Drones In Education – An Introduction

The rising trend of drone usage cannot be ignored and although government legislation is tightening the laws around the use of drones there has also been an acknowledgement from those in central government that drones are here to stay and in fact have many merits.

From video to medicine (ignoring the fun for one moment) drones enrich our lives every day and this is only going to become more impactful as time passes. In an ever increasingly busy world, the notion that drones can take aerial routes to deliver time critical packages (from blood to pizza) is one that could be life changing and that is just one reason why drones are being used educationally.

We take a look at some of the top uses for drones in education:

Media

One of the first industries to really benefit from drones has been visual media. More specifically film makers and photographers have been able to capture footage and images at a fraction of the cost of using traditional aerial methods and have been able to get in to positions previously either very difficult or impossible to take shots from.

In schools, Media Studies students have been able to explore the potential of these shot types thanks to 4K drones with gimbals that are relatively cheap for the level of technology on offer. Some film makers have even used drones (such as the more expensive Inspire 2) for ground shots thanks to the quality of camera and smoothness of the gimbal.

University courses in media, photography or film that have bigger budgets have been able to develop the skills of their students further by offering more extensive training on drone videography and photography and this can only be a good thing for those looking to branch out in to careers in this field.

As entertainment consumers, we all benefit from these aerial developments, whether it be in TV drama, movies or live sport – the use of drones in video provide some quite dramatic cinematography.

Logistics

Some of the greatest opportunities for the development of drone usage in the UK and across the globe lie within drone delivery and logistics. The greatest challenges are within the technological constraints of weight bearing drones, safety and battery life. These are all problems that require solving and by introducing students to these issues at an early age we can not only develop their technological and problem solving skills, but we can start to move towards solutions that the logistical issues raise.

Coding

Drones such as the DJI/Ryze Tello have opportunities for scratch coding. Coding is a skill that arguably should be taught to all school children and even finds itself on the Primary school curriculum for pupils as young as 6 and 7.

Introducing coding through the use of drones brings an element of fun to it and can help engage children in to a language that can have a real impact in the future. Developing a passion for coding in more school children can only be a good thing.

Future Developments

Ultimately, by giving children and university students the opportunity to learn more about technology, the more they can impact on the technological advances that are coming.

If you would like more information on how drones can be used in your school, college or university then feel free to contact us at support@dronedeliver.co.uk