (2008), currently under revision, and Implementing Safety Management Systems in Aviation (2011), both published by Ashgate Publications. He is widely published in aviation safety and quality areas, and has won and managed several grants. Stolzer has served on the Board of Trustees of the Aviation Accreditation Board International for 15 years, and chaired its Accreditation Committee from 2002 to 2012.

Dr. Jennifer Thropp

Dr. Dothang Truong

Professor of School of Graduate Studies and Program Coordinator for the Ph.D. in Aviation

Dothang Truong, Ph.D.

Title: Professor Email: [email protected]

Dr. Dothang Truong is Full Professor of Doctoral Studies at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, FL. He received his Ph.D. in Manufacturing Management from the University of Toledo in 2004. He is an APICS Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP) and a member of Transportation Research Board (TRB)’s Economics and Forecasting Committee. He has strong expertise in transportation management, risk assessment and modeling, cloud computing and the Internet of Things, supply chain and logistics management, e-commerce, decision support, data mining, and research methodology. He teaches data mining, operations research and decision-making, advanced statistics, structural equation modeling, logistics and supply chain management, and transportation management. His research interests include airline efficiency evaluation, airline and passenger segmentation, low cost carriers, the Internet of Things (IoT) for aviation, data mining for a complex and dynamic system, risk assessment model for sUAS, risk perception and behavioral intention models for passenger choice for airlines and airports, and data envelopment analysis model for SMS effectiveness. He has worked in FAA funded research and has been active in submitting research proposals to the FAA, NSF, and TRB. He has established a strong record of publication in top-tier journals including Journal of Air Transport Management, Transportation Journal, International Journal of Aeronautical Science & Aerospace Research, International Journal of Business Analytics, International Journal of Production Research, International Journal of Electronic Market, Journal of Business-to-Business Marketing, Journal of Organizational Computing and Electronic Commerce, Industrial Marketing Management, International Journal of Entrepreneurship, Journal of Enterprise Information Management, International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning , among others. He received the Blackboard Exemplary Course Award in 2014, and the Best Research Paper Award by International Academy of Business and Public Administration Disciplines in two consecutive years 2006 and 2007.

Dr. Scott Winter

RELATED DEGREES

You may be interested in the following degrees:

Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering

Doctor of Aviation Business Administration

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FAA Awards $4.4 Million in Drone Research Grants to Seven Universities

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today announced $4.4 million in drone research, education and training grants to seven universities. Research will focus on three areas: electromagnetic compatibility, detect and avoid classifications, and cybersecurity oversight.

The universities receiving grants are University of North Dakota, University of Kansas, Drexel University, The Ohio State University, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Mississippi State University and Oregon State University. “This funding and our ongoing partnerships with these universities will allow the FAA to safely integrate the airspace that has a growing number of diverse aircraft users,” said FAA Acting Administrator Billy Nolen. The research initiatives and grant awardees include: Evaluate Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Electromagnetic Compatibility This research will assess the risks, identify drone design vulnerabilities, identify material and procedural mitigations, and propose guidance for safer electromagnetic compatibility with emitted and static fields. • University of North Dakota $325,042 • University of Kansas $325,000 • Drexel University $325,830

Investigate Detect and Avoid Track Classification and Filtering This research will provide proposed metrics, guidance, and test methods to assess the effects of false or misleading information on detect and avoid capabilities. The findings will support Beyond Visual Line of Sight operations. • The Ohio State University $732,441 • Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University $371,000 • Mississippi State University $330,000 • University of North Dakota $80,000 Illustrate the Need for UAS Cybersecurity Oversight and Risk Management This research will address UAS Cybersecurity Oversight and Risk Management as it pertains to the National Airspace System and other FAA systems. • University of Kansas $651,982 • Oregon State University $609,226 • Drexel University $608,783

Today’s announcement is the second round of Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence (ASSURE) grants, which brings the total of 15 grants valued at $18.3 million for Fiscal Year 2022.The ASSURE Center of Excellence is one of six that the agency has established to help advance technology and educate the next generation of aviation professionals. Research conducted through ASSURE is focused on helping the drone market safely grow and integrate into the nation’s airspace. More than 800,000 recreational and commercial drones are in the active drone fleet, and that number is expected to grow .

The Boeing Flight & Autonomy Laboratory

Main navigation.

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Boeing funded the creation of a state-of-the-art laboratory facility dedicated to the research and testing of autonomous aerial vehicles within Stanford University’s Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

The Boeing Flight & Autonomy Laboratory features a control room and maker area, the newest motion-capture cameras and sensor networks, and a public observation area. The lab is the latest support by Boeing in Stanford’s Aero/Astro department.

The Boeing Flight & Autonomy Laboratory is located in the basement of the Durand building. This is a shared experimental workspace in the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Visit the Boeing Flight & Autonomy Laboratory

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At NYU, we believe that robotics has a central role to play in future urban environments and the improvement of human life, from mobility to healthcare, from infrastructure management to the service industry.

Robotics research and education at NYU focuses on developing and teaching the fundamental principles, theories, and algorithms for autonomous intelligent machines. Through our research and education, we aim to enhance mobility, service, infrastructure, and healthcare. Our mission is to carry out fundamental and multidisciplinary research to advance the science of robotics, to educate and mentor students in the theory and practice of robotics, and to make a positive impact on society.

Degree programs in robotics

Mechatronics and Robotics, M.S.

Students in this program learn fundamental theory, modeling methods, hardware components, interfacing requirements, simulation and programming tools, and practical applications of mechatronics and robotics.

Learn more about the Mechatronics and Robotics, M.S.

Undergraduate Minor in Robotics

The Robotics Minor consists of four undergraduate ROB courses. The minor teaches the fundamentals of robotics: kinematics, dynamics, manipulation, locomotion, planning, vision, and human-robot interaction. Students will have hands-on experience. Interested students should allow 4 semesters (two years) to complete the four courses for the minor in robotics.

More information about the robotics minor is available in the Bulletin .

Robotics Courses

Undergraduate Courses Graduate Courses

*Before taking undergraduate ROB courses, students should first take appropriate courses in math, physics, and computer science: Calculus (MA-UY 1124), Mechanics (PH-UY 1013), Programming (CS-UY 1114 or CS-UY 1133), Linear Algebra and Differential Equations (e.g., MA-UY 2034).

VIP Robotics Teams

Students* can earn credit by participating in Vertically Integrated Projects (VIPs) related to robotics.

*Projects marked with GY are open to graduate student participation

NYU Robotic Design Team

NYU Self Drive (GY)

RoboMaster: Team UltraViolet (GY)

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Research areas.

Aerial robotics, autonomous drones
Autonomous ground vehicles
Control theory
Computer vision for robotics
Cyberphysical systems
Dynamical systems
Game theory and applications
Learning-based control
Legged locomotion
Machine learning
Mechatronics
Medical, surgical, and rehabilitation robotics
Resiliency and security
Robotic manipulation
Stability and energetics

Labs and Groups

Agile Robotics and Perception Lab

ARPL performs fundamental and applied research in robot autonomy. The lab develops agile autonomous drones that can navigate on their own using only onboard sensors without relying on maps, GPS or motion capture systems.

Two complex, agile robots compared to the dynamics of a human walking

Applied Dynamics and Optimization Laboratory

We aim to establish mathematical models, quantitative criteria, and algorithmic/computational foundations toward their implementations in robotics (for design and control), biomechanical systems (for prediction and analysis), and their intersections such as lower-body wearable robots.

The AI4CE Lab works to advance fundamental automation and intelligence technologies, to enable their use in civil and mechanical engineering applications.

student with finger raised in front of computer camera

Control and Network (CAN) Lab

The CAN Lab, led by Professor Zhong-Ping Jiang, develops fundamental principles and tools for the stability analysis and control of nonlinear dynamical networks, with applications to information, mechanical, and biological systems.

Control/Robotics Research Laboratory (CRRL)

CCRL conducts research projects on unmanned vehicles, autonomy and navigation, control systems, cyber-security, and machine learning.

2 students in the lab putting a harness on a mannequin

Dynamical Systems Laboratory (DSL)

Professor Maurizio Porfiri’s group conducts multidisciplinary research in the theory and application of dynamical systems, motivated by the objectives of advancing engineering science and improving society. Their theoretical expertise is in controls, networks, nonlinear dynamics, and time-series, while our application domain is in modeling and analysis of physical, social, and technical systems.

Laboratory for Agile and Resilient Complex Systems

Our goal is to develop new control and game-theoretic tools for designing agile and resilient control for smart energy systems, communication networks, secure cyber-physical systems, and human-in-the-loop systems.

Professor Righetti working with robotic arm

Machines in Motion

We try to understand the fundamental principles for robot locomotion and manipulation that will endow robots with the robustness and adaptability necessary to efficiently and autonomously act in an unknown and changing environment.

Mechatronics, Controls, and Robotics Lab

The lab provides undergraduate and graduate students a real-world, hands-on experience in modern DSP- and PC- based data acquisition and real-time control.

images and diagrams that show robotic interactions with the human body

Medical Robotics and Interactive Intelligent Technologies (MERIIT)

Led by S. Farokh Atashzar, the MERIIT Lab develops and implements artificial intelligence algorithms, smart wearable hardware, advanced control systems, and signal processing modules systems to augment human capabilities using multimodal robotic technologies.

Farokh Atashzar Prof. Atashzar's research is in medical, surgical, and rehabilitation robotics. He also works on haptics, smart protheses, telerobotics, control theory, and AI. He organizes and chairs numerous workshops and symposia on these topics. Prof. Atashzar heads the MERIIT Lab.

Yi-Jen Chiang Prof. Chiang's research is in big data visualization and computation, including robot motion planning, I/O-efficient algorithms, information-theoretic data analysis and visualization, multiresolution techniques, graphics compression, computational geometry, and topology-driven visualization.

Anna Choromanska Prof. Choromanska's research is in machine learning (theory and applications), deep learning, optimization, and autonomous driving systems. Results of her work are in use by Facebook and Baidu. She has received an IBM faculty award and has been named an Alfred P. Sloan Fellow.

Chen Feng Prof. Feng's research is in computer vision and machine learning for robotics and automation. He has several patents on visual simultaneous localization and mapping. Prof. Feng's multidisciplinary research group, AI4CE, works on problems that originate from civil and mechanical engineering domains.

Zhong-Ping Jiang Prof. Jiang's current research is in learning-based control and distributed optimization/control for autonomous and nonlinear systems. He was named a Clarivate Analytics Highly Cited Researcher (2018) and is on numerous editorial boards. Prof. Jiang is the originator of robust adaptive dynamic programming which has applications to power systems, connected and autonomous vehicles, and human motor control. He is a Fellow of IEEE, IFAC, and CAA. He heads the CAN Lab.

Vikram Kapila Prof. Kapila's research is in mechatronics, robotics, smart sensors, and applications of control. He is a pioneer of mechatronics education and K-12 STEM education. Prof. Kapila has received numerous awards for teaching and innovation in education. He heads the Mechatronics Lab.

Farshad Khorrami Prof. Khorrami's research is in autonomous unmanned vehicles, smart structures, robotics, cyber-physical systems, high-speed positioning, large scale systems and decentralized control. He has multiple patents in micropositioning, vibration reduction, and actuator control. Prof. Khorrami heads the Control/Robotics Research Lab (CRRL).

Joo H. Kim Prof. Kim's research is in multibody system dynamics, optimization theory and algorithms, and control, with applications in robotics and biomechanical systems. His current interests include stability, energetics, and locomotion control of legged robots. Prof.Kim heads the Applied Dynamics and Optimization Lab.

Giuseppe Loianno Prof. Loianno's research is in aerial robotics, drones, and vision-based navigation. Much of his research has been highlighted in the media such as IEEE Spectrum (e.g., controlling a drone using eye-tracking glasses). Prof. Loianno heads the Agile Robotics and Perception Lab (ARPL).

Maurizio Porfiri In his research, Prof. Porfiri uses the theory and algorithms of dynamical systems and networks to model, analyze, and predict the behavior of environmental, social, and engineered systems. His research is frequently featured in the media. Prof. Porfiri is a Fellow of the IEEE and ASME. He heads the Dynamical Systems Lab.

Ludovic Righetti Prof. Righetti's research focuses on the control of movements for autonomous robots and he is more broadly interested in questions at the intersection of decision making, optimization, applied dynamical systems and machine learning, and their applications to physical systems. He heads the Machines in Motion Lab.

