Foundations of Drone Operation and Media

This unit introduces foundational knowledge and safe practices for small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS), including drone types, controls, integrated cameras, and U.S. regulatory and ethical considerations. Students will develop hands-on skills for unboxing, pre-/post-flight procedures, maintenance, camera techniques, media workflows, and community engagement to prepare for advanced flight operations in later units.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze and compare drone types, features, and integrated camera capabilities to determine suitability for personal, commercial, real estate, or specialized (e.g., military) applications
• Demonstrate proper unboxing, pre-flight checklist, propeller safety procedures, selection of safe flying locations for new pilots, and post-flight maintenance practices
• Apply U.S. federal drone regulations and ethical/privacy principles to evaluate legal constraints, commercial versus personal use, and responsible data/media collection (e.g., avoiding unlawful surveillance)
• Utilize camera techniques and media workflows—including lighting strategies, shake-reduction tactics, importing footage, flight logging, and engaging online communities/social media—to document flights and seek peer resources