Drone program takes flight
New regulations allow school of aeronautics to enhance UAS instruction
Liberty University’s new unmanned drone flight program is in full swing this fall semester with big plans for the future.
UNVEIL— The UAS program is the most recent addition to the Liberty School of Aeronautics. Photo credit: Mitchell Bryant
In June, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released regulations allowing the commercial use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), or as they are more commonly known, drones.
According to the FAA, the commercial use of UAS “could generate more than $82 billion for the U.S. economy and create more than 100,000 new jobs over the next 10 years.”
Liberty proved itself to be at the forefront of this movement when it teamed up with Textron Systems, a military tech developer located in Fort Pickett, a National Guard base in Virginia, and released a drone training program to aviation students this fall semester.
At the end of the program, students become certified to pilot a small drone for commercial purposes through Textron, which could include taking aerial video or photography, surveillance and data collection and much more.
“We want to be current (and) want to be on the leading edge,” Johnathan Washburn, professor of aeronautics and one of the heads of the UAS program, said.
“It’s really important that Liberty stays engaged in current trends, especially trends that are attached to an industry that is expected to grow to the billions.”
While the FAA only allows certified commercial use for small UAS, Liberty’s partnership with Textron provides special training for students to use medium-sized UAS.
“Textron flies the medium UAS in a restricted airspace,” Washburn said. “So at Fort Pickett … they have a big, open restricted area of airspace, and they fly the Aerosonde there.”
The Aerosonde is a medium-sized UAS owned by Textron that is unique to the training the students receive through the program.
“We really focused on creating a partnership with (the industry) to get students certifications that they can’t get at other schools,” Washburn said.
“There’s no other school offering industry certification on a medium-sized UAS as part of their program. … We are the only school in America that has that right now.”
Students are rapidly showing interest in the new program, with around 50 out of 70 students declaring the UAS program as the specialization for their major.
“I wanted to get involved as soon as I could,” Trey Williams, a senior in the school of aeronautics who declared a major in UAS, said. “You really come out with a unique opportunity for this degree that you
can’t get elsewhere.”
There are new uses being discovered for drones constantly, and businesses as well as educators are finding ways of putting them into practice.
“There are some people in Virginia Beach who are doing some structural inspecting with drones,” Williams said regarding the program. “You’ll get to go out on a boat and look at some bridges and water towers.”
Not just aviation students are getting excited about the new program on campus.
“The interest has come from all over campus,” Washburn said.
“The industry is growing so rapidly, and it touches so many other areas —cinematic arts, engineering, even history and government. They all see it as a useful skill or piece of knowledge to add on to what they’re learning in their major.”
Due to the rapid growth in interest, Liberty is looking at opening up the opportunity for students to minor in UAS training.
“We’re going to build this minor and hopefully have it available in the next year or two,” Washburn said.
“The goal is to put together a program that students from other colleges and schools can come take it and get this experience.”
Panyard is a news reporter.