Description: This course will study Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) or drones. UAS or drones, have provided us with new ways to map, monitor, and measure our changing landscape. Drones are relatively inexpensive, easy to operate, and can deploy rapidly. Advances in digital image processing allow one to go from flying a drone to working with accurate maps and 3D models in a matter of hours. These factors make drones ideal for many applications in which speed, accuracy, resolution, cost, and timeliness are key factors. In this course, you will learn how to operate drones and process drone data to in support of environmental mapping and monitoring. Example case studies will be used. The course consists of five sections:
- Safety
- Flight operations
- Data processing
- Analytics
- Dissemination
The goal of this course is to provide students with an in-depth understanding of drone technology and how it can be applied for environmental assessment. The course is technical in nature but is designed to be accessible to anyone who has an interest in drones and environmental mapping. Technologies students will be exposed to include: drone platforms, drone sensors, flight planning software, image processing software, desktop Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and web mapping. Students will work closely with members of the University of Vermont UAS Team, one of the most experienced drone groups in the United States.
Instructors: Jarlath O’Neil-Dunne (lead instructor) and Adam Zylka (UAS Expert)
Course Material Fee: $99
Location: Online
Live Online Sessions: We survey the class ahead of time to find a good time block. We will record the sessions and hold help sessions for those unable to attend.
Syllabus: Syllabus Drones NR095 2021
Info Sheet: InfoSheet Drones NR095 2021