Introduction to Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) – Drone Pilot Course
This course prepares students to become safe, responsible pilots of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Students learn to plan, conduct, and document drone flights; perform essential maneuvers; and operate and maintain UAS equipment in accordance with aviation standards.
In Introduction to Unmanned Aircraft Systems, students will:
- Interpret regulations, airspace restrictions, and weather conditions
- Understand how aerodynamics, components, and control systems affect flight
- Plan UAS missions and make safe go/no-go decisions
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Explore the fundamentals of unmanned aircraft systems
Students learn to safely and responsibly operate unmanned aircraft systems (UAS)
Student-Centered Design
Grounded in educational research, this course maximizes student motivation and engagement with real-world relevance, hands-on projects, interactive assignments, and accessibility tools.
Ready for the Real World
Students become career ready when they go beyond understanding concepts to applying them in real life. Through practical activities, students gain the skills they need for in-demand careers.
Employability Skills
Students build essential workplace skills—including professionalism, communication, teamwork, time management, conflict resolution, safety, and respect—that support a positive work culture and long-term career success.
Become a Drone Pilot and Safely Fly Plan, Operate, and Maintain Drones
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Course Outline
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Module Introduction
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Interactive Instructional Design
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Differentiation
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Assessments
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Accessibility
Course Outline by Module
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Course Outline by Module
- Module 1: Taking to the Skies
- Module 2: Rules of the Air
- Module 3: The Physics of Flight
- Module 4: Under the Hood
- Module 5: Command and Control
- Module 6: Prepped for Takeoff
- Module 7: Build and Balance
- Module 8: At the Controls
- Module 9: Mission Accomplished
Module Introduction
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Module Introduction Video and DescriptionEach module begins with an introductory video where the instructor sets the stage for topics and learning objectives for the upcoming module. The video is followed by a short description of the module content.
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Module Learning ObjectivesEach module introduction includes the set of learning objectives for students to review prior to beginning instruction.
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Polling QuestionStudents engage with an interactive poll related to the upcoming module content. After completing the poll, students can see how their peers responded with a percentage breakdown of the results.
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Introduce New VocabularyThe module introduction concludes with an interactive vocabulary matching activity, designed to familiarize students with words and concepts they will learn in the upcoming module.
Interactive Instructional Design
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Engaging Lesson VideosEach lesson begins with an instructional video from an expert educator, designed to grab students’ attention while addressing learning objectives.
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Interactive ReadingEach lesson video is followed by an interactive reading where students dive into new material with embedded interactives like hot spots, flip cards, slides, videos, and more!
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Integrated ActivitiesActivities are embedded purposefully between lessons and incorporate a variety of interactive tools for students to practice what they’ve learned.
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Project-Based LearningEnd-of-module projects provide the opportunity for students to apply what they’ve learned to a real-world situation that they would encounter in the workforce.
Differentiation
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Strategies for Differentiation in CTEProvides teachers with guidance for supporting diverse learners in the CTE classroom.
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Supporting Multilingual Learners in CTEProvides teachers with strategies for meeting the needs of multilingual language learners in the CTE classroom.
Assessments
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Concept CheckEmbedded concept checks include a variety of low-stakes activities, including short answer responses, matching, flashcards, and sorting.
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Discuss and WriteThought-provoking discussion prompts invite students to process and share their learning with their peers. Utilize your LMS discussion board or have students work in an individual course journal.
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Short Answer AssignmentsShort answer assignments are included at the end of each module, providing an opportunity for students to analyze and apply their learning to a real-world situation. Students are supplied with a detailed assignment rubric, with clear expectations.
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Module QuizzesMeasure student mastery of key skills and content with an end-of-module summative assessment.
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Midterm ExamAssess student content mastery midway through the course.
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Final ExamA comprehensive final exam assesses student skills and knowledge at the end of the course. The final exam is auto-scored and the results report back to the teacher’s gradebook in their LMS.
Accessibility
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Text-to-SpeechAudio features allow greater accessibility for students. Highlight any text within the course to have it read out loud, including image alt text.
