Drone technology increasing in classrooms, industry

Treasure Valley industry and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) advocates have joined forces again to keep educators and their students abreast of the latest developments in drone technology. Agriculture, construction, geology, public safety, real estate and more industries are increasingly incorporating drones in their careers, and drones are a fun and tangible way to excite students about STEM education.

Upward of 46 K-12 teachers from nearly 30 schools statewide, and other educators like librarians, gathered in Couer d’Alene, Boise and Pocatello for the fifth annual workshop, sponsored by Boise-based PCS Edventures and the Idaho STEM Action Center.

New this year was training in block coding that enables students to remotely program a simulated drone, explained Michelle Victor, director of STEM development with PCS Edventures. It’s ideal for elementary school-age children, and line coding like Java can be incorporated for more advanced students in middle or high school.

“You can code a virtual drone as kind of a stepping stone, and it can be a cool tool if you’re teaching remotely, to some extent,” Victor said. “With a drone, you can’t have one for each (student); with (it being) virtual, every kid gets to see the drone execute their mission, so that’s a cool thing too.”

PCS Edventures may be a familiar name, having its origin in Homedale. Patrick McShane, a local teacher, worked out of his garage to bring computer education to local schools. The lab, if you will, grew to have educational locations throughout the northwest. Today, the lab component has branched off into the global company Gecko Labs, Victor said.

When PCS Edventures acquired locally based Thrust-UAV, drone technology certainly became a big component in education programs, Victor said, but PCS Edventures is continuing its mission of connecting educators with all sorts of STEM programs.

The goal at the end of the 12-hour educator training was to, basically, program drones to autonomously perform choreography, complete with a designed costume. Victor highlighted a Harry Potter quidditch match, a pollination performance and a demonstration of the water cycle.

“I’m in STEM and I still (can’t) fathom the level of programming that goes into making something that perfectly synchronous,” said Erica Compton, program manager for the Idaho STEM Action Center.

“There was such cool adaptation,” Victor said, also complimenting local educators who helped lead the training. “A big thank you goes to the STEM Action Center…to all the teachers providing opportunities for their kids. This is always a highlight for PCS to be (with) teachers in all the great work they’re doing.”

Compton particularly appreciated the artistic component, as drone choreography has also been done in Sun Valley, and most recently the 2021 Olympics, to name a couple similar examples.

“It’s an exciting technology,” Compton said. “I think it engages kids because they see it in so many different places.”

Compton also pointed out drone technology is a good resource for students in rural areas as well.

“You don’t need leave Declo, Idaho to do something in STEM if that’s where you want to live,” she said. “This is a (concern) with many of our rural communities, because they’re afraid of losing their kids to STEM jobs. And the reality is, there are many opportunities that are in those rural communities that utilize STEM technologies, tools, skills, etc.”

What comes to mind is aerial, unmanned surveying, whether that be for crops or infrastructure integrity — flying over bridges looking for stress cracks — or geological mapping and modeling.

“It’s becoming an incredibly broadly used technology,” Compton said, adding it’s a technology that does not require higher education to use. “That seemed an important thing to be introduced to students. Whenever you can make something relevant to their lives, it’s key.”

Resources that come to mind include Learning Blade, the Idaho Technology Student Association and other state initiatives around Career Technical Education.

“It was so cool to see the final showcase, how much the educators were able to accomplish,” Victor said, reflecting on the end of the three-day training. “We had teachers who had never coded before, by the end, they had costumed and choreographed (a lesson). We believe educators are such powerful professionals.”