Three Fredonia students brought drones to the meeting to demonstrate the skills they have learned through a new course the district now offers. The course, Introduction to Drones: Basic Quadcopter Skills, is taught by Greg Haase.

“This is basically Driver Ed. for drones,” Haase said. “When the students are all done, they will be able to take a test – the remote pilot test – and if they pass it, they can fly commercially.”

Fredonia students Andrew Daminski-Hunt, Jackson Hickey, and Lucas Hoffman, demonstrated how to fly a Ryze Tello drone, a small device designed to be flown in an element-controlled environment. The students operated the drone in the library for members of the Fredonia Board of Education and Fredonia Administration to witness.

Of the course’s impact, Hickey said, “For me, it’s been really useful because I do a lot of work in media outside of school. That’s what I’ll be going into right after high school. Having this opportunity, it’s almost like getting a certification from somewhere outside of a high school. It’s really valuable, for sure.”

OBSERVER Photos by Braden Carmen Fredonia Board of Education member Lisa Powell Fortna looks on as students operate a drone during a recent meeting in the school library.

The new course covers flying for both recreational use and commercial use. It also introduces different types of drones and their potential uses. Students are educated on FAA Regulations and taught how to safely and responsibly operate a drone, which they practice flying indoors in large, open spaces.

“We talk about, basically and mostly, how to fly the drones safely and responsibly,” Haase said.

The district has partnered with SkyOp in Victor, NY, which provides a flight simulator and curriculum for the course.

As part of the training for the course, Haase underwent 16 hours of classroom instruction, along with 8 hours of flight instruction, and 8 hours of instruction with a navigation system and a flight simulator.

The course was introduced in Fall 2022, which featured 16 students. Another 16 students have participated in Spring 2023. The course was capped at 18 students because of the challenge of flying drones in limited spaces. Haase first “piloted” the concept as a unit during a technology course he taught.

OBSERVER Photos by Braden Carmen Fredonia technology teacher Greg Haase is the instructor of a new course at the Fredonia Central School District this year, Introduction to Drones: Basic Quadcopter Skills.

“I’ve been enjoying it. I’m looking forward to using my experience in the future,” Hoffman said. Hoffman also brought his own drone to display, which he has owned for approximately five years.

However, while Daminski-Hunt noted he is a “for-fun pilot” and not as serious about flying drones as his other classmates in attendance, he still notices the benefit of the course.

“I think learning about drones is very beneficial. As they keep evolving, they are going to be increasingly incorporated into different kinds of jobs and other occupations. Learning about what they can do is very important,” Daminski-Hunt said.