CHITTENANGO, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — Taking flight in a new S.T.E.A.M. center, students at Chittenango High School are working towards becoming certified drone pilots.
The new course teaches the rules and regulations of flying the drone and how to read a weather report.
“The class itself is designed to teach the kids both the flying skills and enough information to pass the FAA PART 107 exam,” said drone technology teacher Beth Carpenter. “There’s a lot more that goes into flying the drone. Before you take it off, you’re supposed to do a whole slew of things and not a lot of people realize that.”
It’s more than just swerving in, around, up, and down. And it’s harder than it looks.
“It’s been kind of fun for me to see the growth in that because some of the kids literally couldn’t work the controls the first day and now they’re zooming around the room like nothing,” Carpenter regarded thoughtfully.
At the end of the course, a 60-question exam will determine if a student knows how to safely operate a drone and, if passed, a license to fly drones commercially.
“I’m considering going into technology myself for a job so taking this class really helps me to get some background in different technologies,” said senior Mark Young. “Drones especially, because they are going to be a big deal here soon with delivering packages or even agriculture.”
An up and coming industry within their immediate line of sight.