Nialah Wilson-Small Prof. Wilson-Small's research is in coordination algorithms for large collectives of simple robots, and human-drone interactions. Specifically, she is interested in how drones can use physical feedback to influence human motion, enhancing communication for novel applications.

Quanyan Zhu Prof. Zhu's research is in game theory for autonomous decision making, the design of resilient and secure cyber-physical systems, and resource allocation. His research has applications to smart and safe autonomous systems, power and transportation infrastructure security, health care economics, and public policy. Prof. Zhu heads the LARX Lab.

Selected Publications

A Grasp-based Passivity Signature for Haptics-enabled Human-robot Interaction by S. F. Atashzar, M. Shahbazi, M. Tavakoli, R. V. Patel. The International Journal of Robotics Research (DOI) . More publications by Farokh Atashzar .
Soft Subdivision Motion Planning for Complex Planar Robots by B. Zhou, Y.-J. Chiang, C. Yap. Proc. European Symposium on Algorithms. More publications by Yi-Jen Chiang .
Reconfigurable Network for Efficient Inferencing in Autonomous Vehicles by S. Fang, A. Choromanska. IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation. More publications by Anna Choromanska .
Real-time Soft Robot 3D Proprioception via Deep Vision-based Sensing by R. Wang, S. Wang, S. Du, E. Xiao, W. Yuan, C. Feng. More publications by Chen Feng .
Reinforcement Learning for Vision-Based Lateral Control of a Self-Driving Car by M, Huang, M. Zhao, P. Parikh, Y. Wang, K. Ozbay, Z.-P. Jiang. International Conference on Control and Automation . More publications by Zhong-Ping Jiang .
Augmented Reality as a Medium for Human-Robot Collaborative Tasks by S. M. Chacko and V. Kapila. IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems . More publications by Vikram Kapila .
Relative Pose Estimation of Unmanned Aerial Systems by A. Tsoukalas, A. Tzes, F. Khorrami. Mediterranean Conference on Control and Automation . More publications by Farshad Khorrami .
Contact-dependent Balance Stability of Biped Robots by C. Mummolo, W. Z. Peng, C. Gonzalez, J. H. Kim. ASME Journal of Mechanisms and Robotics . More publications by Joo H. Kim .
Human Gaze-driven Spatial Tasking of an Autonomous MAV by L. Yuan, C. Reardon, G. Warnell, G. Loianno. IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters . More publications by Giuseppe Loianno .
Zebrafish Adjust Their Behavior in Response to an Interactive Robotic Predator by C. Spinello, Y. Yang, S. Macri, M. Porfiri. Frontiers in Robotics and AI . More publications by Maurizio Porfiri .
On Time Optimization of Centroidal Momentum Dynamics by B. Ponton, A. Herzog, A. DelPrete, S. Schaal, and L. Righetti. IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation . More publications by Ludovic Righetti .
Dynamic Games for Secure and Resilient Control System Design by Y. Huang, J. Chen, L. Huang, Q. Zhu. National Science Review . More publications by Quanyan Zhu .

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2023-2024 edition.

Graduate College /
Doctoral Degree Programs /

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering: Unmanned Aerial Systems, PhD

Requirements for Students Matriculating in or before Academic Year 2023-2024. Learn more about Graduate College Academic Regulation 7.0 .

Total Hours: 60

To be taken the same semester as the Preliminary Examination in order to be assigned a letter grade.

Graduate College Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Requirements

Learn more about Graduate College 2023-2024 Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Degree Program Requirements . Check the General Graduate College academic regulations for minimal GPA, language proficiency and other general requirements.

16 Top Drone Programs at Universities and Colleges

If you’re heading off to college in the future and you want to study unmanned aerial systems we’ve put together a great post for you. I sent out tons of emails to all the universities I could find that seemed to be drone friendly. I investigated who was involved with the drone program at each school and I got their point of view on what their school has to offer potential students looking to study UAS or unmanned aerial vehicles.

Drone Pilot Training Course
Universities With Accredited Majors In Unmanned Aerial Systems
Hands On Drone Technical School

Universities Friendly To Drone Research & Student Groups

Drone pilot training courses.

Want some training but not planning on attending a full time university? Check out our post on the best drone pilot training courses . If you want to get professionally licensed to fly drones you can get $50 off as a Dronethusiast reader by using our recommended #1 drone training course, Drone Pilot Ground School .

UAVCoach.com offers just about every course a budding drone enthusiast could ask for. Their flagship course, the Drone Pilot Ground School, is the best way to get a drone certification – more than 99% of the students who have taken this drone have passed the FAA Part 107 Aeronautical Knowledge Test! But they also offer photography courses – you can learn post-production, mapping and 3D modeling, and aerial filmmaking. This is great if you want to become a professional drone pilot or if you just take your aerial photography to the next level! We highly recommend this course as our #1 choice for anyone who wants to be a better pilot.

Universities With Accredited UAS Degrees

These universities offer a full course of accredited academic study that will lead you to a degree in Unmanned Aerial Systems, operation, management, maintenance and even design.

Kansas State Polytechnic University

kansas state polytecnic unmanned aerial vehicles program

Check out their program here .

I spoke with Dr. Michael Most , UAS Program Lead for Kansas State University for this article and he was very helpful in giving me details about the Kansas State UAS program.

Kansas State was the first entity in the USA to receive FAA approval to conduct academic and commercial flight training. They offer an Unmanned Aerial Systems and Field Operations option of study which will prepare students for careers in the field of Unmanned Aircraft Systems, otherwise known as RPA – Remotely Piloted Aircraft. Students will be prepared to safely deploy UAVs to help with emerging challenges and opportunities.

“Hands On” flying is emphasized across the curriculum. The K-State UAS program emphasizes the skills necessary to fly unmanned vehicles while also conducting field operations and repairs. Kansas State also has a unique approval granted by the FAA to conduct commercial research operations, which students in the program are also able to participate in. The campus works with a 3 million cubic foot netted enclosure that allows for research and training flights in Class D Airspace, through all four seasons!

Kansas State is one of the top universities in the United States for UAS studies because they were one of the first 2 universities along with the University of North Dakota to offer this program. You can’t go wrong with K-States “Hands On” learning approach, and they offer a large diverse fleet of aircraft with which you will be learning!

K state works closely with private contractors, government and non-government affiliated agencies to ensure the safe integration of UAS into local, national and international airspace. They are at the leading edge of UAS studies.

Other programs offered at K-State in the UAS field are a Bachelor of Science in UAS Engineering Technology and a graduate certificate in UAS Cybersecurity.

North Dakota University

Oklahoma State University

I spoke with Jamey D. Jacob, PhD, John Hendrix Chair and Professor of Aerospace Engineering an d Director, Unmanned Systems Research Institute at Oklahoma State University.

OSU’s UAS Option started in 2011 and focuses on engineering at the advanced (graduate) level. All students will complete training in hands on UAS design and engineering, including analysis, programming, and flight testing of UAVs. Both in-house and COTS platforms and systems are used as part of the program.

Projects include advanced platform design and analysis, VTOL systems, quiet aircraft, advanced autopilots and autonomous systems, GPS denied navigation, sense and avoid systems, and development of UAS for civilian All students are required to research a topic in UAS, which includes design, analysis and flight-testing of an unmanned aircraft. Research opportunities include UAS Design, Aerodynamics, Flight Path Management and Airspace Integration, Sense and Avoid, Controls, Structures, Aeroacoustics, Propulsion, Communications and Operations, and Sensors.

The UAS Pilot program that started in 2015 and trains UAS Commercial pilots through the School of Aviation Education.

The OSU Unmanned Systems Research Institute encompasses UAS related laboratories and research groups across the campus, and includes the Schools of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Aviation Education, Geography, and Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, among others.

Unique laboratory facilities include indoor and outdoor flight test facilities, autonomous systems laboratories, RF and acoustic anechoic and reverberation chambers, propulsion test rigs, full scale aircraft manufacturing and layup facilities, and wide UAS fleet. OSU students and faculty have constructed and flown over 200 custom aircraft over the last decade and a half, including some that have set world records (see aerodesign.okstate.edu).

The current UAS fleet includes over 100 aircraft from micro-UAS to group 3 vehicles.

There are several unique competitions and programs. On the research side,

OSU is leading a $6M effort supported by the National Science Foundation to develop and integrate unmanned aircraft for use in meteorology and atmospheric physics, www.cloud-map.org,
OSU is developing plug-and-deploy autopilot systems for fixed and rotary wing applications
OSU is developing systems for oil & gas and utility inspection for the National Energy Solutions Institute.
OSU is developing unique platforms and systems for SOCOM.

In education and outreach,

OSU is home to SpeedFest, which is designed to be the most challenging student remote control aircraft design, build, fly competition in the world, speedfest.okstate.edu
OSU hosts the Unmanned Airspace Innovation Challenge, which is a student competition for undergraduate and graduate teams to push the boundaries of unmanned aircraft system operations and improve safety within the national airspace through exploitation.

Indiana State University

You can read more about their program here .

I was not able to reach anyone for response to my interview questions for this article from Indiana State University.

Indiana State is an accredited university and they offer a Major in Unmanned Systems (UMS) as well as a minor in Unmanned Systems to go along with their Aviation Management and Aviation Technology Studies programs. They have a great community of like minded unmanned aerial enthusiasts and are a great option to look into if you’re looking for an accredited degree in studying Unmanned Aerial Systems.

Students at Indiana State University who are studying the Unmanned Systems major will learn about the regulations impacting unmanned systems operations, and the differences in unmanned systems.

indiana state university unmanned systems program

They will also be learning about safety assessment, functional requirements, UMS integration and sensitivity analysis are investigated as well.

One exciting development at Indiana State in the Unmanned Systems field is the new Center for Unmanned Systems and Human Capital Development . They are in the process of developing human capital in the fields of disaster response, crisis management, crop yield improvement, construction, and generally repetitive, dirty, or dangerous missions. They feel that the most important component to any unmanned system is the human element and that is why they are creating this department.

You won’t regret it if you decide to study UAS at Indiana State, they have a lot to offer.

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

I was not able to reach anyone for response to my interview questions for this article from Embry Riddle.

Embry-Riddle is a well known aeronautics university that definitely deserves a spot on our list for the top universities for unmanned aerial systems. They were the first university in the nation to offer post grad education in drone technology.

The Bachelor in Science in Unmanned Aircraft Systems Science ( here ) is a great choice for those looking to complete a major in this topic they can become a pilot as well as learn repairs and engineering.

Another great topic of study is the Master of Science in Unmanned and Autonomous Systems Engineering ( here ). This degree allows students to study unmanned and autonomous aircraft, surface vessels, and underwater drones.

They also have a graduate degree in Unmanned Systems ( here ) which focuses on non-engineering topics such as emergency industry issues, policy design, ethics and systems management.

Finally they also offer an undergraduate degree in Unmanned Systems Applications ( here ). This degree will prepare students for administration, operations and development work in the unmanned systems field.

Embry Riddle is one of the best schools in the nation for studying unmanned systems and you can see why. They offer undergraduate and graduate degrees so you can study exactly what you want (drones) your entire school career.

Green River College

I spoke with George Comollo , Aviation Instructor & Technology Division Chair at Green River Community College.

“GRC is offering an accredited degree in Unmanned Aerial Systems oriented more toward UAS operators. Our degree is financial aid approved therefore making it accessible to all. The degree is two years long with the possibility with transfer into our BAS in Aeronautical Science. It is expected that the degree will assist several industries in training their employees in the areas of flying, repair, data collecting, and programming.”

green river community college uas program

Mr Comollo went on to say:

“We are working with Maker-Space groups as well as several High School Skill Centers and other High Schools providing them the opportunity for young students to embark in an exciting new career. We have about the only accredited degree in the State of Washington.

At this time the program is very new and we are not participating in any competition but look forward in doing so once the program takeoff full speed.”

Green River Community College is a great choice for those of you looking for very hands on study of how to operate unmanned aerial vehicles, especially if you reside or wish to study in the Pacific Northwest.

Troy University

You can read more about Troy University’s Program.

I spoke with Al Allenback at Troy University, he is the Course Director for Unmanned Aerial Systems. Their UAS courses are all online at the moment, they have students from as far away as Afghanistan.

Mr Allenback talks a little bit about the UAS Degree at Troy University: “Troy University offers a minor and an Associates Degree in Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) online. We cover UAS Overview, Principles of UAS Design, Principles of UAS Sensors & Sensing Systems, Human Factors in UAS Operations & Accidents, Legal & Ethical Considerations for UAS Operations, Real World Operations and UAS Piloting Familiarization. Our goal is to create future “CDOs” or Chief Drone Officers for business.”

