Drones have gained popularity in the media over their futuristic and controversial uses. A drone is, simply put, a remote controlled helicopter. The Engineering department has recently joined the drone craze, with a DJI Inspire Series quad opted drone.

This drone has a detachable 4k camera with 12 megapixel image that streams a live feed of the drone’s view to a set of glasses. The wearer of the glasses can then see exactly what the drone is seeing during flight. The drone also has GPS and homing systems that allow the flyer to direct the drone.

When the battery is low, the drone will fly back to the home spot or to the point of takeoff. The maximum altitude and speed are 4,500 meters and 22 meters per second, and the maximum flying time is 18 minutes, according to junior Nick Nye.

“We mainly use it for our rocket projects, TARC teams, and during our testing flights,” Nye said.

The drone is useful for testing the stability and strength in flight and provides a closer view of the rocket to help troubleshoot any issues. Drones are also used for testing on the S4 payload used for scaled tests of the system made by the engineering students for the rocket to be launched in Nevada, according to Nye.

“I think it’s really great that we’re able to use this kind of technology and the drones are great for helping us improve our rockets,” junior Izzie Austin said.

The engineering students plan to continue using the drones to help them with designing their rockets, according to Austin.

– Nazihah Bhatti, Staff Writer