Pottsville, PA, High School Prepares Students for Drone Pilot Careers

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Keeping a keen eye on industry trends and workforce demands and then developing educational and training programs to meet those needs gives the Schuylkill County region a competitive edge. A prime example is a new drone pilot training program at Pottsville Area High School, which equips students with the skills needed to fill jobs in the drone industry. 

According to the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International, the drone industry is projected to create more than 100,000 jobs and generate $82 billion in economic impact by 2025. 

“The drone certification was something we considered because of the expansion of STEM-related industries in our region, and we were looking for something unique to offer our students that would set them apart from other students,” says Sarah Yoder, former superintendent of the Pottsville Area School District. 

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Drone Pilot Jobs Available in Variety of Industries

Graduates of the drone pilot training program will be well-equipped to enter various career pathways. For example, students interested in technical and engineering roles can find opportunities in drone design, development and manufacturing. 

Yoder says the role of drones has expanded into local, in-demand fields, such as agriculture, where drones are used for crop monitoring and precision farming. Drones are also being used in a range of other industries, including construction, emergency services and energy, which makes the drone program even more attractive to students and the business community. 

“We are in the coal region of Pennsylvania, and there’s a lot of research that shows how drones actually save a lot of businesses financially because they don’t have to have a person doing some of the more expensive work,” Yoder says. “The fire department is also making use of drones in some of their search and rescue efforts as well as locating active fires.” 

Stephen Horvath, a teacher at Pottsville Area High School who works with the drone program, says that with drones, certain things, like tower inspections, can be done for less money. 

“Rather than sending someone up a pole to look at every inch of the tower to inspect it, we can send a robot drone to inspect it, then send a human to fix the problems,” he says. “Another growing area is with solar panels. We can launch a drone and look at the panels and, within seconds, see if they’re working. We have a student whose father works in construction, and that’s a great industry for drone usage because you can use them to make 3-D models of sites or for measurements or to track progress on a build.” 

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Drone Pilot Training Teaches Multiple Skills 

Horvath says while the program’s foundational course focuses on preparing students for the Federal Aviation Administration’s Part 107 exam – a certification that is essential for commercial drone operations in the U.S. – students will also learn about airspace regulations, weather patterns, drone maintenance and safety protocols. 

“These students learn multiple skills that are applicable in other careers,” Horvath says. “Plus, they will learn some fun facts that they can use in everyday life, like when they go to the airport, they’re going to understand why the aircraft is going where it’s going on the runway because they’ll understand how runways work.” 

Upon successful completion of the Part 107 exam, students will be eligible to enroll in the Advanced Drone Flight Course their senior year. This advanced course will concentrate on honing their piloting skills through practical flight training. They’ll also get hands-on experience with various drone models and applications, from aerial photography and videography to surveying and inspection tasks. 

“This program is an amazing benefit for our students,” Yoder says. “We’re not aware of anyone else in our area or even extended area that is offering this at the high school level, and there are very few local colleges or universities offering it. Our district is focused on designing engaging work for students. We want to ensure we’re creating programs that not only benefit our students, but ones they also want to participate in.”