Troy University is a great option for those of you looking for an online course that you can study from home in the evenings or weekends and get into Unmanned Aerial Systems while still holding onto your day job!

Central Oregon

I spoke with Karl Baldessari, Program Director, Central Oregon Community College Aviation school.

He told us a lot of details about the program at Central Oregon: ” We offer a full two-year program (100 credits) including education & training on small UAV, and large platform simulation. Additionally our degree prepares the student with analytical tools, including classes on Spatial Data Collection, Spatial Data Analysis, Remote Sensing… Finally, our degree will prepare the student with advance training in practical piloting since some employers are requiring pilot licenses.”

He went on to say:

“Central Oregon offers simulation labs for industry recognized platforms, several models of quad copters for training, and application. Flight training to prepare the student for upper level jobs. Capstone class with an industry partner, (student spends a week with a UAV company, learning processes, procedures, maintenance pertinent to that company’s platform. The GIS classes also include considerable lab time learning software products used for mapping.”

The Unmanned Aerial degree itself is quite an exciting new development, since it is relatively new. We’re also seeing new companies pop up, so employment potential for graduates is increasing. One grad is now working with a company that conducts inspection of off-shore oil rigs, wind turbines, and mining operations.

Central Oregon is one of the few schools to offer an actual accredited program in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and so would be a great choice if that’s what you’re looking for!

Non Accredited – Technical Hands On Drone Schools

Unmanned vehicle university.

Check out their programs here .

I spoke with Josh Roetzer , Business Development Specialist at Unmanned Vehicle University about their unmanned aerial systems studies programs.

unmanned vehicle university drone school

Josh started out by talking a bit about the specific unmanned aerial systems programs they offer.

“We have multiple program offerings that we would consider complete unmanned aerial system programs. The difference lies in the career goals of the student. We have a 3 phase UAV pilot training program that is designed for individuals who have the end goal(majority of the time) of starting their own service providing business using small UAVs, across the myriad of commercial applications that are viable. We also have an online certificate program geared towards project management, including a course on designing and building your own small UAV. We were also the first institution in the US to be licensed to grant graduate degree in unmanned systems engineering, catering to individuals who more interested in technical courses.”

Unmanned Vehicle University also maintains a database of previous graduates who have successfully completed the programs. This helps all new students by giving them access to a networking pool to work with to create new opportunities. The most recent exciting opportunity at the school is the UAV303 Design and Construction course. This is a 12 week course that teaches the principles and theories behind desigining and building sUAV. Students also receive two lab kits with which they are able to follow along with the instructor and build their own sUAV from scratch. They leave the course with the theoretical knowledge as well as a fully operational sUAV that they have built. The instructor for this course is Mr. Eric Jameson. He is a retired USAF intelligence officer and currently is the product manager in the drone category for stampede global. Stampede global is the largest wholesale distributor of Drone Video Systems in the US.

Another exciting update Josh tells us about is

“The first tier of students reaching their dissertation phase in the Doctorate in Unmanned Systems program. They will be conducting research in disciplines like autonomous systems, propulsion systems on unmanned systems, sense and avoid systems, and many more. The best aspect of our dissertation process is that the students are able to work directly with their professors in conducting real world research. This is made possible due to the fact that every single one of our instructors not only teach courses, but are fully operational in some aspect of the unmanned systems industry. This current, real world experience is crucial for our students. ”

These universities may not offer a full accredited degree exactly in UAS but you can study engineering, robotics, mathematics, or any of the other degrees that are related to the field of unmanned aerial studies and focus your extra curricular activities and research on unmanned aerial vehicles while you’re there. These schools foster a great environment for unmanned aerial studies at their campuses.

University of Florida

I spoke with Dr. Juan Gilbert at the University of Florida and he was very helpful in answering my questions about their participation in unmanned aerial systems research and programs of study.

The University of Florida doesn’t offer an exact Unmanned Aerial Systems studies program, however they do have extensive career tracks in engineering and robotics.

However, I’m including U. of Florida in this listing because they are doing some exciting things with drones in the near future. They are hosting the world’s first “ Brain Drone Race “. This is a race in which the drones are controlled by electrical signals emitted from the brain. I was blown away when I read about this and I had to include Florida in our list of Universities.

University of California at Berkeley

Check out their school here .

I spoke with Charlene Shong at the U of C Berkeley, of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Association at Berkeley ( UAVs @ Berkeley ) group. She was helpful and answered all of my questions about Berkeley’s UAV programs.

At this time Berkeley does not offer a complete UAS studies major for students to focus on, but they are in the process of developing an accredited program. They will soon be hosting a 1-2 unit semester-long course instructing students on the safe piloting and building of UAVs.

They do have a student organization called the UAV Association, which is dedicated to providing a central resource hub for all things related to unmanned aerial vehicles within UC Berkeley, including multirotor, fixed wing and other miscellaneous UAVs. Activities within this group encompass a range of photography, videography projects, academic research and racing competitions. It definitely looks like the campus is friendly toward UAVs and inviting to those looking to study unmanned aerial systems.

Hybrid Systems Laboratory ( http://hybrid.eecs.berkeley.edu/ )
Center for Collaborative Control of Unmanned Vehicles ( http://c3uv.berkeley.edu/ ) (Discontinued, Moved to CalUnmanned)
Vehicle Dynamics & Control Lab ( http://vehicle.me.berkeley.edu/ )
Pieter Abbeel’s Robot Learning Lab ( http://rll.berkeley.edu/outreach/ )
BEAR: Berkeley Aerobot Team ( http://robotics.eecs.berkeley.edu/bear/testbeds.html )
Airport Design Studio ( http://airportdesign.berkeley.edu/ )
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Cal ( http://aiaa.berkeley.edu/ )
Institute of Transportation Studies ( http://its.berkeley.edu/ )

Student Organizations/Clubs on Campus with UAV/UAS Focus

Learn to Fly: Pilot Ground School ( http://aiaa.berkeley.edu/skycal/ )
Design, Build, Fly ( http://aiaa.berkeley.edu/design-build-fly.html )
Space Exploration Society at Berkeley ( http://sesb.berkeley.edu/ )
Aero-Design SAE @ Berkeley ( http://asaeberkeley.weebly.com/ )

Charlene went on to tell me

“Recently a FAA 333 Exemption was approved for UC blanket use, with Brandon Stark, Lab Manager for the Mechatronics, Embedded Systems and Automation Lab in the School of Engineering at UC Merced, leading the formation of the UC Center of Excellence on Unmanned Aerial System Safety. This development enabled UAVs @ Berkeley to successfully meet up with campus representatives from the university, Risk Services, and our UC Police Department to discuss safe UAV flight on campus, which was previously strictly disallowed. As a result of the meeting, the University approved our request for an official UAVs @ Berkeley Flight Program!”

She went on to say

“Rules and regulation aside, UC Berkeley is developing its own FPV (First Person View) Racing Team, in which UAV pilots fly small, fast quadcopters with cameras that transmit a live feed of the UAVs perspective to a pilot wearing virtuality goggles. The first World Drone Prix 2016 concluded recently, and UAVs @ Berkeley is looking towards creating a league of our own, for intercollegiate racing. We have been collaborating with Kelvin Lam, a Bay Area local who helps host the Droneworlds and Drone Nationals FPV Racing Leagues, and his assistance and vision for an intercollegiate event has encouraged us to work hard to make it a reality.”

Which gives you an idea of how friendly the campus is towards student groups who are interested in unmanned aerial studies. So while UC Berkeley doesn’t yet have an official UAS studies program, we’re confident that if you choose UC Berkeley you’ll be sufficiently happy studying one of their engineering or robotics programs and working in the labs and student groups on UAS during your years there.

Florida State University

I spoke with David Merrick, Deputy Director, Center for Disaster Risk Policy at Florida State University.

David tells us about Florida States UAS programs.

We offer a certificate program in the Application of Unmanned Aircraft Systems that was approved by our accrediting body – but no major or minor. The certificate is available at the undergrad and graduate levels, and can be added into any major or program of study. The graduate certificate requires 15 credit hours total, with three required courses and two electives. The undergraduate certificate requires 12 credit hours with two required courses and two electives. Our program focus very strongly on the application of UAS in emergency and disaster management. Our faculty, staff, and student researchers are currently working on a variety of real-world UAS projects, including the integration of UAS into Florida’s Urban Search and Rescue task forces.

Florida State has a new Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems club that give students more exposure to the field and the technology. In addition, we provide a lot of ‘beyond the classroom’ opportunities for our UAS focused students, including projects, conferences, and meetings with industry representatives.

The most exciting aspect of our program is out ongoing work with emergency management and emergency service organizations within the State of Florida. Our students and interns have worked in the Air Operations Branch of the State Emergency Response Team, and we have strong relationships with the State Fire College and many county Emergency Management organizations. These relationships allow us to develop research projects aimed at increasing the usage of UAS statewide.

Michigan State University

Check out their unmanned systems page here .

I spoke to Hanish Mehta at Michigan State University, the Founder and Captain of the MSU Unmanned Systems competitive team about MSU’s UAS studies programs.

According to Hanish, MSU doesn’t offer a complete Unmanned Aerial Systems major for students to focus on. However the next best thing would be for interested students to study mechanical or electrical engineering.

He went on to tell us: ” For example, the lab I currently work at, the Dynamic Systems Lab, is engaged in the development of control systems for rotary-wing UAVs and swarm flight control in conjunction with marine & land-based vehicles, to localize a specific chemical in the environment. The lab I previously worked at had tasked me to develop a semi-autonomous vehicle for methane localization in underground coal mines. The geography dept. at MSU utilizes a combination of fixed-wing and rotary-wing vehicles for remote sensing applications. Primarily, our university has a competitive student aerial robotics team called MSU Unmanned Systems ( http://www.msuus.com/ ), which is composed of nearly 15+ members and is one of the highly active engineering organizations on campus. Being in Michigan, it is very hard to find companies that provide exposure in the field of aerospace: This group was started to help students interested in the aerospace & defence sectors, gain the required exposure and connect with the industry via competitions and fund-raising activities conducted by the team. Next year onward, the team plans to compete at the AUVSI Intelligent Ground Vehicle Competition, as well, to help broaden the team’s horizons.”

michigan state university unmanned aerial systems group

One of the most exciting new developments at the MSU campus considering unmanned systems is the “Ventus” multirotor development. Hanish goes on to tell us

“Ventus is a heavy-lift aerial rig that our team system-engineered for the AUVSI Student Unmanned Aerial Systems 2016 competition, to be held in June at the Pax. River airbase. The quad-rotor, with a MTOW of nearly 6.15 kg and an endurance of around 20 minutes will be tasked to do lots of things like real-time image relay, autonomous target detection and classification, emergency supply drop, CASEVAC mission simulation, and fully-autonomous flight, of course. To achieve the targets outlined by competition, the team has engineering a lot of supporting equipment like a portable, off-grid ground control station, autonomous antenna tracker and other mechatronic systems for the vehicle.”

University of Missouri

I spoke with Matthew Dickinson , instructor at the University of Missouri.

According to Matthew there’s no official unmanned aerial systems major at the University of Missouri, which is something we’re running into a lot with some of the larger universities. But there is major value in studying at these universities even if they don’t have a specific major solely for studying UAVs.

The U of Missouri does have some great classes that involved the use or research of unmanned systems. For example their IT Program has a class for designing applications tailored around off-the-shelf UAS platforms. Matthew goes on to say

“In a more traditional sense, the Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering department offers courses related to aerodynamics, design, propulsion. In the School of Journalism, they offer a course related to using drones for journalism. Despite no formal program, the Mizzou Unmanned Systems Team (MUST) encourages students to work in a interdisciplinary manner towards the goals of research, education and participating in competitions. Overall, the University of Missouri offers a wide range of courses with the ability to apply these towards UAS knowledge.”

The University of Missouri also has a Missouri Drone Journalism Program which is a collaboration between the college of engineering and the school of journalism. They work with the local NPR station on campus as well in order to facilitate learning Journalism while using drone technology. The (MUST) group has been awarded funding to pursue the teams goal of becoming #1 in the AUVSI Foundation student unmanned aerial systems competition in Maryland.

Brigham Young University

Check out the BYU Magicc Lab here .

I spoke with Rose Allen Operations Manager for the Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems at BYU.

