ROME, NY — The Community Foundation of Herkimer & Oneida Counties has approved an education mini-grant for $25,000 for the Griffiss Institute (GI) to create a drone camp curriculum for its summer camp program. These funds will be utilized with matching funds from the Air Force Research Laboratory Information Directorate (AFRL/RI) STEM Outreach Program to create the drone camp curriculum and purchase the necessary materials for the camp. GI plans to run two camps in the summer of 2016. Additionally, the curriculum will be made available to other organizations wishing to enhance their current STEM activities with a drone learning component.
Griffiss Institute is teaming with The Community Foundation, The New York UAS Test Site at Griffiss International Airport, Air Force Research Laboratory Information Directorate, Mohawk Valley Community College (MVCC), and AX Enterprize, to offer a Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) / Drone Summer Camp for the 2016 year. The experience will immerse the students in UAS research at AFRL/RI, UAS testing at the Griffiss International Airport, and UAS educational opportunities at MVCC.
The camp will focus on UAS concepts that combine classroom training with hands-on experience. The classroom instruction will focus on the safety of use, (FAA’s Know Before You Fly Initiative), and scientific principles of flight. Students will assemble a quadcopter and learn the science of aerodynamics and radio-controlled vehicles. The hands-on approach contributes to students’ understanding of concepts, promotes discovery, and develops problem-solving skills. The activities in this program are designed to give students a competitive advantage to entering aviation fields by giving them a solid foundation of science, mathematics, and communication skills, and introducing them to cutting-edge aircraft technologies.
The camp will close on Friday with a Capstone event where the students will fly their drone through an obstacle course. The camp has been designed to excite students’ interest in STEM, focusing on aviation and the high-growth field of unmanned aerial systems, and will introduce students to the local employment opportunities in UAS and aviation fields.
“When students are able to engage in STEM activities and learn through hands-on activities, their experience is exponentially more profound. Our hope is that students will turn their interest in these cutting-edge technologies into a career. With so many opportunities available right here in the Mohawk Valley, programs of this nature are a win-win for both students and employers,” said Jan Squadrito, senior community investment manager at The Community Foundation.
The Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) / Drone Summer Camp Information:
Dates:
Week 1: Monday, July 18 – Friday, July 22, 2016
Week 2: Monday, August 8 – August 12, 2016
Time: M-Th, 9 am – 4 pm; Friday, 9 am -2 pm
Cost: $100; Scholarships available
Target Group: Ages 13-18
For more information and to register, please visit www.griffissinstitute.org/who-we-work-with/afrl/stem/summer-programs
