HPTC Expanding Drone Training Opportunities
High Plains Technology Center Expanding Drone Training Opportunities
High Plains Technology Center is working to expand training opportunities in unmanned aircraft systems, commonly known as drones, with plans to offer an evening course for adults in the near future.
The new training opportunity is still being developed, with details such as dates, course length and enrollment information to be announced once finalized. The goal is to provide practical, hands-on drone training while also helping participants prepare for the FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot certification.
Drone technology has moved well beyond being a hobby. Today, unmanned aircraft are being used in agriculture, energy, construction, emergency response, real estate, photography, infrastructure inspection and numerous other industries.
For northwest Oklahoma, those applications could be particularly valuable.
Agricultural producers can use drones to inspect crops, livestock, fences and property. Energy companies use them to inspect equipment and infrastructure. Contractors can document projects and survey job sites. Realtors and photographers use aerial imagery to market properties and businesses. As technology continues to improve, new applications are emerging every year.
The opportunity also isn't limited to someone looking for a new full-time career.
One of the goals of the planned HPTC evening course will be to expose participants to the entrepreneurial possibilities associated with drone technology. Someone who already has a full-time job may be able to develop a side business providing aerial photography, agricultural imagery, roof or property inspections, construction documentation or other commercial drone services.
For individuals willing to earn the appropriate certification, develop their skills and find a niche in the marketplace, a drone can become more than a piece of technology — it can become a tool for creating income.
HPTC recently received a $15,250 FY2027 Aerospace and Aviation Education Grant from the Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics to help expand its unmanned aircraft education efforts. The grant includes funding for basic training drones, advanced UAS equipment capable of applications such as thermal imaging, inspection and agriculture, and FAA Part 107 curriculum and test-preparation materials.
The investment will allow HPTC to develop training that goes beyond simply learning how to fly a drone. The vision is to give participants an understanding of safe operations, FAA requirements, commercial applications and the opportunities that exist to put those skills to work.
The evening format is being considered specifically to make the training accessible to working adults who may not be able to participate during the traditional workday.
The program is also consistent with HPTC's larger workforce-development mission: identifying technology and skills that are becoming important to industry and making that training available locally.
Specific details about the upcoming evening course, including dates, cost, enrollment requirements and registration information, will be announced by High Plains Technology Center as plans are finalized.
