Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Upon completion of the course students should be able to:

• Use effective planning to execute autonomous flights with industry standard desktop and mobile software.

• Create detailed visualizations using an understanding of drone image capture techniques.

• Conduct drone surveys to capture multispectral imagery.

• Use high accuracy GPS technologies to collect ground control data.

• Perform post-flight data processing to create high accuracy imagery.

• Manage large scale drone projects using Crew Resource Management (CRM) to accomplish more complex drone operations.

Be efficient and resourceful to problem solve both technical and process-oriented issues. Analyze the capabilities, limitations, and features of technology and equipment to create digital imaging products that meet a client’s needs.

The materials in this course will be presented in a computer lab and field setting through classroom lecture, discussion, software demonstrations, drone flying in: urban, exurban and rural settings, and computer-based assignments.  Other methods may be implemented such as small group work, guest speakers, and in-class activities. 

Students will be expected to demonstrate mastery of themes, concepts, issues, competencies and skills by any combination of the following:

• Written results of class labs and exercises

• Completion of exams and quizzes

• Completion of a final project

• In-class discussions

• Drone data capture &  modelling

Content, Themes, Concepts

• Drone ethics, regulations, and licensing

• Drone Crew Resource Management (CRM)

• Drone operation planning and execution for geospatial data acquisition

• Intelligent/autonomous mission planning

• Photogrammetry: visual image interpretation, digital image processing for GIS

• Processing imagery for 3D export

• Processing multispectral images for NDVI measurement

• Applications of remotely sensed data and imagery

Issues & Skills

• Types, uses, and analyses of small and medium drone systems and data

• Troubleshoot technical issues

• Ethical flight operation and camera operation

• Limitations of small and medium drone systems: flight times, transmission ranges

• Limitations of small and medium drone pilots: visual line of sight, pilot physiology

• Capture, compile, analyze, and display drone derived products.