Brigham Young University doesn’t offer a complete major in only Unmanned Aerial Systems, but as I’ve been doing the investigation for this article I’ve found there are very few universities who do offer a complete major of study for this. However, BYU is very involved in Unmanned Aerial Systems through their involvement with the Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS). This is an Industry/University Cooperative Research Center (I/UCRC) established in 2012 and headquartered at Brigham Young University, though it also includes University of Colorado at Boulder and Virginia Tech. The center is the only National Science Foundation-funded unmanned aircraft research center. In addition to the NSF, C-UAS has more than 22 funding industry members including Facebook, Boeing, NASA, and the Air Force Research Laboratory.

This allows BYU students to become heavily involved in UAS research as they complete their degrees.

Rose went on to talk more about the C-UAS program at BYU.

“Students involved with C-UAS come from all engineering disciplines: mechanical, electrical, computer science, and civil engineering. They have the opportunity to work with faculty from their particular field on diverse UAS research problems. They also regularly interact with representatives from sponsoring industry members and future employers. At BYU the main labs involved are the MAGICC lab and the PRISM lab. The opportunity to build relationships with top faculty researchers and graduate students, as well as with leading UAS industries is a strong reason to attend one of the participating schools and become involved with the research.”

Some exciting happenings in UAV studies at BYU are that students publish regularly on their findings and, in the case of significant developments, also help file invention disclosures and patents. Students also compete in the annual AUVSI Student UAV Competition and other challenges. In 2015 they led the way at the Perseus III Tech Demo sponsored by the United States Department of Defense, showcasing counter-UAS capabilities.

As you can see BYU is a great choice for a school if you’re interested in studying Unmanned Aerial Systems.

University of Washington

I spoke with Dr. Christopher Lum, Research Scientist at the William E. Boeing Department of Aeronautics & Astronautics at Washington University.

The University of Washington offers a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical & Astronautical Engineering degree (BSAAE) as well as Masters and PhD degrees. The main reasons for students to choose UW for aerospace study have been answered here , but I would like to emphasize the “build relationship with industry” point. Every aspect of our program takes industry partnership into consideration – courses are designed to teach theory as well as real world methods used by engineers to solve problems, local industry sponsors and works directly with our senior capstone teams, and our labs are often partnered with commercial institutions.

Some of the groups and research labs that are going on at U of Washington lately are:

Design,Build,Fly ( DBF ): A team of undergraduate students compete in an annual competition where they must design, fabricate, and demonstrate the flight capability of a UAS. The UW team is often sponsored by local industry.
Autonomous Flight Systems Laboratory ( AFLS ): The lab is open to both graduate and undergraduate student researchers, and focuses on advancing guidance, navigation, and control technology related to unmanned systems. The lab also works to integrate this cutting edge technology into courses in the A&A Department.
Senior Capstone ( 2016 and past years ): Seniors in the BSAAE program have options for their senior capstone project. The can work in a large group to design either an aircraft or a space system, or they can join one of the small teams that are working directly with (and sponsored by) an industry partner. Some of these small teams are working to design a UAS, see the summary of one of these projects below:

TLG Aerospace, LLC, The Loads Group (McComas, Lum): Analysis and design of crop spraying/seeding capabilities for a fixed-wing UAV. Students will work with an existing fixed wing vehicle, apply for an FAA CoA and perform multiple flight tests (alternate flight locations available in the event of CoA delay).

The University of Washington offers plenty of opportunity for studying Aeronautics, even if they don’t offer a specific major for Unmanned Aerial Studies.

Fresno State University

Check out there program here .

I spoke with Dr. Gregory Kriehn, (Ph.D), professor within the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department in Lyles College of Engineering at Fresno State. He also serves as the Lyles College of Engineering Honors Director. He is the primary Principle Investigator for UAS Research at Fresno State.

According to Dr. Kriehn:

“We do not currently offer a complete Unmanned Aircraft Systems accredited program. The most similar programs of study are in Electrical, Computer, and Mechanical Engineering. However, since the development and design of Unmanned Aircraft Systems involve mechanical, electrical, and computer engineering, each of these three fields emphasizes a different aspect of the broader field of mechatronics, of which UAS systems are a part.”

He Continues to say:

“For students who chose to major in Mechanical Engineering, they also have the option of minoring in either Electrical or Computer Engineering, which creates a program of study that blends the fields more closely together for students interested in Mechatronics and UAS related work.”

California State University, Fresno (Fresno State), has created a new Unmanned Systems Integration Laboratory, funded by Lockheed Martin, which supports joint teaching and research projects between Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Industrial Technology. The lab is supported by both the Lyles College of Engineering, as well as the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, allowing for both fundamental UAS research (Engineering), as well as applied research (Agricultural Science and Technology). More recently, we have begun partnering with Plant Science as well, in anticipation of expanding our UAS agricultural research and potential partnerships with the US Forest Service.

UAS research at Fresno State originated in 2007 with contract work for Edwards Air Force Base (EAFB), who routinely hire Fresno State graduates as engineers and engineering managers. Since then, we have increased the scope of our research to address the agricultural needs of the Central Valley of California using UAS platforms. As a result of the applied systems research done on campus, our UAS research students have been hired by the Air Force and Navy, Defense Contractors, Geospatial companies such as Trimble, Drone Manufacturers, startup companies in Silicon Valley, and more traditional computing companies such as Intel. The students involved with UAS research at Fresno State have gained a reputation for having a significant competitive edge because of the hands-on systems engineering expertise that they develop as undergraduate students — which is exceptionally rare at the undergraduate level.

More recently, a new $20 million Jordan Agricultural Research Center will be completed in May 2016 on campus, which is a 30,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art research facility to enable researchers from the Jordan College of Agricultural Science and Technology (JCAST), the College of Science and Mathematics, and the Lyles College of Engineering (LCOE) to work side-by-side and create a new atmosphere of interconnectivity. The joint UAS research program between CJAST and LCOE will be one of the featured laboratory spaces on the first floor of the new research center, along with a data visualization lab. This lab space is in addition to the Lockheed-Martin UAS laboratory currently being used.

Within the Lyles College of Engineering, undergraduate and graduate students are helping execute two UAS grant activities — one with the Univerity of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR), and one with NASA. The UC ANR Competitive Grant is a 5 year, joint UAS research effort between UC Merced, the UC Merced Cooperative Extension, and Fresno State. We are examining the use of UAS platforms for predicting yields in almond and pistachio trees by combining multi-spectral and NDVI imaging with embedded smart sensors in fields, and correlating collected data against stem water potential. The NASA grant is Minority University Research and Education Program (MUREP) with Somona State University, Napa Valley College, and Fresno State, whereby we are seeking to increase the pipeline of students transitioning from community colleges to 4-year higher educational institutions in STEM-related fields by creating a new rocketry and drone course for students to take at the community college level. The work also allows for community college students to participate in NASA internships or as research interns at Fresno State or Somona State.

As you can see, Fresno State has a LOT to offer to anyone seeking to study Unmanned Aerial Systems.

Well that’s it, those are all the schools covered! If you liked this post Tweet it or share it on Facebook! . If you want to see your school included in this article please contact me at [email protected].

Searching for any of our other great drone articles, check out best drone for kids and the top tablets for phantom 4 .

Kennedy Martinez

Kennedy Martinez is a resident writer who joined Dronethusiast at the beginning of 2019. She has years of experience reviewing drones and other tech products. When it comes to flying drones, Kennedy loves the ability to create artistic videos from a unique point of view. Kennedy enjoys researching new drones and other exciting products that are available to consumers which is why she is committed to creating the best buyer's guides for our readers.

There are 11 comments:

This is a pretty US-centric list. A lot of the best work in UAVs is being done in ETH-Zurich and outside the US, principally because of the FAA’s heavy handed policies.

Hi, I agree it is a 100% US centered list. I don’t claim otherwise in the article. I’m sure there are great Universities abroad doing amazing things in the Unmanned Aerial field. I chose to focus solely on the USA because the logistics for trying to include every University in the world were going to get out of hand. I encourage any international universities who want to get added to this list to contact me and we can discus their programs!

Any decent ones (if any) in the northeast?

On this list, Michigan is somewhat northeast. Ohio State had some good uas stuff going on at their school, research and things but they didn’t respond to the interview. I wasn’t able to cover every school so I’m sure there are some I missed.

Please note that Sinclair Community College has an Unmanned Aerial Systems Associates degree program.

who wrote this

Hi Ayden, I wrote this, did you have a question? You can contact me at [email protected] . thanks.

I think the program at USAFA (United States Air Force Academy) deserves consideration.

Looking for either a certification in the technical side or a degree with UAV. I live in Dallas, Texas so closer the better. Thank you

V/r Leelan Ennis [email protected] 469-387-6661

Hi, My Name Is Peter. And i am far from united states. I am currently looking for an online education about a drone. Can you recommend me one? By The Way I am appreciated your article about education for a drone!! It really helps me.

Hi Mike! Just wanted to say you did an excellent job of covering programs throughout the US. What i particularly enjoyed was how you highlighted something different about each program. Anyone interested in this area of study can gain a wonderful sense of the endless possibilities and what program would fit their skill set. I have one son who was 26th in his class at USAFA the other son best s chance is a tech program. With that being said drone programs at tech schools are popping up. They offer a one week 22 hour course to prepare a student for the commerical FAA drone license. Whats your opinion of these types of programs? Can an individual complete this type of of course and obtain a job utilizing it?

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Drones navigate unseen environments with liquid neural networks

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In the vast, expansive skies where birds once ruled supreme, a new crop of aviators is taking flight. These pioneers of the air are not living creatures, but rather a product of deliberate innovation: drones. But these aren’t your typical flying bots, humming around like mechanical bees. Rather, they’re avian-inspired marvels that soar through the sky, guided by liquid neural networks to navigate ever-changing and unseen environments with precision and ease.

Inspired by the adaptable nature of organic brains, researchers from MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) have introduced a method for robust flight navigation agents to master vision-based fly-to-target tasks in intricate, unfamiliar environments. The liquid neural networks, which can continuously adapt to new data inputs, showed prowess in making reliable decisions in unknown domains like forests, urban landscapes, and environments with added noise, rotation, and occlusion. These adaptable models, which outperformed many state-of-the-art counterparts in navigation tasks, could enable potential real-world drone applications like search and rescue, delivery, and wildlife monitoring.

The researchers' recent study, published today in Science Robotics , details how this new breed of agents can adapt to significant distribution shifts, a long-standing challenge in the field. The team’s new class of machine-learning algorithms, however, captures the causal structure of tasks from high-dimensional, unstructured data, such as pixel inputs from a drone-mounted camera. These networks can then extract crucial aspects of a task (i.e., understand the task at hand) and ignore irrelevant features, allowing acquired navigation skills to transfer targets seamlessly to new environments.

“We are thrilled by the immense potential of our learning-based control approach for robots, as it lays the groundwork for solving problems that arise when training in one environment and deploying in a completely distinct environment without additional training,” says Daniela Rus, CSAIL director and the Andrew (1956) and Erna Viterbi Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at MIT. “Our experiments demonstrate that we can effectively teach a drone to locate an object in a forest during summer, and then deploy the model in winter, with vastly different surroundings, or even in urban settings, with varied tasks such as seeking and following. This adaptability is made possible by the causal underpinnings of our solutions. These flexible algorithms could one day aid in decision-making based on data streams that change over time, such as medical diagnosis and autonomous driving applications.”

A daunting challenge was at the forefront: Do machine-learning systems understand the task they are given from data when flying drones to an unlabeled object? And, would they be able to transfer their learned skill and task to new environments with drastic changes in scenery, such as flying from a forest to an urban landscape? What’s more, unlike the remarkable abilities of our biological brains, deep learning systems struggle with capturing causality, frequently over-fitting their training data and failing to adapt to new environments or changing conditions. This is especially troubling for resource-limited embedded systems, like aerial drones, that need to traverse varied environments and respond to obstacles instantaneously.

The liquid networks, in contrast, offer promising preliminary indications of their capacity to address this crucial weakness in deep learning systems. The team’s system was first trained on data collected by a human pilot, to see how they transferred learned navigation skills to new environments under drastic changes in scenery and conditions. Unlike traditional neural networks that only learn during the training phase, the liquid neural net’s parameters can change over time, making them not only interpretable, but more resilient to unexpected or noisy data.

In a series of quadrotor closed-loop control experiments, the drones underwent range tests, stress tests, target rotation and occlusion, hiking with adversaries, triangular loops between objects, and dynamic target tracking. They tracked moving targets, and executed multi-step loops between objects in never-before-seen environments, surpassing performance of other cutting-edge counterparts.

