The University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Engineering has added a course on drones this summer, according to a release.
The class will teach students how to fly unmanned aircraft systems and the practical applications of the technology.
The course is called Introduction to Unmanned Aircraft Systems, and was created by Chris Johnson, the instructor, according to the release.
Johnson submitted the new course proposal to the UW College of Engineering Education Innovation Committee in January and was awarded a $40,710 grant in March to pursue the course, officials said.
In the first half of the course, students learn how to operate drones safely and ethically by gaining an understanding of the technology itself as well as the laws and regulations surrounding drones, Johnson said. The midterm exam is a certification exam sanctioned by the Federal Aviation Administration, which when passed allows students to operate drones for commercial purposes.
The second half of the course teaches students about the business and engineering applications of the technology and uses of the data, Johnson said. Part of that learning process is completing a project to explore various industry applications. Students have to collect data using the drones and process that data to create an end product for a company. Johnson said he already has a list of around 12 companies that are willing to work with students, which could lead to an internship.
There are eight students taking the first summer class.
