Drones are being integrated to many different aspects of life — delivering packages, watching highways for speeders, and surveying forests for wildfires.

Elk Island Public Schools is staying up-to-date with the new technology and hosted a specialized drone camp at Bev Facey Community High School.

From April 30 to May 1, the Bev Facey gymnasium was buzzing with the hum of drones as the camp welcomed 20 Grades 9 to 12 students from across the division to learn about the aerial technology.

EIPS said certified drone pilot instructors provided students with the knowledge of drone operations, regulations, safety, photography, videography and coding commands.

“Over the course of the weekend, we learned how to pilot, operate and program the drones,” explained Chloe Wagner, Grade 10 student at Bev Facey. “It was an eye-opening experience to see all the real-world applications drones have.”

There were five modules in the camp: 1) drone industry introduction, safety communications and regulatory background, 2) drone piloting skills, mechanical functions and engineering applications, 3) drone racing experience, 4) drone photography, videography and an introduction to photogrammetry, and 5) drone coding.

Students learned how to fly a drone, execute code commends and the building blocks of drones. After learning the basics, students were able to take their skills into a race.

“A key aspect of the division’s Career Pathways Program is to promote opportunities to establish career pathways camps, workshops and activities offered by community partners to engage students in career exploration,” explained Barclay Spady, a Career Pathways consultant at EIPS. “This drone camp is one example of a highly STEM-orientated program that engages students in engineering design processes.”

The event was organized through Youth Drone Camps, which is a program from Drones in the Classroom (DITC) designed by Canadian educators with Volatus Aerospace and offers camps across North America.

DITC’s program integrates cross-curricular STEM-based outcomes throughout Grades 6 to 12 and enables teachers to access knowledge and strategies to use drones in the classroom and inspire students into careers in the emerging industry.

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