Up, Up and Away: Drones give Richland County students new career insights

Students in Richland County recently received drone training at Crestview High School as part of the Ready for Hire afterschool program. The training, taught by a USI instructor, focused on an introduction to drone technology, including an overview of regulatory requirements, drone flight fundamentals, flight preparation and proper conduct of a drone flight in U.S. airspace. Students earned a recreational drone license upon completion.

USI's program allows students to use real-world materials to earn industry-recognized credentials that count toward high school graduation and prepare them for the workforce.

“Once I learned how to fly the drone from the flight instructor, it was a lot easier than I thought it would be,” said Ready for Hire participant Josiah Schmitt.

“I have learned so much about drones and careers with drones," said Melanie Lopez, noting she was able to pass her knowledge on to others and taught another student how to fly a drone.

“As drone technology continues to advance, various industries are leveraging its capabilities for a wide range of applications," noted Karrie Davisson, Richland County Ready for Hire site coordinator. "Industries such as agriculture, construction, real estate and film production have increasingly integrated drones into their operations for tasks like crop monitoring, site surveying, property inspection and aerial cinematography."

"With the rise in drone usage, the demand for skilled drone pilots has surged," Davisson added. "Obtaining a drone certification opens up numerous job opportunities for our students."

This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Up, Up and Away: Drones give Richland County students new career insights