Unmanned Aerial Vehicle The latest drone news
L-R: Nicole Webb, St. Mary’s University Engineering Technician in the Drone Lab; Dante Tezza, Assistant Professor of Computer/Software Engineering; Baptiste Pousset, Electrical Engineering senior; and Kimberly Tse, Computer Engineering senior, showcase the variety of drones available for students to use in the new St. Mary’s University Drone Lab.
Robin Jerstad
On Monday March 22, St. Mary’s University will kick off the opening of their flashy new $600,000 drone lab with a ceremonious drone flyover. The inaugural flight of the unmanned vehicles at the Catholic University will naturally be accompanied by a Blessing.
The new facility, largely funded by the Title V – Building Capacity for Excellence in STEM Education grant, and nestled behind the Richter Math & Engineering Center, stands at 25 feet and 1,734 feet. It features a flight pad, observation areas and workstations. The goal of the project is to enable professors, particularly in the Engineering Science program, to incorporate drones into their curriculums, priming students for the rapidly developing technological world and the hundred of thousands of jobs the Federal Aviation Administration predicts drones will bring.
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“We have this amazing facility where students can not only learn, but also apply the knowledge that they are learning in their classroom,” said Assistant Professor of Computer/Software Engineering Dante Tezza.
You don’t have to be an engineer to enjoy the facility, as it anticipates housing new summer camps for highschoolers and any St. Mary’s student with an interest in becoming a card-carrying member of Drone Club.
To witness the high-flying event, you can tune into a livestream that will begin at 3 p.m. on Monday, March 22.
Camille Sauers is a freelance writer based in San Antonio. Find her on Twitter @camillesaccount. Send her emails to [email protected].
