As the 2020 scholastic year comes to a close, teachers, parents, and students collectively are sighing in relief. The majority of the world had to shift educational gears and learn how to home school and teach online nearly overnight. The struggle was real, and now many are still wondering what the 2020-2021 school year will look like. Will schools reopen, or will tele-education become the new norm? One university has perfected the option of learning from home, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU).

When stunt pilot John Paul Riddle met Higbee Embry, an entrepreneur and aviation enthusiast, in 1925 “they formed the Embry-Riddle Company to teach the adventurous to fly,” as stated on ERAU’s website. With more than 130,000 alumni, ERAU is the largest accredited university dedicated to aviation and aerospace. They have their main campuses in Daytona Beach, FL, and Prescott, AZ with other campuses around the world. They have become particularly known for their Embry-Riddle Online and Worldwide Campus programs that “feature state-of-the-art online technology that offers you the flexibility of learning whenever and wherever you want.”

ERAU first began its distance learning program 25 years ago by mailing VHS cassettes to students, progressing to being an innovator in online learning. Since 2013, ERAU has been ranked in the top 5 of online learning institutions worldwide every year. Being a school dedicated to aviation, they have found a way to enable valuable learning experiences that lead to high ranking employment in one of the fastest growing fields of aviation, drones. Assistant Professor at ERAU Worldwide Campus and Program Chair for the Bachelor of Science in Unmanned Systems Applications, Christian Janke, lives in Germany where he teaches students around the world about drones.

Being part of an online university program Janke explains that all of his students complete the majority of their lessons entirely online, at home, from a distance. However, he does point out that for practical drone flight exams students do need to be present in a test center to receive their certification. For many drone test centers, Part 107 exams can be completed safely without individuals having to come closer than six feet of each other. But working in the field of drones goes far beyond being able to fly one. As Janke explained, their program focuses on three main tracks, administration, operation, and development. Janek goes on to say, “Someone in the Operations track would be a person who would start his or her own business or work in a larger company as an in-service provider using sUAS and drones. There’s a lot of demand for the Administration track worldwide, from authorities, the insurance industry, and state entities. This technology is driving a great deal of interest, so many domestic civil aviation authorities need skilled and trained personnel that know about drones, unmanned systems, robotics, and the connected regulation. The Development track would be applicable e.g. for manufacturers. There are a lot of manufacturers that need skilled workers and people who can work in engineering and develop new products that deal with battery technology, propulsion, and many other things.”

It is through detailed courses like the ones overseen by Janke that ERUA has become such a highly esteemed university for those wanting to have a future in drone technologies. This year EURA has decided to increase its online courses to individuals who aren’t even enrolled in the school program. They have recognized the need for people all over the world to educate themselves in a new way and want to encourage online learning as much as possible. EURA announced on their website earlier this year, “Embry-Riddle Worldwide offers MOOCs (Massive Open Online Course) to anyone with an Internet connection and a desire to learn about aviation. And they are free!” Since the courses will be free, they will not be graded or apply to any graduation requirements. As to what students get upon course completion the website states,
“Students who complete the MOOC may receive a record of attendance to mark their accomplishment. A social media badge noting successful completion of the course may be available for students who pass the course.” The courses will run for about 2 weeks each, taking around 2-4 hours a week to complete.

The MOOCs are available to anyone in the world. The website goes on to clarify, “Whether you are a high school student thinking about a career in aviation, an Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University student considering a different program of study, or a curious learner interested in getting a “free sample” of what the world’s largest aviation university has to offer, signing up for a MOOC could be right for you.” The first MOOC offered was called Enhancing STEM Education with Drones and was geared, but not limited too, educators looking to incorporate drones into their curriculum.

A program like this is a way to introduce the world of drones to people all over the world. It also will give students practice in learning remotely from one of the pioneers in remote learning. Right now the plan for the coming school year is still vague. Many parents are already planning to home school their children. Some college bound students are opting to take a gap year, while many already in college are opting to enroll in their school’s online courses. ERUA is setting the bar high for how successful an online education truly can be. The graduates of their drone programs are finding work all over the world. And if there is one thing that we have learned over the last few months, it is how much more our society is beginning to rely on drone technology to enable safe social distancing.