Drones, also known as Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), are becoming increasingly popular for a number of higher educational, commercial, and safety purposes.
Colleges and universities that want to be on the forefront of the university of the future and digital transformation have started to adopt drones for Research and Development (R&D), educational programs, campus surveillance and campus safety as well as devising new useful applications for higher education, perhaps even admissions.
Drones on or coming to your campus soon
Using drone aerial filming and photography on campus serves as surveillance. Drones can also capture a class move-in day and the film can be played on graduation day. This is exactly what Colgate University did by capturing the class of 2018 with a drone. Colgate University supports the safe use of drones for academic, research, and recreational purposes. The university has been experimenting and using drones since 2014.
The University of Arizona (UA) uses drones for teaching and research. Because drones can also present health, safety, environmental, and privacy concerns, the university has enacted UAS Policy and Procedures to establish safety practices, privacy restrictions, and oversight of UAS and model aircraft on university property and university-sponsored events. According to the UA, “anyone wishing to operate a UAS or model aircraft on UA property or at UA-sponsored events is required to obtain approval from Risk Management Services prior to operation.”
Drones are not exclusive to the skies. They can also serve for underwater research. A Canterbury lecturer and his team deployed an underwater drone to map ice algae in the freezing waters in Antarctica.
Admissions delivered by drone at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Perhaps an old-times favorite in admissions creativity is how MIT’s admissions office envisioned how applicants might be notified on their application. A variant of Harry Potter’s admission letters delivered by Owl Post, MIT’s video (above) used part reality and part simulation technology in addition to a sense of humor and the participation of Stu Schmill, Dean of Admissions and Student Financial Services at MIT, to send a college acceptance letter delivered by drone. MIT has a long history in research and development of drones. Thus, what the future the Massachusetts Institute of Technology envisioned might not be so distant to the reality of the future of admissions.
Collegiate Drone Racing Championship
Drones are emerging as a strong educational innovation among colleges and universities. Over 20 colleges across the United States will send their best drone pilots to Grand Forks, ND, to test their skills. The University of North Dakota (UND) is hosting the Collegiate Drone Racing Championship for the second time this year. The free public admission event will reveal the fastest and best pilot in the country with racing speeds topping up to 100 mph. The event, scheduled for April 9 and 10, 2022, is going to be held in the UND High Performance Center.
For more articles related to the University of the Future, see:
Future of Higher Ed: Digital Twin Technology on the Horizon
Future of Higher Ed: Collaborative Robots as Future Colleagues
Preparing for the University of the Future
Future of Higher Education: Automation to Better Assist Instructors
Higher Ed CIOs Prepare for the Future by Embracing Automation