Insights on Acquiring Drones for Educational Institutions
In the realm of educational technology, drones have emerged as a powerful tool for fostering STEM learning and career readiness. When selecting drones for schools, it's essential to consider models that are robust, user-friendly, and offer long warranty coverage.
The ideal drones for schools should balance physical building skills, coding/programming, and education-focused systems. Among the top options are Drone Legends, CoDrone EDU (Robolink), and FTW Robotics Build Fly Code Program.
Drone Legends provides a comprehensive K–12 drone curriculum, focusing on STEM mastery and career-connected learning. Offering turnkey, ready-to-fly drones, the curriculum aligns with learning standards and supports professional development, catering to no prior drone experience. Drone Legends empowers students through hands-on flight practice and coding basics, fostering both physical and computational skills.
CoDrone EDU, from Robolink, emphasises sensor-powered missions and coding with drones. Students learn programming of multiple drone sensors for autonomous flight, integrating hands-on debugging and hardware diagnostics. CoDrone EDU's projects tie drone flight to science, English Language Arts, and social studies, supporting cross-curricular learning.
FTW Robotics' Build Fly Code Program is designed for building, flying, and coding drones tailored to immersive STEM and computer science learning. The program provides physical build components, blending mechanical construction with drone flight programming. FTW Robotics focuses on simulating real-world applications such as emergency response, giving practical context to skills.
In general, the best drones/systems for schools incorporate physical building or assembly components, coding interfaces, and curriculum support aligned with learning standards. These systems go beyond just flying drones by embedding them within educational frameworks that develop critical STEM skills and career readiness.
When choosing drones, consider their size, as smaller drones may be more suitable for indoor use. Microdrones are more suitable for beginners, younger students, and those new to drone operating due to their simplicity and lightweight. Bulk charging stations can ensure all drones are charged and ready to go each morning.
Microdrones are often more nimble, making them a good choice for drone racing. Some drones offer multiple coding options, including block-based, and work with Arduino hardware. Replacement parts availability and pricing are important considerations, as drone crashes are inevitable. Affordable and available spare parts are essential for maintaining drone functionality after crashes.
Drone cameras can be useful for capturing images and videos for other lessons and school uses. Consider the purpose of the drone in the school, such as for aerial shots, coding and programming lessons, drone building, or a combination.
Lastly, warranty cover is worth considering for potential damage and repair costs. Bulk purchasing can lead to deals and central app controls for better software management and monitoring. Ensure the drone has good software support systems if it is for teaching programming.
This guide aims to help in choosing the best drones for schools, ensuring a fruitful and engaging learning experience for students.
- Schools should consider drones like Drone Legends, CoDrone EDU (Robolink), and FTW Robotics Build Fly Code Program for promoting STEM learning, as these drones offer comprehensive curriculum, focus on education-focused systems, and cater to students with no prior drone experience.
- A good choice for smaller schools or for indoor use would be microdrones, which are more suitable for beginners, younger students, and those new to drone operating due to their simplicity and lightweight.
- When selecting drones, considering the drone's size, coding options, replacement parts availability and pricing, bulky charging stations, and drone cameras' purpose, such as for aerial shots, coding and programming lessons, drone building, or a combination, is essential for an engaging and fruitful learning experience.
- Ensuring the drone has good software support systems, especially if it is for teaching programming, is crucial for making the most of the drones' educational potential.
- Warranty coverage and bulk purchasing can lead to deals and central app controls for better software management and monitoring, making them worthwhile considerations for choosing the best drones for schools.