The team believes that the ability to learn from limited expert data and understand a given task while generalizing to new environments could make autonomous drone deployment more efficient, cost-effective, and reliable. Liquid neural networks, they noted, could enable autonomous air mobility drones to be used for environmental monitoring, package delivery, autonomous vehicles, and robotic assistants.

“The experimental setup presented in our work tests the reasoning capabilities of various deep learning systems in controlled and straightforward scenarios,” says MIT CSAIL Research Affiliate Ramin Hasani. “There is still so much room left for future research and development on more complex reasoning challenges for AI systems in autonomous navigation applications, which has to be tested before we can safely deploy them in our society.”

“Robust learning and performance in out-of-distribution tasks and scenarios are some of the key problems that machine learning and autonomous robotic systems have to conquer to make further inroads in society-critical applications,” says Alessio Lomuscio, professor of AI safety in the Department of Computing at Imperial College London. “In this context, the performance of liquid neural networks, a novel brain-inspired paradigm developed by the authors at MIT, reported in this study is remarkable. If these results are confirmed in other experiments, the paradigm here developed will contribute to making AI and robotic systems more reliable, robust, and efficient."

Clearly, the sky is no longer the limit, but rather a vast playground for the boundless possibilities of these airborne marvels.

Hasani and PhD student Makram Chahine; Patrick Kao '22, MEng '22; and PhD student Aaron Ray SM '21 wrote the paper with Ryan Shubert '20, MEng '22; MIT postdocs Mathias Lechner and Alexander Amini; and Rus.

This research was supported, in part, by Schmidt Futures, the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory, the U.S. Air Force Artificial Intelligence Accelerator, and the Boeing Co.

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Forbes reporter Rob Toews spotlights Prof. Daniela Rus, director of CSAIL, and research affiliate Ramin Hasani and their work with liquid neural networks. “The ‘liquid’ in the name refers to the fact that the model’s weights are probabilistic rather than constant, allowing them to vary fluidly depending on the inputs the model is exposed to,” writes Toews.

Popular Science

Popular Science reporter Jamie Dickman writes that using liquid neural networks, MIT researchers have “trained a drone to identify and navigate toward objects in varying environments.” Dickman notes that: “These robust networks enable the drone to adapt in real-time, even after initial training, allowing it to identify a target object despite changes in their environment.”

The Daily Beast

Researchers at MIT have developed a new type of autonomous drone that uses advanced neural networks to fly, reports Tony Ho Tran for The Daily Beast . “The new design allows the drone to make better decisions when flying through completely new environments,” writes Tran, “and could have future applications in self-driving cars, search and rescue operations, wildlife monitoring, or even diagnosing medical issues.”

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Solving brain dynamics gives rise to flexible machine-learning models

These neural networks know what they’re doing

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Drones allow for roofing inspections to be carried out safely and efficiently. With removing the need for ladders and walking on roofs, our pilots can easily fly within a 1-3 ft distance from the roof's surface to capture any and all close-up images of damaged roof sections. In addition, our top drones are equipped with 20MP, 4K cameras to ensure the highest quality photos to easily review when assessing the damage for the client and insurance adjustor/company. Has your house been damaged from a huricane or hailstorm? Please call!

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Our pilots and photographers travel to the school where we focus on capturing the best photos and videos to represent the school. With active classrooms and inspiring teachers, we make sure to capture the true ambience of any classroom. Aside from the footage captured of the school grounds and classrooms, we then focus on the aerial photography portion of our job. With beautiful orbits of the school as well as dolly shots and birds eye views, our photographs perfectly draw out the layout of the schools property and grounds to give a unique perspective to the viewer.

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Drone Academy

Tiffin University launches the drone academy

Tiffin University has announced the opening of its Drone Academy in response to the growing and expanding drone industry. The Academy has become a place of learning, research and achievement for the advancement of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), commonly referred to as drones. Featuring academic classes, training seminars, community outreach programs, certification opportunities and recreational activities like Community Fly Days, the Drone Academy provides theoretical and applied learning for the technological and operational aspects of the industry.

The Academy has been designated to participate in the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Collegiate Training Initiative (UAS-CTI) by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and allows the Academy and University to collaborate with the FAA, in order to provide aid to students pursuing a career in drone aviation. The designation also provides the opportunity to partner with industry professionals, local government officials, members of law enforcement and other organizations to provide enrolled students with the industry-skills needed to ensure success.

The University also has plans to establish a minor in UAS that will be available to all undergraduate seated students, regardless of their major. The minor will introduce UAS technology to students that can be utilized in many different professions. There will also be a new concentration in UAS for the Bachelor of Science in Computer Science degree that will offer students the ability to explore various UAS platforms and be able to master the concepts of programming for UAS Technologies.

Both the minor and concentration will introduce students to hands on drone flights in class as well as the knowledge to pass their Part 107 Remote Pilot License by the FAA. Students also will gain knowledge in python programming as well as advanced UAS flight platforms. Finally, students are taught the basics of videography and photography using drones.

Through the Drone Academy students can join the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) through the Tiffin University AMA University Model Aviation Student (UMASC) Chapter (in many cases at no charge to the student). This opportunity provides extensive resources, scholarships, grants and insurance for the students in Drone Academy.

The Academy is working with the Athletics Department to establish a Club Drone Racing Team, slated to be active in the fall 2022 semester.

321,771 commercial drones registered
529,331 recreational drones registered
267,962 Remote pilots certified

Source: faa.gov/uas/resources/by_the_numbers/

Businesses and the government have spent an estimated $13 billion on drones.

Source : goldmansachs.com/insights/technology-driving-innovation/drones/

The drone industry is expected to grow at 15% CAGR (Continued Annual Growth Rate) over the next five years.

Source: mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/drones-market

The number of jobs operating drones will reach 422,000 by the end of 2022.

Source: droneblog.com/are-drone-jobs-in-demand/

Through the Ohio Department of Transportation’s Research Program, a recent research project completed for the Ohio Department of Transportation’s Ohio UAS Center by Crown Consulting Inc. concluded that Ohio could expect $13 billion economic impact over 25 years by investing in advanced autonomous aircraft sector.

Source: uas.ohio.gov/initiatives/flyohio-initiative/ohio+aam+economic+impact+report

If Ohio acts to capture this emerging market, researchers concluded that Ohio could expect Advanced Air Mobility to contribute 15,000 new jobs, $2.5 billion in local, state and federal tax revenues and 1.6% GDP growth through 2045.
Surveillance
Fire hot spots
Scene oversight
Search and rescue
o Disaster relief
o Order delivery and fulfillment
Commercial photography (real estate, weddings, etc.)
Commercial movie making
3D Modeling (mapping, GIS, etc.)
Agriculture
Inspections (tower, bridges, power lines, windmills, cell phones, etc.)
Geological surveying
Wildlife monitoring

Drone Academy Faculty

The Director and Assistant Director of the Drone Academy are a part of the FAA Safety Team (FAASTeam) as DronePros. As DronePros, they have completed FAA-led interviews and training. The Federal Aviation Administration leads this initiative to promote drone safety. This affiliation allows TU to offer presentations or flight demos to potential students or interested groups and cements our commitment to promoting responsible drone practices.

School of Science, Technology and Health

Degrees & certificates.

Ph.D. Candidate, Northcentral University M.B.A., Tiffin University B.B.A., Tiffin University A.A.B., Terra State Community College CFOT, Certified Fiber Optics Technician MOS, Microsoft Office Specialist

Professor Owen Fritz began with Tiffin University in the fall of 2015 as an affiliate professor for the School of Business in the areas of Computer Information Systems and Economics. In the spring of 2018, he became a full-time faculty member within the Computer Information Systems program. In 2019, Owen is proud to have worked alongside Dr. George Miller in bringing revamping the Computer Information Systems program into the new Computer Science Program offering a B.S. in Computer Science.

Owen’s research interests include Big Data, Internet of Things (IoT) & Generation Z, Technological Social Responsibility, and Office Applications in the Workplace.

Before academia, Owen has worked a variety of different jobs that have allowed him to develop a wealth of knowledge to pass on to students entering the field. Professor Fritz is a graduate of Tiffin University and is proud to be a #dragonforlife! Outside of the University, he has many different passions and interests that keep him involved in the community. One passion is weather, and Owen is responsible for the Sandusky County Skywarn (Storm Spotters) program that falls under the Sandusky County Emergency Management Agency. Also, he is an Asst. Emergency Coordinator for the Sandusky County Amateur Radio Emergency Service program that is back up communications when disasters should occur. Owen also is an avid fan of basketball as he can see him at most Dragon home games working scoring at the table as well as he is active with many activities around campus including serving as a Faculty Advisor for the ACM (Association of Computing Machinery) Student Chapter.

Professional Memberships

ACM (Association of Computing Machinery)
ARRL (Amateur Radio Relay League)
CCSC (Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges)
NCHE (National Council for Higher Education)
SIGCSE (ACM Special Interest Group of Computer Science Education)

Bruce Chambers

David Gierhart

David has been flying drones for 5 years. Member of the Sandusky County Drone Emergency Response Team. Prior 20 years, building and flying remote control airplanes. Licensed FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot. Mechanical Engineering Associate’s Degree, Terra Technical College. Business Administration Bachelor’s Degree, University of Toledo. Forty-year career as a Draftsman, Product Designer, Plastics Engineer, Quality Engineer. Six Sigma Certified Black Belt in problem solving. Retired in 2011 from Whirlpool Corporation, Clyde, Ohio where I live with my wife Mary. We have five children and five grandchildren.

Russell Jones

Russell has been passionate about production ever since he worked on his first professional show in the entertainment industry over 20 years ago! In addition, Russell owns Jones Drones Cleveland which has given him the ability to see the bigger picture on anything from small to large scale drone-related jobs. In 2017, Russell became interested in action drone filming and drone racing and became a highly skilled operator in both. His love for drones and extensive production experience have created the perfect mix for the advancement of drones and drone racing. We are proud to have Russell on our team!

John Schupp, Ph.D.

B.S., Cleveland State University Ph.D., Chemistry, Cleveland State University

Dr. Schupp has twenty-five years experience in the synthetic crystal industry, from 1980 to 2005. In which time he received four patents in the area being granted in 2002. Dr. Schupp started a student veteran program at Cleveland State in Fall 2006, and since 2009, he has spoken to over 600 campuses nationwide regarding veteran education. Dr. Schupp helped write, pass and fund legislation for a FIPSE grant in 2010 which provided $6M in grants to over twenty campuses nationwide for veteran education. Dr. Schupp is the winner of the Zachary Fisher Humanitarian of the Year award from the Department of Defense.

School Overview
Business Intelligence and Analytics
Computer Science – Network & Systems Administration
Computer Science – Software Development
Computer Science – Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)
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Computer Science – Web Design
Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity & Information Assurance
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Forensic Science
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The Center for Tiffin University and Dragon Core Curriculum

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155 Miami St. Tiffin, OH 44883

What sets the Tiffin University Drone Academy apart is that we take pride in having real world instructors with decades of experience in the industry. We want to ensure that students are taught real world practices in this fast changing technology to ensure they are successful in their future careers and endeavors. We link knowledge to professional practice.

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2024 RTP round - (Machine ) Learning more about meteorites from a Drone

for meteorite falls in the remote outback is a costly activity, traditionally done with teams of people camped on site, searching the area on foot. Recently SSTC has developed a drone -based approach, using

PhD Scholarship in AI-Assisted Monitoring and Inspection of Solar Photovoltaic Power Plants Using Aerial Imagery

that includes any publications/awards, experience relevant to the project and the contact details for 2 referees PV’s monitoring process can be done intelligently thanks to drone . Remotely operated

2024 RTP round - Developing Economic Models for Transient Edge Services

drones are examples of crowdsourced Edge service (CES) providers and consumers. For example, Apple AirTag is wearable tracking device that provides location services using the crowdsourced mesh networks

Searches related to drone

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Research Projects at SDU UAS Center

Current research projects within drones

The project investigates how to integrate autonomous mobile robot platforms in the transportation of potted plants in horticultual gardens.

The Ministry of Higher Education and Science, 2022-2023 Contact: Henrik Skov Midtiby, [email protected]

Precision Seed Breeding

The goal of the project is to reduce herbicide consumption for weed control in the cultivation of grass seed.

GUDP og Frøafgiftsfonden, 2023-2026 Contact: Henrik Skov Midtiby, [email protected]

English website is coming up

The project aims to modernize nature conservation techniques through innovative drone operations.

