| NSF Org: |
DUE Division Of Undergraduate Education |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | April 22, 2015 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | April 22, 2015 |
| Award Number: | 1501629 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Elizabeth Teles
DUE Division Of Undergraduate Education EDU Directorate for STEM Education |
| Start Date: | September 1, 2015 |
| End Date: | August 31, 2018 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $199,929.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $199,929.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
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| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
1101 HIGHWAY 1 E THIEF RIVER FALLS MN US 56701-2528 (218)683-8643 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
13892 Airport Drive Thief River Falls MN US 56701-8437 |
| Primary Place of Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): | Advanced Tech Education Prog |
| Primary Program Source: |
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| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.076 |
ABSTRACT
Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) is the most rapidly growing sector of the aerospace industry fueled with continuous advancements in technology, and the Federal Aviation Administration is currently working on a plan to integrate UAS into the national airspace system (NAS) by 2015. This project at Northland Community and Technical College (NCTC) will bridge the gap between new and emerging aviation technology and technician education in the area of UAS and will increase career opportunities through the development of a pipeline for highly skilled workers to meet industry demands. A study released in 2013 by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) forecast the economic impact of the integration of UAS into the NAS to total more than $13.6 billion in the first three years of integration and to grow sustainably for the foreseeable future, cumulating to more than $82.1 billion between 2015 and 2025. AUVSI also stated the integration into the NAS will create more than 70,000 new jobs in the first 3 years. By 2025, total job creation is estimated at 103,776 jobs. The project will initiate, facilitate, and maintain partnerships with industry leaders, 7-14 schools and higher education institutions to confirm workforce competencies and curriculum. It will increase educational opportunities to advance aviation technologies and the impacts regionally and nationally, helping to position the U.S. as a leader in the global UAS market. By collaborating with key stakeholders at the UAS test sites, the project will create models for technician education in UAS maintenance and meet technical employment needs of UAS and other high-growth industries. With the rapid growth in these new technologies there is a great opportunity to influence standardized education for this science, technology, engineering, and technology (STEM) discipline.
To address current skill gaps and educational opportunities, the project will create innovative, industry driven curriculum for UAS and related disciplines, industry recognized stackable credentials, and technician career pathways. It will provide professional development for faculty members to stay current in emerging technologies and learn new teaching methods that will allow them to incorporate these materials into UAS programs as well as in existing STEM courses. It will promote and provide educational opportunities to underrepresented populations and rural areas by leveraging tele-presence technology to expand geographical reach and serve non-traditional students. Project personnel will disseminate instructional materials, research information, and papers for use by educational and industry partners. Workshops and summer camps will promote awareness to secondary and post-secondary educators and students interested in STEM. A comprehensive evaluation will identify best practices in the education of UAS technicians to fill this emerging national need.
PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
Project Outcomes Report
Northland Community and Technical College NSF ATE grant: Revolutionary Opportunities for Highly Educated Unmanned Aircraft Systems Technicians (DRONETECH), DUE #1501629, was funded as a Small Grant for Institutions New to the NSF ATE Program in 2015. The DRONETECH project vision was to bridge the gap between new and emerging aviation technologies and the growing need for technician education in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS)/small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) and to prepare students for the promising career opportunities in this rising field. UAS continues to be the most rapidly growing sector of the aerospace industry. The project is led by PI Jonathan Beck and Co-PI Thomas Biller, both faculty members at Northland Community and Technical College, and supported by a robust team of additional faculty and specialists.
The project had four goals, all of which were successfully met:
- Provide professional development to NCTC faculty in emerging technologies and instructional theories (pedagogy) focused on UAS education;
- Create curriculum to address gaps in current and future UAS education programs and provide professional development for secondary and post-secondary faculty to incorporate into existing STEM education;
- Promote and provide educational opportunities to underrepresented populations and rural areas by leveraging tele-presence technology to expand geographical reach and serve non-traditional students;
- Disseminate instructional materials, research information, and papers for open use by educational and industry partners.
Intellectual Merit
- Through numerous student events and faculty professional development workshops, the grant greatly expands knowledge of UAS technologies and increases access to career pathways in the field.
- By developing and adapting alternative formats, DRONETECH serves diverse audiences of educators, local and state agency personnel, and community partners.
- DRONETECH builds and sustains the network of strategic partners in UAS technology and technician education through collaborations with local, state, regional, national, and international educational, business, and government entities.
- The project keeps pace with and infuses curricula and workshops with real-time developments in UAS technology, UAS education, and evolving industry needs in diverse sectors such as aviation, agriculture, forestry, land management, public safety, fire prevention, emergency management, and soil and water conservation.
Broader Impacts
- DRONETECH has established highly effective and productive national partnerships with numerous ATE Centers and projects that share information; offer faculty professional development opportunities; and provide subject matter expertise to the larger UAS and GIS education communities.
- DRONETECH extensive involvement and collaborations with secondary schools in Minnesota and several four-year institutions (in Minnesota and elsewhere) are the foundation for long term success in advancing current and future work.
- The DRONETECH team has put its UAS work into action and impact in the field. Team members actively teach and advise students at Minnesota colleges and universities; guide research and field studies with students and industry/community partners; regularly write and publish articles; conduct UAS education outreach; and engage in and contribute to national conversations about UAS education through curriculum initiatives (standards, certifications) and advisory committees.
Last Modified: 11/26/2018
Modified by: Jonathan Beck
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