By Joey and Maddy
Today was a very productive day! Due to the rain, we stayed indoors. In the morning, we had the pleasure of listening to geologist Bob Newton speak about how drones contribute vital scientific research to his work. He showed us topographic maps, aerial imagery, as well as thermal imaging that he created from some of his projects. He also explained how drone technology is revolutionizing geological research. For example, drones allow him to reach angles that he cannot access from handheld cameras. Shooting from higher angles aided his project in capturing the moving sediment down Paradise Pond. When presenting footage to others, he explained the advantages of showing every step of the process of his project with a drone. “It’s like you’re right there with us!”
Shortly after this presentation, we each presented a type of drone application in front of the class. There was a wide variety of topics, as individuals were allowed to research any use of drones. Some discussed drones and their role in hunting and search and rescue, while others talked about their role in package delivery, agriculture, and cinematography.
In the afternoon, we got started with our final projects! We designated roles and topics to each person in our group, began to do voice-overs for our videos, and started to create slides for our presentation. We also began editing video footage in editing software.
Finally, we wrapped up the day with some friendly competition! We played jeopardy with three categories: Drone Higher Education Applications, Drone anatomy, and FAA rules and regulations. Although we stayed indoors, it was quite an eventful day!