EU Marie Sklodowska Curie Actions, 2023-2026 Contact: Ulrik Pagh Schultz Lundquist, [email protected]

The project aims to replace the use of ships by using fully automated drones to deliver tools and equipment to technicians at offshore wind turbines.

EUDP, 2022-2024 Contact: Kjeld Jensen, [email protected]

More information is coming soon

The upcycled African drone: a value-sensitive design

The project aims to develop an upcycled drone to be used for mapping tasks to establish land rights and reforestation in Sierra Leone

Engineers without borders Denmark Contact: Dylan Cawththorne, [email protected]

HERD (Human-AI collaboration: Engaging and controlling swarms of Robots and Drones)

The project aims to develop user interfaes for controlling multiple ground robots and drones.

DIREC, 2021-2025 Contact: Ulrik Pagh Schultz Lundquist, [email protected]

Concluded projects

IFD project led by SDU will establish a natirional 5G UAS network, that enables a reliable U-Space in the lower airspace, enabling drones to fly safely side by side with manned aviation.

Innovation Fund Denmark (Innovationsfonden), 2021-2024 Contact: Ulrik Pagh Schultz Lundquist, Project manager, [email protected]

U-Space Funen

Danish private-public cooperation that establishes the first U-space in Scandinavia: An airspace where drones fly safely side by side with the traditional manned aircrafts, and enables drone operations beyond visual line of sight of the operator.

Contact: Kjeld Jensen, [email protected]

SqM-Farm (Square meter Farming)

The project uses artificial intelligence based on data from sensors on drones, robots, and satellites to help the farmer optimize the yield of the fields.

GUDP, Ministry of Environment and Food of Denmark, 2018-2022 Contact: Henrik Skov Midtiby, [email protected]

The project will develop a new AI based geoscanning system using drones instead of helicopters. The goal is to create a more sustainable solution that is cheaper, faster and better in terms of accuracy and resolution. SDU's main focus is guidiance and requirements herunder the risk SORA assessment.

Eurostar programme, 2020-2022 Contact: Erling Hansen, [email protected]

HealthDrone (SundhedsDroner)

The project aims at developing fully automatic drones that fast, cheap and sustainable can transport patient samples, medicine, and doctors between hospital units, medical practices, and home care.

Innovation Fund Denmark, 2019-2021 Contact: Kjeld Jensen, [email protected]

Tool-drone to control weed

The project will use drones as tools that, in addition to being able to find hogweed using camera technology and artificial intelligence, have also mounted a device that can apply a pesticide to the individual plant and cause it to die. Website is only in Danish

Contact: Henrik Skov Midtiby, [email protected]

AERIAL-CORE

The project focuses on developing core-technology modules and an integrated aerial cognitive robotic system for applications such as the inspection and maintenance of large linear infrastructures.

EU Horizon 2o2o, 2019-2023 Contact: Emad Samuel Malki Ebeid, [email protected]

Drones4Safety

EU-project led by SDU will develop a system of autonomous, self-charging, and collaborative drones that can inspect the European transportation infrastructures, such as bridges and railroads, in a continuous operation and report if there are cracks or faults.

EU Horizon 2o2o, 2020-2023 Contact: Emad Samuel Malki Ebeid, [email protected]

Drones for Energy

The project builds a collaborative, autonomous, and continuously operating drone system that will be offered to powerline operators to inspect the power grid accurately, frequently, and autonomously in a cost-effective way.

Innovation Fond Denmark and Energi Fyn, 2018-2022 Contact: Emad Samuel Malki Ebeid, [email protected]

Drone-based cleaning at hospitals

The project will investigate whether it is possible to use drones as a tool to clean and measure/inspect various inaccessible surfaces at Odense University Hospital (OUH). Website is only in Danish

Energi Fyns Udviklingsfond, 2021 Contact: Jussi Hermansen, [email protected]

UAS-ability

UAS-ability is a cooperation between Danish universities with the aim to ensure a national research infrastructure for drones. SDU UAS Test Center is supported by UAS-ability.

Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation, 2016-2021

Contact: Ulrik Pagh Schultz, [email protected]

The project focuses on the development of techniques for optimizing software in embedded systems for both time, energy, and security, and to demonstrate that these techniques are applicable to drones, camera pills, space industry and smart IoT-systems.

EU Horizon 2020, 2018-2021 Contact: Emad Samuel Malki Ebeid, [email protected]

Creative Sight

The purpose of the project is to develop a drone system to inspect ships for damages, wear and tear.

Den Danske Maritime Fond, 2018-2020 Contact: Brad Beach, [email protected]

Valuing Christmas trees by using drones

The project explores how to use drones to optimise Christmas tree production by measuring the height of trees and counting how many Christmas trees are in each plantation.

Robocluster, 2020 Contact: Henrik Skov Midtiby, [email protected]

Free the Drones (FreeD)

The project develops technologies that make it possible for drones to fly autonomously and safely Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS).

Innovation Fund Denmark, 2016-2020

Contact: Brad Beach, [email protected]

The aim of the project is to develop a real-time data acquisition system for drones that can detect and track icebergs that are dangerous to the shipping vessels in the Artic.

Den Danske Maritime Fond, 2018-2020 Contact: Agus Hasan, [email protected]

Innovation on Wings

The project supports small- to medium-sized Danish drone companies with the aim of bringing new ideas and products to the market faster and more successfully.

A rticle on sdu.dk (in Danish)

Industriens Fond, 2016-2020 Contact: Mette Præst Knudsen, [email protected]

Drone-based pumpkin counting

Energi Fyns Udviklingsfond, 2017-2018 Contact: Henrik Skov Midtiby, [email protected]

General Public's Privacy Concerns Regarding Drone Use in Residential and Public Areas

Report on General Public’s privacy concerns (resume) Report on General Public’s privacy concerns (full report)

Danish Ministry of Transport, Building and Housing, 2017 Contact: Mette Præst Knudsen, [email protected]

SDU Strategic Funds Contact: Henrik Skov Midtiby, [email protected]

SDU strategic funds, 2018 Contact : Emad Samuel Malki Ebeid, [email protected]

Partners: Danish Transport and Construction Agency, 2016-2017 Contact : Kjeld Jensen, [email protected]

AED Delivery Drone

Student project autumn 2017, MSc. Specialization in Drone Technology Contact: Kristian Husum Terkildsen, [email protected]

HealthDrone

SDU strategic funds, 2018 Contact: Kjeld Jensen, [email protected]

The Green Development and Demonstration Programme (GUDP), 2016-2017 Contact : Brad Beach, [email protected]

BVLOS Fast Track

Contact: Brad Beach, [email protected]

Drone Inspections of Fences

Energi Fyn, 2015-2018 Contact: Henrik Skov Midtiby, [email protected]

For more information

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Last Updated 29.05.2024

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Unmanned Aerial Systems Major

Drones, or unmanned aircraft, will be soon be part of everyday life. Companies who adopt the technology will need experts to help them navigate flight paths as well as rules and regulations. A major in unmanned aerial systems (UAS) will equip you to be a leader in this new career field. In fact, the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International believes 70,000 new jobs will be created within three years after unmanned aircrafts are integrated into the U.S. airspace system.

This major examines the entire unmanned aerial system. You will learn about the different aircraft, how they are made and how they work. You will explore how they fit into the larger aviation system, including safety policies and regulations. Most exciting, professors believe, is the exploration of the possibilities for unmanned aircraft. They are already in use for agricultural, scientific and military purposes. You will research more creative uses for your project-based final capstone experience.

During your pursuit of an unmanned aerial systems degree, you’ll work with faculty in the School of Aviation and Transportation Technology who have years of experience in industry or research.

SPECIAL FEATURES

Learn about the entire unmanned aerial system, including how to fly the aircraft
Gain experience through data collection on research projects for various industries.
Qualify for certification as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operator.
Strengthen teamwork skills as you work with students and professors from a variety of majors in professional flight, airline management and operations, aviation management and more.
Study at an aviation school with the country’s first university-owned airport with the state’s second busiest air traffic control tower. The Purdue University Airport gives Purdue students an opportunity for real-time immersion in an aviation setting.
Engage with industry on a regular basis and be considered for their internships and other placement opportunities. Beyond Purdue University and Polytechnic career fairs, unmanned aerial systems majors can take advantage of an annual career fair planned for all students in the School of Aviation and Transportation Technology.
Utilize the Polytechnic learning environment to become a career-ready graduate

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Commencement 2024

Home Blog The 20 Best UAV Schools/Colleges with Drone Programs in 2022

The 20 Best UAV Schools/Colleges with Drone Programs in 2024

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) , also known as ‘Drones,’ have made their way into product delivery, surveillance, aerial photography and videography, agriculture, drone racing, geographical explorations, wildfire mapping, and more. Today, they remain one of the most exciting and emerging areas in modern tech.

The increase in production of unmanned systems will create additional revenue totaling more than $82 billion in economic impact from 2015-2025.

Considering the ever-increasing demand for professionals in this field, colleges across the United States are now offering educational programs ranging from associates to full-fledged doctoral degrees.

A formal education program in unmanned aerial systems can help you achieve high-paying roles like UAV pilots, design and operations of unmanned systems, military drone pilots, and research.

If you’re excited about building cutting-edge technology, robotic flying machines, and remotely-operated autonomous systems engineering, a professional degree can give flight to your career.

In this article, we’ll be looking at some of the top colleges in the country that offer programs in unmanned aircraft systems operations, design, and allied domains. Please note that this list is not based on any ranking criteria.

Table of Contents

Accredited vs. Non-Accredited Drone Colleges

To operate a drone under the Small UAS Rule (Part 107) of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), you must obtain a Remote Pilot Certificate from the FAA. This certificate establishes that you comprehend the guidelines, understand the procedures for flying drones safely as well as their operating requirements.

Some non-accredited drone colleges may cost less than accredited schools. While that should not be a deciding criterion alone, you will incur higher expenses if you have to relocate to a place for an FAA-accredited school.

If your geographical location and costs are concerning, you can compliment non-accredited colleges with the mandatory Remote Pilot Certificate from the FAA.

Accredited and non-accredited colleges across the US are offering certificates, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees on piloting, engineering, and fixing drones. Students in search of a drone education college have several schools to choose from.

It is not mandatory that you only get your degree from a UAS-CTI school to obtain your drone pilot license. You can read the complete FAA guidelines here .

Top Unmanned Aircraft Systems/Drone Training Colleges: Accredited

Listed below are a few schools that are a part of the Unmanned Aircraft Systems-Collegiate Training Initiative Program (UAS-CTI).

Colleges that provide a certificate, bachelor’s or associate’s in UAS or a degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering with minors in UAS qualify for the FAA-CTI program. The curriculum in FAA-CTI schools features a drone-related curriculum that includes design and operations, maintenance, hands-on flight practice, federal policies, etc.

These are the accredited schools that offer a UAV/drone program:

1. New England Institute of Technology, East Greenwich, Rhode Island

The New England Institute of Technology is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education. The credential is recognized by the federal government and allows NEIT to participate in federal financial aid programs.

NEIT also offers a comprehensive Associate in Science Degree in Electronics, Robotics, and Drones Technology (ERD) .

Prospective graduates receive instruction and training that can help them obtain one or more of the following certifications:

FAA 107 Remote Pilot Certificate
FANUC Robot Operator & Technician Certificate

Graduates of the course can seek entry-level career opportunities in unmanned aircraft systems, data collection (for law enforcement or real estate), remote sensing, drone industry, search and rescue, and navigation. Alternatively, students can also explore careers as an R&D technician, instrumentation technician, or systems technician.

START YOUR ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY CAREER

Earn your degree in Engineering Technology from NEIT and begin your new career path today!

ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE

BACHELOR'S DEGREE

MASTER'S DEGREE

2. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Florida

Embry-Riddle offers two career paths for prospective students-building drones and unmanned aerial vehicles or being a UAV Pilot.

The Bachelor of Science Program at the institute gives you the option of choosing pilot or non-pilot, depending upon your preference. It is also the first university in the country to offer a postgraduate master’s program in drone technology.

Through its ROTC program, the university graduates more pilot cadets than any other institute in the country besides military academies.

3. Indiana State University, Terre Haute, Indiana

While the legacy at Indiana State University dates back to 1865, it only recently started its state-of-the-art ‘Center for Unmanned Systems and Human Capital Development’ to impart quality drone education. There, you can pursue a specialized Bachelor of Science in Unmanned Systems or a minor in the UAS.

4. Kansas State University, Salina, Kansas

The Kansas State University Salina Aerospace and Technology campus, also known as Kansas State Polytechnic, is one of the most reputed institutes in the U.S.

