Enable student projects exploring the intersection between 
art and technology and research, such as gathering data such 
as sacred forests in Ethiopia, mapping lava flows in Ecuador, 
and surveying the forest canopy in Costa Rica.
Loan drones to students for checkout and experimentation.
Capture footage of sporting events.
Create promotional flybys of key 
campus buildings and features and 
virtual holiday greeting videos.
Record footage of unique campus events, 
such as picnics or move-in weekend.
Take unique photographs from 
hard to reach places.
Facilitate inspections of buildings 
and monitor construction projects.
Enhance field projects, such as studying 
wildlife from a distance, and detailed 3D 
archaeological mapping.
Monitor agricultural and 
environmental conditions.
Teach a course on designing 
and building drones.
Brian A. Rellinger – @rellinb 
Melissa Woo – @mzyw 
David Smallen – @hamcio 
Kevin Lynch – kplynch@colgate.edu 
Vala Afshar – @ValaAfshar 
Bob Nilsson – @RHnilsson 
Thanks to Kevin Lynch and Colgate University for the images on slides 5 and 6. 
Thanks to Brad Ward of Blue Fuego for the drone shown on slide 3

10 Uses of Drones in Higher Education

  • 2.
    Enable student projectsexploring the intersection between art and technology and research, such as gathering data such as sacred forests in Ethiopia, mapping lava flows in Ecuador, and surveying the forest canopy in Costa Rica.
  • 3.
    Loan drones tostudents for checkout and experimentation.
  • 4.
    Capture footage ofsporting events.
  • 5.
    Create promotional flybysof key campus buildings and features and virtual holiday greeting videos.
  • 6.
    Record footage ofunique campus events, such as picnics or move-in weekend.
  • 7.
    Take unique photographsfrom hard to reach places.
  • 8.
    Facilitate inspections ofbuildings and monitor construction projects.
  • 9.
    Enhance field projects,such as studying wildlife from a distance, and detailed 3D archaeological mapping.
  • 10.
    Monitor agricultural and environmental conditions.
  • 11.
    Teach a courseon designing and building drones.
  • 12.
    Brian A. Rellinger– @rellinb Melissa Woo – @mzyw David Smallen – @hamcio Kevin Lynch – kplynch@colgate.edu Vala Afshar – @ValaAfshar Bob Nilsson – @RHnilsson Thanks to Kevin Lynch and Colgate University for the images on slides 5 and 6. Thanks to Brad Ward of Blue Fuego for the drone shown on slide 3