Across many business sectors and industries, drones are all the buzz. As organizations look for better and more efficient ways to map, photograph, video, gather data and information, and access areas that were previously unreachable they are turning to these unmanned aircraft to do the work. WSU Tech, Kansas’ largest technical college and leader in aviation and manufacturing education, is ready to educate on this emerging trend as they launch the new Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) program to begin in August 2021. This one-to-two-year program will be at WSU Tech’s National Center for Aviation Training campus and will specialize in drone usage in terms of piloting and Geographic Information System (GIS) specialties.
“We are witnessing private and public businesses and organizations across the nation investing in drones and unmanned aircraft systems,” said Dr. Sheree Utash, President of WSU Tech. “WSU Tech is excited to be on the forefront of this rapidly growing area of aviation and it is our mission to provide an educated workforce for our region and prepare students for a career in this field.”
Participants in the UAS program will receive an FAA Part 107 license and rating and gain experience in flying both quadcopter and fixed-wing drone systems. Outside of learning how to pilot a drone, the program includes education on how to design, build, and program unmanned aircraft systems. Students who complete the program will also receive additional industry credentials including an NC3 Meter certification and GIS certification.
“Any field that requires the collection of data or remote viewing is being disrupted by drone usage, especially in the areas dealing with geographic information systems, “said Christopher Wyant, Program Director at WSU Tech “UAS is a great program to learn a unique training that can be combined with other skills to provide value to these new industry growth areas.”
Drone classes at WSU Tech begin in August. To learn more about the program or to apply visit www.wsutech.edu/drone.
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WSU Tech is the state’s leader in modern technical education offering over 100 degree and certificate options in aviation, health care, manufacturing, design, information technology, criminal justice, and business. In 2018, WSU Tech was named the 2nd fastest growing college among two-year colleges by The Chronicle of Higher Education. WSU Tech serves as managing partner of the National Center for Aviation Training (NCAT) in Wichita, KS, and is fully accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a Kansas Board of Regents institution. For more information, visit www.WSUTECH.edu.