KSU holds the distinction for having the most Master Certified Flight Instructors than any other university in Kansas. Students learn to build, assemble, and perform flight testing of their UAS. The school also has its own fleet of gas-powered and electric engine drones and aircraft.

5. Liberty University, Lynchburg, Virginia

If you’re looking to study at your own pace, Liberty University ‘s online programs are a great option. The hybrid programs in Unmanned Aerial Systems at the institute allow you to pursue commercial flight training with the convenience of completing the theoretical courses online.

As a part of their bachelor’s degree, students construct the standard engineering systems for UAVs. After completing the program, eligible graduates receive the Dragon Eye Certification , similar to a Department of Defense training program for marines.

6. Green River College, Auburn, Washington

Green River College ‘s Aviation Technology division offers certificates and associates programs in UAS technology. You can also apply for the Bachelor of Aeronautical Science degree at the school if you’re looking for a more comprehensive program.

The Associate of Applied Science in Unmanned Aerial Systems degree requires students to complete 90 credits in core courses such as flight simulations, aviation history, aerodynamics, safety, and use of commercial drones.

7. Northwestern Michigan College, Traverse City, Michigan

Northwestern Michigan College has a sprawling campus featuring Roger’s observatory, Dennos Museum Center, Lobdell’s Teaching Restaurant, etc. It is one of the highly-rated colleges for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) operator training program.

You can also specialize with an Engineering Technology degree with specialized courses such as hydraulics, programming, electronics, and robotics of unmanned aircraft systems.

8. Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Middle Tennessee offers a Bachelor’s in Aerospace with a specialization in Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operations.

Along with core aerospace subjects, students can expect to learn the design and construction of a drone, manned pilot training, and internship opportunities with partnering industries at the institute.

9. Central Oregon Community College, Bend, Oregon

Central Oregon offers a full-time Associate of Applied Science in Unmanned Aerial Systems Operations. You can get hands-on training in small UAV design and large UAS platforms simulations. The coursework at the school also includes spatial data collection, remote sensing, data analysis, and advanced training in practical piloting.

There are several quadcopter models for training and application that will help you learn how to perform UAS operations, ground support equipment testing, troubleshooting, and maintenance.

10. The University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, North Dakota

The University of North Dakota is the largest institution in the state, offering an array of educational programs. Students can complete their Bachelor’s in Aeronautics majoring in UAS operations. The institute has 40+ years of know-how in aviation-centered courses.

However, students can also pursue minors in professional flight, business aviation or aviation management.

11. The University of Maine at Augusta, Augusta, Maine

The University of Maine at Augusta (UMA) offers several tracks for prospective students. For instance, you can choose a Bachelor of Science with a Major in Unmanned Aircraft. Graduates must complete 31 credit hours to earn their major and a certificate in small UAS operations.

Or, suppose you already possess a pilot’s license but still want to obtain your bachelor’s. In that case, you can enroll in UMA’s fast-track programs that allow you to earn 41 credits for your technical flight operation or military training.

Lastly, UMA also allows you to add a UAS minor to any college degree at the university, which can help improve your career prospects.

Top Drone Training Colleges: Non- Accredited

In this section, we’ll look at schools that are not a part of the Federal Aviation Administration-Collegiate Training (FAA-CTI). These training institutes have an extensive curriculum that allows you to pursue roles in unmanned systems engineering as well as make a career in instrumentation, embedded systems, computer science, and allied sectors.

1. Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma

Oklahoma State University (OSU) is one of the pioneers of aviation education. It was the first university to offer the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) concentration at the graduate level.

The campus boasts a dedicated UAS facility with a hangar, control room, runways, and open flight area. Students can also participate in popular UAS events at the university, such as Speedfest and Unmanned Airspace innovation challenge.

If you’re interested in research, you can pursue a wide area of topics such as aerodynamics, unmanned aerial systems design, communications, and operations.

2. South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota

The Department of Geography at the South Dakota State University offers a wide range of certificates and degree programs with hands-on research and lab work.

To obtain your Unmanned Aircraft Certificate, you must complete the three required core courses and an elective spanning over 12 credits. The certificate helps prepare students for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part 107 small Unmanned Aircraft Systems license.

Your certificate program includes a mix of theory classes, lab research, fieldwork, and online coursework.

South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota

3. LeTourneau University, Longview, Texas

LeTourneau University ‘s College of Aviation and Aeronautical Science is one of the most distinguished institutions in Texas. Students can choose from one of their 17 bachelor’s, associate’s, training, or fast-track flight programs.

Depending upon your career aspirations, you can select the electronics, pilot or technician track as part of your degree. You must fulfill 126-132 credit hours as per your specialization. The course covers aviation operations, unmanned aircraft design, flight control systems, and aviation safety.

4. Troy University, Troy, Alabama

Troy University has a legacy dating back to 1887 when it first opened its doors as a teachers’ education institute. Presently, the university holds five colleges and a grad school that offer several career-enriching programs for students.

Along with general education requirements, students must complete 60 core + 5 elective course credit hours to earn their UAS degree. Additionally, you must fulfill 18 hours of course credit requirements for the emphasis on unmanned aerial systems.

5. Lewis University, Romeoville, Illinois

The Bachelor of Science in UAS at Lewis University has always been one of the ranked aviation programs in the United States. Core aviation courses constitute 80 of the total 128 total credit hours in the degree.

One of the most exciting parts of the curriculum is the senior capstone projects, where students get to build and test their own small unmanned aerial vehicles. With an on-site airport on the campus for test flights and operations, students can get hands-on experience in modern, hi-tech aviation technology.

6. The University of Louisiana at Monroe, Monroe, Louisiana

The University of Louisiana started the Aviation specialization in 1939 when it helped train WW2 pilots. Since then, there have been several developments, with the latest addition being the Bachelor of Science in Aviation with a Major in UAS.

The university also requires aviation major students to obtain their minor in business which requires a minimum of 15 credit hours of business courses.

7. Kent State University, Kent, Ohio

Kent State ‘s College of Aeronautics and Engineering holds the unique distinction of an Aviation Accreditation Board International (AABI) accreditation for its Aeronautics programs.

The minor in UAS course at Kent State requires students to complete 16 credits in unmanned systems management, sensors, controls and communications, and flight operations. However, to enroll in the minor class, you must attend pre-requisite classes in flight theory, aviation, air traffic control, and flight dynamics.

8. Unmanned Vehicle University, Phoenix, Arizona

The Unmanned Vehicle University is a one-of-its-kind university with programs ranging from certificates to doctoral degrees in UAS. There are several unique features of the university, such as non-reliance on standard textbooks. Instead, the study material comprises the instructors’ practical knowledge and experience.

Students also have plenty of research opportunities in designing commercial drones, collision avoidance technology, security, drone photography and cinematography, and computer science-integrated development.

Unmanned Vehicle University, Phoenix, Arizona

9. Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology, Tulsa, Oklahoma

Spartan College ‘s primary area of focus revolves around training successful pilots. More than 90,000 professional pilots and technicians have already received their training at Spartan and are currently working in highly sought-after industries.

You can obtain your degree at Spartan in just 15 months.

Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology

Career Opportunities in Drone Technology

After completing your drone program, you can pursue several job roles in diverse fields. Some of the areas where drone pilots and technicians can work are:

Military: Military drone pilots in the military use drones for surveillance, identifying breaches across borders, peacekeeping, search and rescue operations, etc.
Seismic and Geographical Research: Drones can help map and model terrains, natural features, artificial structures, topographical depth, and more, which can be highly beneficial for agricultural, geothermal, and industrial applications.
Real Estate: Drones help capture attractive aerial video and property walkthroughs, which can work wonders in marketing, providing tons of opportunities for drone pilots.
Film and Television: While capturing aerial shots using helicopters can be very expensive; drones can help achieve similar results at a fraction of the cost. The low cost combined with stunning imagery makes drones a highly preferred medium.
Package Delivery: Drone delivery is one of the latest advancements in UAVs, with Amazon already announcing the launch of Prime Air , which aims to deliver packages in less than 30 minutes using drones. Several other companies are exploring the possibilities in this field.

Why is a Drone Technology Degree Valuable?

A drone technology degree sets you apart from other UAV pilots. While most individuals obtain their pilot license, the number of people who can design, repair, and innovate. With a degree in drone tech, you can learn in-demand skills and diversify your career options.

Prospective students have the unique opportunity to be a part of cutting-edge technology and play a role in shaping the exciting future of drones.

Unmanned Aircraft Systems or Drones are a modern, cutting-edge technological solution to industrial and commercial challenges. A degree in drone technology from a reputed institute can pave the way for a rewarding career with vast possibilities. Along with the art of flying, you can also learn the essential skills for designing, repairing, and building drone control systems at drone schools.

What Are the Career Options with a UAV/Drone Technology Degree?

A degree in drone technology can help you become a UAV pilot, unmanned systems engineer, drone repair technician, instrumentation technician, and much more.

How Long Does It Take to Become a UAV Pilot?

You can become an FAA-approved UAV pilot once you obtain your FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate. Before you apply for your license, you must pass the FAA’s initial aeronautical knowledge exam: “Unmanned Aircraft General – Small (UAG).”

Eligibility requirements include:

At least 16 years of age
Able to read, write, speak, and understand English
In the physical and mental condition for safely flying a drone

A certificate course, Associate’s, or Bachelor’s degree can help build the necessary knowledge for passing your UAV pilot certification. These courses can take anywhere between one to four years.

Are There Online Courses in Drone Technology?

Several universities and institutes offer entirely online programs in UAV/Drone management areas. Alternatively, you can also opt for hybrid degrees that allow you to complete the theory classes online while requiring you to attend lab and training hours on campus.

College Drone Certifications are on the Rise

As the UAV industry continues to expand, opportunities for specialized training, college drone certifications, and related degrees become more and more important. As a result, major universities and schools have taken notice.

If you’re looking to grow your knowledge and skills beyond the minimum requirements of the CAA , FAA , and other governing bodies, you now have a variety of options to choose from.

Professional drone certifications and degrees are great for individual pilots, but serve another function as well. These collegiate degrees bolster the professional reputation of our growing industry.

Whether you’re an individual pilot, or an organization with a complete team, striving for professional growth is a must.

With drone technology changing and improving nearly every day, this rings especially true.

Here’s how college drone certifications aren’t only growing – they’re soaring in popularity.

Training Courses

Beyond commercial certification, the first level of professional growth usually starts with drone training courses .

In addition to preparing you for tests in your region, training courses focus on teaching you specific skills. Some of the most helpful training courses include aerial surveying , becoming a trusted operator, thermography , and even train-the-trainer programs.

When selecting a provider of drone training courses, look for established companies.

Well known UAV consulting companies have international expertise in both crewed and uncrewed aviation assets. Because drone technology is frequently changing and updating, sticking with a reputable company is important.

Professionals with backgrounds in the airline industry, air traffic control, and the military typically staff their classes, while they offer one of the best formats for instruction.

Undergraduate Programs: College Drone Certifications Take Flight

Only a decade ago, if you wanted to earn an Associate or Bachelor degree related to drones, it was difficult, if not impossible to do.

Why? Well, for the most part, these sort of college drone certifications simply weren’t offered.

But now, there are now many programs around the world that offer accredited drone certificates and degrees at the undergraduate level.

Most of these programs combine the UAV curriculum with related disciplines such as Geographic Information Systems, business classes, or aeronautical specialties.

Associate degrees, such as those offered at Fullerton College in the United States, are an excellent example of such opportunities. The college drone program teaches students about the manufacturing process, the basics of electricity and electric motors, drone piloting skills, and a basic understanding of programmable logic controllers.

Upon successful completion of the program, participants earn an Associate degree in Autonomous System Development .

Another example, aeronautical university Embry-Riddle , has been teaching students to fly since 1925. What began as a flight school eventually became one of the most well-recognized schools for degrees in the field of aviation.

The university currently offers a Bachelor of Science in Unmanned Aircraft Systems Science , and is designed to be completed after two to three and a half years of study. In addition to general education requirements, classes include UAS Sensing Systems, Remote Pilot Operations, and the Application of UAS Technology.

Graduate Programs: Taking Drone Education Higher

If you’re looking to achieve graduate-level degrees, there are fewer options, but still plenty to choose from. Master programs and even doctoral degrees in drone-based areas are now available.

While undergraduate degrees focus on the basics of drones, graduate-level degrees tend to delve into the science and engineering behind these modern wonders.

One such example is found at Wrexham Glyndŵr University , located in the United Kingdom.

