Offered in partnership with the NH Department of Transportation, this program is designed for current or future UAS pilots based in New England. Familiarize yourself with UAS equipment and safety protocol while learning more about how UAS technology is being used in different contexts. After completing this program, deep dive into these content areas by signing up for one of our content-specific 2-day workshops focused on emergency response, GIS/engineering and photography. This four-day Drone Operator program focuses primarily on hands-on flight activities that are appropriate for the beginner or intermediate drone pilot. Approximately half of the class time will focus on outdoor flight exercises that introduce students to progressively more difficult navigational tasks and scenarios.
Drawing on recent case studies and knowledge gleaned from the NH DOT and FAA, our instructors will focus on operational laws, airspace, insurance, equipment, system operation, flight roles, role coordination and many other topics. The UNH Drone Operator workshop and follow up courses provide the highest quality experience for the most affordable price. Case in point: Our largest competitor charges $580 for a one-day operator workshop compared to our $1250 four-day program. Perhaps most importantly, UNH’s programs prioritize flight time, support from Part 107-certified flight instructors and frequent interaction with regional UAS experts who are familiar with the nuances of UAS operation in New England. See our program agenda, student testimonies and FAQ section for more details.
All students completing the UNH Drone Operator workshop will receive a certificate of course completion, and a UNH Drone Academy hat. Students who sign up for the four-day UNH Drone Operator workshop also have the option of requesting UNH Drone Academy certification after meeting the following requirements:
FAA Part 107 Certification
UNH’s four-day Drone Operator workshop
One of UNH’s two-day drone workshops in the following content areas: (1) emergency response, (2) GIS/engineering/agriculture, or (3) photography
Students completing these requirements will receive the UNH Drone Operator course completion and a transcript detailing skills learned. In addition, students seeking the UNH Drone Academy certification will receive a certificate of completion signed by UNH and the New Hampshire Department of Transportation and a UNH Drone Academy pin. There is no additional charge for students seeking the UNH Drone Academy certification.
Students do not need to bring their own UAS to this course. Several different UAS platforms will be available to students for hands-on exercises. The age requirement for this program is 15. Please note that this course caps at 20 students to allow for a low flight assistant to student ratio.
Course Agenda
UNH Drone (UAV/UAS) Operator Certificate
*Subject to change
Day 1 – Introductions, Regulations, Safety, Ethics
Classroom
9:00 – 10:00 – Breakfast, Introductions, review course schedule
10:00 – 11:00 – Safety precautions, Preflight checklist review, FAA regulations
11:00 – 12:00 – Part 107 introduction, Hobbyists vs Commercial Pilots, DJI App Introduction
12:00 - 1:00 – Lunch
Outdoors
1:15 - 3:30 – Flight Exercises (weather permitting)
Day 2 – UAS Equipment, Flight Scenarios, DJI App
Classroom
9:00 - 10:00 – DJI App overview, Components of a UAS
10:00 – 11:00 – Review of “What if” scenarios, flight training
Outdoors
11:00 – 12:30 – Flight Exercises (weather permitting)
12:30 – 1:30 – Lunch
1:30 – 3:30 – Flight Continued (weather permitting)
Day 3 – Regulations, Mapping, Advanced Flight
Classroom
9:00 – 10:00 – Breakfast, commercial drone usage, mapping introduction
10:00 – 11:00 – Mapping technology, usage
Outdoors
11:00 – 12:00 – Flight Exercises (weather permitting)
12:00-1:00 – Lunch
1:00-3:30 – Flight Exercises Continued (weather permitting)
Day 4 – Mastering Controls, UAS Applications
Classroom
9:00 – 10:30 – Breakfast, review situations from past classes, questions (hobbyist, commercial)
Outdoors
10:30 – 12:00 – Flight Exercises (weather permitted)
12:00 – 1:00 – Lunch
1:00 – 3:30 – Flight Exercises Continued (weather permitted)
Jim Cloutier is the President of Red Dog Aerial Media a UAS service provider that specializes in training and consulting for companies interested in starting UAS programs in house. Red Dog Aerial also offers aerial photography, videography, infrastructure inspection and mapping services for engineering, construction, commercial real estate and insurance companies. Jim has over 10 years building, designing and flying UAS platforms and holds his FAA Remote Pilot Certification.
Jim graduated from Northeastern University with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Electrical Engineering Technology. His electrical engineering career in the manufacturing industry included electrical design and programing for brewing and packaging systems, project management, information technology infrastructure design and deployment, software and hardware lifecycle analysis and technical training. Jim is currently the Information Technology Manager at Anheuser-Busch in Merrimack, NH.
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