DARTdrones’ “Intro to Drones” targets high school curriculum

Drones are no longer just a hobbyist’s plaything. They inspect bridges, survey disaster zones, assist in agriculture, and even deliver medical supplies. Yet, despite the growing demand for commercial drone pilots, educational programs that prepare students for this workforce remain sparse. Generally speaking, high school curriculum around drones is hard to come by.

DARTdrones, a well-established drone training company, is looking to change that. Their new course, “Intro to Drones: Opportunities, Careers, and FAA Certification Readiness,” aims to make drone education accessible to high school students. The promise? Give students hands-on experience with drones, prepare them for FAA certification and introduce them to drone-related careers. 

For STEM teachers, Career Technical Education (CTE) teachers, and after-school programs, this course could be a game-changer in getting kids engaged with learning — and helping them land a real job in the drone industry.

Exclusive deal for Drone Girl Readers! Save 20% off the usual course price when you sign up here and use the discount code DRONEGIRL20.

What to expect from the DARTdrones Intro to Drones high school curriculum

DARTdrones has been training drone pilots for major industries — including law enforcement, construction, and energy — for over a decade. Initially, they targeted adults looking to get a career in drones now.

This high school curriculum deviates from that model, instead helping kids stand out on college applications and set out on a course that could guide a future career. 

The DARTdrones Intro to Drones high school curriculum is broken out into four sections, which are:

FAA Part 107 test prep course: This is more akin to any Part 107 online test prep course. It goes over everything you need to pass the Part 107 test, which is required to get your drone pilots license (you must be at least 16 years old to actually take the Part 107 test). Even if younger than 16, though, early exposure could prepare students and put them ahead in the job market.

Among those topics covered in order to pass the Part 107 test include regulations, airspace classifications, flight restrictions, sectional charts, weather and radio communications.

Drone flight training: This is more practical, going into the basics of hardware and software, plus manual flight control. You’ll learn some advanced flight training techniques too, such as overcoming wind and emergency procedures.

This also goes for flight techniques specific to industries including aerial photography, infrastructure inspections, search and rescue, and drone delivery.

The curriculum includes hands-on flying exercises, group challenges and safety protocols that mimic real-world scenarios.

Careers in drones: After learning a bit about flying techniques within each industry, they’ll get a chance to plan a career in those industries in a module entirely dedicated to the drone market, use cases and getting a job in the drone industry.

Steps to becoming a drone service provider: Actually flying drones as a service is the most common type of drone company. In fact, drone service providers make up 74% of all drone companies, according to DII’s Global Drone Review 2024. That figure is followed by hardware manufacturers (18%) and software developers (7%).

With that in mind, the final module teaches students about creating their own drone service offering, finding customers and marketing their services. It also introduces important concepts such as drone insurance and legal considerations.

What teachers should know about the DARTdrones high school curriculum

One of the biggest barriers to introducing drones in schools is that most teachers aren’t pilots. DARTdrones addresses this by offering “Train the Trainer” programs. This is designed specifically to support teachers, who will lead the curriculum. With it comes features like virtual Q&As and access to a learning management system (LMS) that lets educators track student progress.

One more note: while the curriculum prepares students for FAA certification, teachers themselves need a Part 107 license to legally fly drones outside with students. DARTdrones offers training, but it’s an extra step that schools must factor in.

How much does DARTdrones’ “Intro to Drones” high school curriculum cost?

Now from the outset, it might seem like the course isn’t cheap. Schools must pay $1,500 for a 12-student package or $2,000 for a 20-student package. There’s also an option for an individual student license, which costs $200.

But relative to the same training elsewhere, there’s actually tremendous value here when you consider a student is getting the DARTdrones Part 107 prep course on top of the basic flight course plus a whole lot more material — all for less than $200. In that sense, it’s really one of those student discount specials, given that the same training would cost $1,250 if they came to open enrollment classes.

Though, do keep in mind one more cost. To maximize the course, students or classrooms will likely need to invest in a set of small drones (DARTdrones recommends at least a few micro drones like the $40 Holy Stone Mini Drone, as well as slightly more advanced DJI models like the DJI Mini, Air, Mavic or similar).

For well-funded STEM programs, this might be manageable, but for underfunded schools, it could be a tough sell.

One piece of good news: DARTdrones has a deal exclusive to you reading this on TheDroneGirl. Save 20% off the usual course price when you sign up here and use discount code DRONEGIRL20.

That discount code will go a long way, as you’ll save $300 on the 12-student bundle, and $400 on the 20-student bundle.

The state of drone education in schools today

While STEM programs have become more common in K-12 education, drones haven’t received the same level of attention as, say, coding or robotics. Part of the challenge is logistical: Drones are highly regulated by the FAA, and schools must navigate airspace restrictions, liability concerns and teacher training gaps before they can even think about adding drones to the curriculum.

Currently, most high school drone programs fall into two categories:
🛠 STEM-focused courses that emphasize drone building and coding (think DIY kits and circuit boards).
🏆 Drone racing and gaming programs that make flying drones fun but don’t necessarily lead to professional applications.

DARTdrones, which is a female-led company founded by Abby Speicher, is positioning itself as the alternative—a course that teaches real-world drone operations, the kind that professionals use for search and rescue, mapping and aerial photography.

The future of drone education

DARTdrones is betting that workforce demand will drive drone education in schools, much like coding boot camps have transformed tech training. 

But whether Intro to Drones will become a standard part of high school curricula remains to be seen. For schools that want a plug-and-play drone course with a direct career path, it’s a strong option. 

🔗 Learn more about the DARTdrones Intro To Drones course.

By the way, you can save 20% off the usual course price when you sign up here and use DARTdrones discount code DRONEGIRL20.

Related