This university offers a Master of Science in Unmanned Aircraft System Technology.

As a student, you’ll, design, build, program, and fly your very own drone, which you’ll keep as a part of the completed course, in addition to your normal course of study

Full-time students can earn their degree in as little as one year, while part-time students typically take two years.

Live “across the pond” in the United States and looking to add “Doctor” before your name? If so, you’ve got another excellent option.

Capitol Technology University offers a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Unmanned Systems Applications , based on the European model. This means that rather than only taking several classes, students conduct research in the unmanned systems field.

After two to three years, research projects are completed and published in a peer-reviewed journal. It’s an excellent program if you’re looking to contribute to the technological advancement of the UAV industry, while simultaneously earning your PhD.

The Takeaways

As you can see, college drone certification programs exist in the UAV industry exist at all levels.

Whether you’re only thinking about joining the growing drone trade, or an experienced professional looking to expand your knowledge, you’re sure to find something that suits your needs.

Spending years to earn a degree might sound like a daunting task, but it’s one of the best ways to accelerate your career.

Additionally, if your organization depends on drones as part of your business model, college drone certifications offer piece of mind that your pilots are on the cutting edge of technology and professionalism.

The increase in the amount of college drone certifications offered today are proof positive of the impact the drone revolution has made.

So, which drone is right for you? And, how do you get started? Do you hire out or bring your drone program in-house?

At Consortiq , we help you find a better way with drones, from consultation and program implementation to actually doing the work for you.

Ready to learn more? Just complete the form below to schedule a risk-free consultation!

David Daly - Contributing Author

David Daly, is an award-winning photographer/writer and licensed (FAA) Commercial sUAS pilot. A graduate of the United States Naval Academy, David is a former Marine Corps officer with a BS in Oceanography and has earned his MBA from the University of Redlands. David has worked for Fortune 100 companies and has a background in aerospace, construction, military/defense, real estate, and technology.

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Directories

Student Spotlight: Martin Arguelles Perez, Unmanned Aerial Systems for Radiation Search Applications

Martin Arguelles Perez, Robotic Systems and UAS

Martin is a third-year PhD student focused on developing robotic systems. At UNLV he has been guided by Dr. Woosoon Yim towards the development of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) for nuclear radiation search applications. In Dr. Yim’s lab, Martin integrated CZT sensors into small UAS systems for radiation search utilizing a swarm of drones. This work was presented at the Waste Management Symposium and is funded through the NSSTC. Through this experience, Martin gained the leadership capabilities to submit a proposal that was accepted, and he became a student PI for a funded project to develop an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicle. This additional research is a result of Martin’s strong motivation to involve himself in the robotics industry, and to spread this motivation he often volunteers at school events to spark interest in other students. Martin completed two Summer internships at the Nevada National Security Sites ( NNSS ) through the NSSTC . Currently, Martin is focused on integrating simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) systems with radiation detection technologies. Martin is currently preparing to present at the ANS conference in Las Vegas.

Amazon gets FAA approval allowing it to expand drone deliveries for online orders

(AP) - Federal regulators have given Amazon key permission that will allow it to expand its drone delivery program, the company announced Thursday.

In a blog post published on its website, Seattle-based Amazon said that the Federal Aviation Administration has given its Prime Air delivery service the OK to operate drones “beyond visual line of sight,” removing a barrier that has prevented its drones from traveling longer distances.

With the approval, Amazon pilots can now operate drones remotely without seeing it with their own eyes. An FAA spokesperson said the approval applies to College Station, Texas, where the company launched drone deliveries in late 2022.

Amazon said its planning to immediately scale its operations in that city in an effort to reach customers in more densely populated areas. It says the approval from regulators also “lays the foundation” to scale its operations to more locations around the country.

Businesses have wanted simpler rules that could open neighborhood skies to new commercial applications of drones, but privacy advocates and some airplane and balloon pilots remain wary.

Amazon, which has sought this permission for years, said it received approval from regulators after developing a strategy that ensures its drones could detect and avoid obstacles in the air.

Furthermore, the company said it submitted other engineering information to the FAA and conducted flight demonstrations in front of federal inspectors. Those demonstrations were also done “in the presence of real planes, helicopters, and a hot air balloon to demonstrate how the drone safely navigated away from each of them,” Amazon said.

The FAA’s approval marks a key step for the company, which has had ambitions to deliver online orders through drones for more than a decade. During a TV interview in 2013, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos said drones would be flying to customer’s homes within five years. However, the company’s progress was delayed amid regulatory setbacks.

Last month, Amazon said it would close a drone delivery site in Lockeford, California - one of only two in the nation - and open another one later this year in Tolleson, Arizona, a city located west of Phoenix.

By the end of the decade, the company has a goal of delivering 500 million packages by drone every year.

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IMAGES

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PhD fighter pilot starts drone company
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COMMENTS

drone PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships
Advanced Drone Technology for Precision Operations. Edinburgh Napier University School of Computing, Engineering & the Built Environment. This research proposal is focused on the critical objective of advancing precision in the domain of drone operations. Currently, literature predominantly focuses on discrete parameters affecting precision.
DronePhD
Having years of experience and knowledgeable professionals at your side gives you an advantage that will truly pay off in the end. DronePhD is an independent group providing a variety of training opportunities in the world of UAVs. Obtaining your Part 107 Remote Pilot License or learning to FLY your new bird; we have the skills to make it fun, productive, and successful!
PhD Degree in Aviation
The Embry‑Riddle Ph.D. in Aviation program allows highly qualified students and professionals from diverse backgrounds and aviation career paths to immerse themselves in this high-powered world of aviation. As the nation's first Ph.D. program in Aviation, this degree is designed to educate students and professionals in conducting state-of ...
151 phd-drone positions
PhD Position Communication and Sensing with Drones using Light and AI. drones will see data coming at high data rates. This novel approach will transform our vast lighting infrastructure into the backbone for drone operation. The PhD research will include a holistic approach.
uav PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships
University of Birmingham School of Metallurgy & Materials. Applications are invited for one funded 3.5-year PhD studentship for the project titled "High-fidelity CFD and data-driven modeling of aerodynamic noise sources" in the group of Dr Zhong-Nan Wang at the University of Birmingham. Read more. Supervisor: Dr Z Wang.
FAA Awards $4.4 Million in Drone Research Grants to Seven Universities
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today announced $4.4 million in drone research, education and training grants to seven universities. Research will focus on three areas: electromagnetic compatibility, detect and avoid classifications, and cybersecurity oversight. The universities receiving grants are University of North Dakota ...
The Boeing Flight & Autonomy Laboratory
The Boeing Flight & Autonomy Laboratory features a control room and maker area, the newest motion-capture cameras and sensor networks, and a public observation area. The lab is the latest support by Boeing in Stanford's Aero/Astro department. The Boeing Flight & Autonomy Laboratory is located in the basement of the Durand building.
Robotics
The Robotics Minor consists of four undergraduate ROB courses. The minor teaches the fundamentals of robotics: kinematics, dynamics, manipulation, locomotion, planning, vision, and human-robot interaction. Students will have hands-on experience. Interested students should allow 4 semesters (two years) to complete the four courses for the minor ...
Engineering (drone) PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships
Search Funded PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships in Engineering, drone. Search for PhD funding, scholarships & studentships in the UK, Europe and around the world. PhDs ; PhD Opportunities PhDs by discipline PhDs by subject PhDs by country PhD research projects PhD research programmes View all PhD opportunities.
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering: Unmanned Aerial Systems, PhD
Doctoral Degree Programs /. Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering: Unmanned Aerial Systems, PhD. Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering: Unmanned Aerial Systems, PhD. Requirements for Students Matriculating in or before Academic Year 2023-2024. Learn more about Graduate College Academic Regulation 7.0. Total Hours: 60.
About Us
His personal drone inventory includes a DJI Phantom 4 Pro Obsidian, DJI Mavic 2 Zoom, and DJI Inspire 2 equipped with a Zenmuse X4S. While pursuing his PhD dissertation topic in the field of sUAS for Nuclear Disaster Mitigation, he earned his Part 107 certificate and launched a small start-up to provide UAS mission services and help others ...
16 Top Drone Programs at Universities and Colleges
The University of Missouri also has a Missouri Drone Journalism Program which is a collaboration between the college of engineering and the school of journalism. They work with the local NPR station on campus as well in order to facilitate learning Journalism while using drone technology.
Doctoral Projects
Doctoral Projects The Training Network The WildDrone consortium will recruit and train a total of 13 Doctoral Candidates (Ph.D. students), equipping them with the unique combination of multidisciplinary skills required to realize the full potential of drones and companion autonomous systems for nature conservation missions.The Doctoral Candidates will have their base at the European partner
Laboratory of Intelligent Systems ‐ EPFL
Enrico Ajanic received the "2023 Best PhD thesis" award by the EPFL Doctoral School in Robotics. New inspection drone uses wind to lengthen flight times. 05.05.23 News Innovation. Elythor, an EPFL spin-off, has developed a new drone whose wing shape can adapt to wind conditions and flight position in real time, reducing the drone's energy ...
Drones navigate unseen environments with liquid neural networks
Makram Chahine, a PhD student in electrical engineering and computer science and an MIT CSAIL affiliate, leads a drone used to test liquid neural networks. Credits: Photo: Mike Grimmett/MIT CSAIL ... "The new design allows the drone to make better decisions when flying through completely new environments," writes Tran, "and could have ...
DronePhD
Drones allow for roofing inspections to be carried out safely and efficiently. With removing the need for ladders and walking on roofs, our pilots can easily fly within a 1-3 ft distance from the roof's surface to capture any and all close-up images of damaged roof sections. In addition, our top drones are equipped with 20MP, 4K cameras to ensure the highest quality photos to easily review ...
drone PhD Research Projects PhD Projects, Programmes ...
Low-Altitude Drone-based 3D Reconstructions for Precision Hedgerow Analysis and Biomass Estimation. Atlantic Technological University Research. The Postgraduate Research Programme MedAgriTech AI eXcellence (MATX) offers 12 PhD research scholarships to commence in 2024. Each project will include an enterprise placement of minimum 12 weeks duration.
Drone Academy
Tiffin University has announced the opening of its Drone Academy in response to the growing and expanding drone industry. The Academy has become a place of learning, research and achievement for the advancement of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), commonly referred to as drones. Featuring academic classes, training seminars, community outreach ...
5 drone PhD positions in Australia
PhD Scholarship in AI-Assisted Monitoring and Inspection of Solar Photovoltaic Power Plants Using Aerial Imagery. that includes any publications/awards, experience relevant to the project and the contact details for 2 referees PV's monitoring process can be done intelligently thanks to drone. Remotely operated.
Drone research projects at SDU UAS Center
IFD project led by SDU will establish a natirional 5G UAS network, that enables a reliable U-Space in the lower airspace, enabling drones to fly safely side by side with manned aviation. Innovation Fund Denmark (Innovationsfonden), 2021-2024. Contact: Ulrik Pagh Schultz Lundquist, Project manager, [email protected].
Unmanned Aerial Systems Major
Drones, or unmanned aircraft, will be soon be part of everyday life. Companies who adopt the technology will need experts to help them navigate flight paths as well as rules and regulations. A major in unmanned aerial systems (UAS) will equip you to be a leader in this new career field. In fact, the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems ...
What are the Best UAV Schools in 2024?
2. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Florida. Embry-Riddle offers two career paths for prospective students-building drones and unmanned aerial vehicles or being a UAV Pilot.. The Bachelor of Science Program at the institute gives you the option of choosing pilot or non-pilot, depending upon your preference.
College Drone Certifications are on the Rise
Additionally, if your organization depends on drones as part of your business model, college drone certifications offer piece of mind that your pilots are on the cutting edge of technology and professionalism. The increase in the amount of college drone certifications offered today are proof positive of the impact the drone revolution has made.
Student Spotlight: Martin Arguelles Perez, Unmanned Aerial Systems for
Martin is a third-year PhD student focused on developing robotic systems. At UNLV he has been guided by Dr. Woosoon Yim towards the development of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) for nuclear radiation search applications. In Dr. Yim's lab, Martin integrated CZT sensors into small UAS systems for radiation search utilizing a swarm of drones.
Amazon gets FAA approval allowing it to expand drone deliveries for
An FAA spokesperson said the approval applies to College Station, Texas, where the company launched drone deliveries in late 2022. Amazon said its planning to immediately scale its operations in that city in an effort to reach customers in more densely populated areas. It says the approval from regulators also "lays the foundation" to scale ...

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