Seventeen local middle school students learned to pilot drones during a pair of week-long camps this summer sponsored by the Polk County Community Foundation and GearUP.
Polk County Middle School STEM teacher Leslie Rhinehart led the camps, where students and equipment both faced challenges from intense summer heat. While students persevered through the conditions, several drones were lost or damaged during training.
Students mastered fundamental flight skills including takeoffs, landings and precision flying through hoops of varying sizes. The program featured guest speakers who shared real-world applications of drone technology and career opportunities.
Dr. Brandon Schweitzer, Operations Director for Polk County Schools, discussed his progression from remote-control helicopters to modern drones used for evaluating school roofs and grounds. Students piloted his equipment and experienced advanced flying techniques.
Brannon Ferguson, who teaches drone licensing classes at the Isothermal Community College campus in Forest City, brought virtual reality racing drones and custom-built aircraft from his drone business.
The camps concluded with a timed obstacle course race, challenging students to navigate through hoops before landing on a designated helipad.
“We have some budding drone pilots in this county,” Rhinehart said. “The students were eager to learn and fly and got very serious doing the obstacle course at the end of camp. Frustrations were high some days as they learned that piloting a drone outside in the wind is not the same as gaming on the screen.”
Between flight sessions, students expressed creativity by building detailed Lego sculptures while cooling off in air-conditioned classrooms.
“The students all seemed to have an amazing time learning to pilot and repair the drones,” Rhinehart added.
