Aerospace Technology Course Provides Hands-on Experience with UAVs

By Caroline Rees / 05 Sep 2012

Smart Sourcing for Unmanned Systems

Discover cutting-edge solutions from leading global suppliers
SUPPLIER SPOTLIGHT
Follow UST

MORNING JOURNAL/JASON HENRY Matt Mishak controls a multicopter drone during a demonstration of their abilities in preparation of his LCCC class.

A new class offered in October at Lorain County Community College will give students hands-on experience with unmanned aerial drones and large scale model rockets.

PSSC 190, Aerospace Technology, is a 10-week pilot program taught by adjunct professors Matthew Mishak and Marlin Linger.

Students will build and learn about UAV drones during the first five weeks and then focus on rockets for the final five.

Linger said the rockets are roughly six-to-seven feet tall and launch a mile to a mile and a half into the air.

The class starts Oct. 1 and will take place Monday evenings, Mishak said.

Mishak, an Elyria city prosecutor, found a fascination with drones while working as lab aide in LCCC’s Fab Lab.

He and his business partner Mike Hanna own the workshop Dronewerx in Elyria, which builds high-quality UAV frames, he said.

The class will build fixed wing multi-rotor helicopter drones, but Mishak said he plans to bring in various crafts from Dronewerx.

Drones in most instances are illegal to fly outside of recreational purposes, Mishak said, but new legislation passed by President Obama will open up the market for UAV designers, pilots and maintenance people, he said.

“We’ll learn about what is going and what is the potential for these air crafts,” he said.

The class will learn about the history of drones, current regulations and the potential opportunities opening up in the future.

The Teal Group, an aerospace and defense market analysis corporation, has estimated the unmanned aerial vehicle market is worth $6 billion worldwide annually. By 2012, it is predicted it will be worth $100 billion.

Mishak said in the future people could even see unmanned jumbo jets and more.

“This is a brand new, almost undiscovered industry,” Mishak said. “It is my pipe dream to have Lorain County known for unmanned aerial vehicles and I think having a class where people can get involved in it is kind of the first step.”

Mishak said he brought the idea to Rosa E. Rivera-Hainaj, dean of Science and Mathematics Division at LCCC. She became interested and eventually Linger joined in.

Linger had previously formed LCCC’s aerospace group, Orbit, which competed in a rocket competition in Wisconsin in April.

Because the class is a pilot program, it needs to fill six seats for it to happen, but it could potentially have up to 15 or 20 students, Mishak said.

The class will build three drones.

“We’ve got some cool frames, props and microcontrollers,” Mishak said. “They’ll be learning to program them to make sure they fly right.”

The drones have a number of potential capabilities. Some of them are used for aerial photography. Others are used by law enforcement for scouting and man hunts.

The devices move by remote control for the most part, but many have GPS capabilities, allowing them to hover in one place or return to a landing zone with a flip of a switch. The capabilities allow even novices to fly them as the drone can take over in the event of a pilot’s mistake, Mishak said.

“You simply need to flip a switch and it comes home and lands itself,” Mishak said.  “With a little bit of guidance, almost anybody could fly these.”

The cost of the components have dropped dramatically in recent years.

“What used to cost $26,000, we can do the same thing with the same technology for around $1,000,” he said.

If successful, the class will expand next semester to include additional aerospace devices, such as nano-satellites.

Seating for the class is limited, so interested students are asked to sign up quickly.

Source: Morning Post

Posted by Caroline Rees Caroline co-founded Unmanned Systems Technology and has been at the forefront of the business ever since. With a Masters Degree in marketing Caroline has her finger on the pulse of all things unmanned and is committed to showcasing the very latest in unmanned technical innovation. Connect & Contact

Latest Articles

UK MOD Validates PDW C100 for Aerial Target Designation

Performance Drone Works (PDW) demonstrated the capabilities of its C100 quadcopter for the UK MOD, successfully designating targets with precision and completing extended-range missions during a live-fire event in Texas

Jul 09, 2025
SatLab Showcases Geospatial Technologies at CSPI-EXPO 2025

SatLab attended CSPI-EXPO 2025 in Chiba, Japan from 18-21 June, showcasing its latest innovations across the full spectrum of geospatial solutions

Jul 09, 2025
DeltaQuad Collaboration to Boost VTOL Surveillance Drone Production

DeltaQuad has partnered with VDL Groep to expand production of its Evo surveillance drone, enhancing manufacturing capabilities to meet rising defence sector demand

Jul 09, 2025
FarSounder Argos Powers Autonomous Navigation on Unmanned Surface Vessel

FarSounder’s Argos sonar technology has been integrated into DARPA’s NOMARS vessel, advancing autonomous navigation and situational awareness in unmanned maritime operations

Jul 09, 2025
Impact of Jamming & Spoofing on GNSS Positioning

Tersus GNSS explains how jamming and spoofing interfere with GNSS signals, outlines their distinct impacts, and presents technical strategies for detection and mitigation

Jul 09, 2025
ESA Feasibility Study to Advance Autonomous Drone Landing Without GPS

Agilica completes an ESA-backed study advancing precision drone landing tech that works without GPS, targeting urban, maritime, and complex autonomous UAV operations

Jul 09, 2025

Featured Content

New UAV to Combine Solar Hydrogen & Battery Power for Extended Flight

XSun and H3 Dynamics are developing the first UAV powered by solar, hydrogen, and batteries, aiming to deliver zero-emission, long-endurance unmanned flight

Jul 07, 2025
Enhancing Mangrove Restoration Through 3D Printed Drone Design

Explore how Inverto Earth, in collaboration with HP Additive, is using sustainable 3D printing and drone technology to drive large-scale mangrove restoration and protect vulnerable coastal ecosystems

Jul 03, 2025
Partnership Combines Drone Swarms & Situational Awareness to Boost Wildfire Response

Kongsberg Geospatial and FireSwarm Solutions have partnered to integrate autonomous drone swarms with real-time situational awareness for faster, smarter wildfire response

Jun 30, 2025
Advancing Unmanned Systems Through Strategic Collaboration UST works with major OEMs to foster collaboration and increase engagement with SMEs, to accelerate innovation and drive unmanned systems capabilities forward.