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Language TranslationsTranslate any text within the course, including video transcripts, into 60+ languages. Additionally, many language translations can be read out loud using the text-to-speech feature.
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Closed CaptioningAll videos within the course include closed captioning with the ability to access video transcripts and translate into 60+ languages.
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Alternative ActivitiesAlternative activities are embedded throughout lessons to meet accessibility standards and provide alternatives to the interactive activities in multiple choice format.
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Digital Tour
Experience the engaging instructional design and learn about system integrations.
Seamless access on Savvas Realize
Simple. Seamless. Scalable.
Focus on student success—not the tech setup—with flexible curriculum for virtual or blended learning ready to go in your school’s learning management system.
Additional Introduction to Unmanned Aircraft Systems Resources
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Blended Learning
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Pacing Guide
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Answer Keys
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Syllabus
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Career Exploration
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PowerPoints
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AI Literacy
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CTSO
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Training
Blended Learning Guide
Provides teachers with robust support for planning and implementing the Drone Pilot course in a traditional classroom, including best practices for blending face-to-face and online learning activities.
- Step-by-step teaching support for each lesson
- In-class discussion prompts
- Suggestions for independent, small group, and whole class instruction
- Facilitation support and student work samples for projects
- Sample student responses for reflections and short answer assignments
Pacing Guide
Provides a tool for teachers to appropriately assign coursework and allocate time on a weekly basis for completing a course within a semester or year long time frame.
Answer Keys
Includes answers and grading rubrics for Reflections and Short Answer Assignments, along with detailed grading rubrics and sample student work for Projects.
Course Syllabus
The syllabus includes a high-level course overview, module overviews, and module learning objectives.
Personalized Career Exploration
With access to trusted U.S. Department of Labor data, students can explore 1,000+ careers to discover jobs that fit who they are, what they enjoy, and where they want to go next.
Instructional PowerPoints
These fully customizable slides are available for select courses to support classroom instruction with industry-aligned content, teaching tips, high-impact visuals, discussion starters, and formative checks that connect concepts to real-world application and employability skills.
Using AI Effectively
This bonus module builds practical AI skills for any career while understanding the opportunities, risks, and responsibilities that come with its use.
Career and Technical Student Organizations
Discover how CTSOs help students build leadership skills and prepare for future careers.
On-Demand Training
Introduction to Unmanned Aircraft Systems FAQs
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What modules are covered in Introduction to Unmanned Aircraft Systems?
- Module 1: Taking to the Skies
- Module 2: Rules of the Air
- Module 3: The Physics of Flight
- Module 4: Under the Hood
- Module 5: Command and Control
- Module 6: Prepped for Takeoff
- Module 7: Build and Balance
- Module 8: At the Controls
- Module 9: Mission Accomplished
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What grade levels is this text appropriate for?Grades 9–12
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What types of programs is this course designed for?This program is designed for CTE Supply Chain and Transportation pathways or elective offerings.
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Is this program available in print or digitally?Introduction to Unmanned Aircraft Systems is a robust, digital-only course ideal for virtual or blended learning.
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What teacher resources are available?Teacher resources include the course syllabus, pacing guide, answer keys, blended learning guide, differentiation guide, multilingual support guide, instructional slides, and digital courseware access. Additionally, an on-demand, self-paced teacher training course covers the fundamentals of implementing the curriculum.
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What Learning Management System (LMS) is this course accessible on?Digital courseware is delivered on the award-winning Savvas Realize platform, which can integrate with: Canvas, Google Classroom, Schoology, AGILIX Buzz, and D2L.
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What are the digital license options?Student digital access can be purchased for 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 years.
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How long does it take to complete the Introduction to Unmanned Aircraft Systems course?This program is designed to support a full-credit course and therefore may be used to support a semester- or year-long option. On average, this course requires 80 instructional seat-time hours, equating to roughly 3–4 lessons per week. Teachers can make course customizations if desired to meet specific needs.