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From delivering goods and surveying disaster zones to mapping critical infrastructure and responding to emergencies, drone technology is expanding the horizons of aviation—and Western aims to position graduates on the leading edge of the industry. 

BATTLE CREEK, Mich.—The College of Aviation’s new Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) certificate program is creating opportunities for Broncos. 

“(UAS) is future technology and it is the future of aviation,” says Jason DeGeorge, faculty chair of the College of Aviation and a driving force behind the launch of the program. 

He enlisted industry expert David Kemp, BS ‘14, to develop and teach the courses at the College of Aviation this fall. The 15-credit program combines both aviation and geoscience and is available to anyone with a part 107 pilot license or who completes a prerequisite course.

With drone experience at businesses such as Amazon and Zipline International—the world’s largest autonomous delivery system—Kemp is ready to lead the next generation of UAS pilots.

“You could get into many things (with this certification),” Kemp says. “You can inspect turbine blades on windmills, or you can inspect solar farms and survey wetlands with drones.” 

Students in the program begin developing skills from the jump, constructing their own drones that look like soccer balls. They learn to operate and fly them safely before trying their hand at competitions, which look a little like Harry Potter’s favorite sport of quidditch.

“We plan to start with the very basic things, such as manual flying all the way to autonomy. Then we might roll some computer science classes in there, some networking and then engineering computer-aided design.” 

Once students master those basic skills, they progress to more advanced drones and explore outdoor flight applications, which closely aligns with work in the professional field. 

“We write weekly summaries detailing progress, future plans and obstacles,” says Hannah Hubbard, an aviation and geography major. “Through our weekly summaries I’ve honed my ability to communicate in a clear and concise manner.” 

Ultimately, Kemp says the college hopes to develop the program into a four-year bachelor’s degree that can cover many facets of the industry. Even as a certificate program, students say they’re gaining invaluable experience in both business and flying. 

“This course is preparing me for a future career by teaching me to understand how a future employer might run their organization,” says Adaora Osulu, an aviation flight sciences student. “Our assignments are highly structured and require students to pay attention to the smallest details.” 

“I enjoy learning about a different side of the aviation industry through this hands-on course,” says Hubbard. “It has been exciting to start flying drones within the first few days of class and to fly a drone I built.” ■