IC Drone Squadron

In 2017, the Park School began a pilot project preparing students to become licensed drone pilots.  Since then, the Ithaca College Drone Squadron has become an official student organization, and Ithaca College has joined the NUAIR Alliance, a New York based not-for-profit coalition of more than 100 private and public entities and academic institutions working together to operate and oversee Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) test ranges in New York, Massachusetts and Michigan.

On our campus, students have the opportunity to take a free three-day drone workshop and then sit for the FAA 107 exam. Successful passing of the 107 will certify a student as a licensed* commercial drone pilot—this opens a myriad of revenue generating opportunities for motivated students. Our pilots have flown missions used in commercial and documentary filmmaking, aerial journalism, assisting local law enforcement, HVAC and roof inspections, and real estate marketing; just to name a few fields.

Drone footage of the 2019 commencement fireworks