Texas-Alaska Drone Summit at KAPS

Students, STEM teachers (Patrick Lisk), Board Member(Victor Hotho) and administrator (Dr. Erin Flynn) from Katherine Anne Porter School (KAPS), Peggy Wilfong (Director of the Ace 21st Community Learning Center at KAPS), along with Alex Bernard, a school administrator from Lower Kuskokwim School District in Alaska, held the first every Texas-Alaska Drone Summit. The Summit was held to share ideas and strategies for helping students learn about safety and ethical use of drones, work towards their FAA Part 107 Commercial Drone License, and about starting a drone business for profit and to offer pro bono community service in Wimberley and in Alaska. The Summit was held a KAPS where a number of students participate in the 21st Century After School program, where they are practicing drone flight and studying for the FAA exam. The Summit was facilitated by Dr. Mark Standley, an educator and drone pilot with Educating4Leadership, a non-profit working in Texas and Alaska on student leadership projects.

Both KAPS and Lower Kuskokwim School District have goals of helping students prepare and pass the FAA Part 107 commercial license exam, so students can legally operate a drone business for services such as aerial photography, pipeline surveys, search and rescue, and other business needs for airborne photography. Discussion also included the importance of safe and ethical operations of drones by hobbyists and commercial pilots. The Summit reviewed research conducted in Alaska by Educating4Leadership on the types of drone services likely needed by businesses, police and fire departments, search and rescue, federal US Fish and Wildlife, and State Fish and Game on a contracted basis. This Alaska-based research helped spark ideas for similar research needed in the Hill Country for both business and community service potential for drone businesses.

The Summit emphasized the “toy vs. tool” component of drones in the minds of students and adults. What can be view by some as a toy can also be used to rescue lives, help businesses with aerial perspectives (ie pipelines) and document family events. As one KAPS student (Jeremiah) said, “ “when I first got into drones I thought they were cool toys, but now that I’ve seen more of what can they do… I’m interested in game designing to help students learn through VR (virtual reality) and AR (augmented reality).” Clearly the students are seeing their and their peers future(s) affected by the work potential of drones in many aspects of their lives.

The Summit represents the first attempt to bring students and educators from Texas and Alaska together to share curriculum, important questions and strategies, and some practical tips for teaching students to fly, get licensed, and start their own drone businesses. FAA guidelines allow people aged 16 and above to earn their commercial drone license, as one student at KAPS did last year. Summit organizers are planning another Summit in Alaska in June with the hopes of inviting KAPS student pilots up to help teach students there. This Summit reflects an important partnership and bridge for students and educators to learn more from each other towards a responsible and profitable career with drones, as well as offering leadership through community service.

For questions please contact Peggy Wilfong, 21st Century Grant Director at KAPS 512-847-6867/[email protected] and/ or Dr. Standley, Educating-4Leadership, at [email protected] .