Creative Problem Solving
The Drone Olympics provides a number of opportunities for students to:
build fine motor skills
develop teamwork - collaboration & communication
see the laws of physics in action
increase creativity with novel solutions & critical thinking
learn to code and see it make their ideas real as a drone executes their plans
"Dr Craig Hansen and his team from Drone Legends offered a highly engaging workshop with staff and students. Their experience as facilitators was clear as they coordinated groups to complete tasks they had little confidence of initially, to piloting drones like experts in no time. They customized their workshops based on relevant links to the curriculum with a mechatronics class focussed more on the programming aspect while a geography class focussed more on their use in conservation and emergency management scenarios. As Drone Legends is a facilitator through Field-based STEM this opportunity was made even easier for us to arrange and will be looking to get them back soon,"
Matt Harrison, Orewa College.
Drones in Geography & Earth Sciences
Drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), are increasingly being used as an engaging way to gather footage at one time, or over time, for students to demonstrate the concepts they are learning:
surveying landforms, capturing photos or video at different times through changing seasons
creating case studies of locations that are difficult to access, identifying varieties of plants and animals
mapping topography, noting altitudes using the drone's inbuilt altimeter and comparing it to topographic maps, noting changes and identifying which erosion factors may be present given the climate or recent events
complete risk assessments for fieldwork, uploading information to Google Maps for the public or Google's MyMaps for private sharing, in addition to importing GIS data
creating a montage of imagery with subtitles and voice-overs to explain what can be seen and analysing the processes involves - see some examples here
Forces & Drone Physics
Understanding the language of flight supports the knowledge of physics:
acceleration, speed, altitude, revolutions, rotations of propellers, velocity
roll (left/right), pitch (forward/back), thrust (up/down), and yaw (rotation), vector
of the four propellers, two spin in a different direction to enable lift
the mass of the drone and any objects they carry will affect the speed and distance they can travel, gravity force, degrees
Drones in Computer Science & Programming
DroneBlocks Code (JavaScript)
DroneBlocks Code moves beyond block coding with DroneBlocks. Program using JavaScript and more advanced programming techniques. Tello EDU drones will follow the code, allowing students to modify, check and enhance the instructions used.
DroneBlocks App (Block-Coding)
Drag and drop coding allows users to create their own custom flight logic and algorithms. DroneBlocks is available on iOS, Android, and Google Chrome. Build a program and the Tello drone will execute it.
Which drone should we buy?
The key features at the initial stages of drone use are:
additional, rechargeable batteries and charger packs with a fast charging time
free, downloadable apps to fly and code the drone (for both Apple and Android devices)
lightweight, small size for indoor use (learning continues even if it rains) - usually $190-$300
cheap, replaceable parts for propellers (props) that inevitably get damaged or lost
prop guards that stop small fingers from getting hurt
standard connections such as USB A or USB C for battery chargers & devices that fly the drone (tablet, phone etc.)
a camera with at least 720p resolution for photos & video capture in-flight
local distributors for after-sales support, repairs, and replacements
We find that, given all the features listed above, the Tello Boost pack from DJI provides excellent value. In Aotearoa, this can be ordered online from PBtech or directly from DJI in Australia.
