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posted by Fnord666 on Thursday October 05 2017, @07:58PM   Printer-friendly
from the prospective-drone-pilots-are-looking-up dept.

Hot-air balloon pilot Richard Varney typically spends his weekends transporting tourists around central Massachusetts in a huge, multicolored balloon. But on a recent Sunday, Varney drove to a local community college and learned to fly a different type of aerial vehicle. "I want to try something new," he said as he watched an instructor demonstrate how to steer a $2,000 drone equipped with a camera. "This could help me launch a side business taking aerial photos of local towns."

Varney isn't the only one betting on this as a new vocation. At least 15 community colleges across the country now have courses that teach people how to pilot drones, according to research conducted by MIT Technology Review. The trend accelerated over the past year, after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a rule that requires people who operate drones commercially to take a test and get certified as "remote pilots."

Some four-year colleges and private companies are also training people to be drone pilots, but the community-college programs are particularly interesting because they attract diverse types of students, including adults looking to change careers. In fact, many community colleges offer drone classes through their "workforce development" and "workforce solutions" departments, which are designed to impart practical skills that people can apply immediately to their jobs or use to get new jobs, rather than conferring credits toward a college degree.

No career prospects for drone pilots in private detective agencies or reality pr0n either?


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  • (Score: 2) by c0lo on Friday October 06 2017, @10:03AM

    by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Friday October 06 2017, @10:03AM (#577911) Journal

    Do they also offer diplomas in how to make and throw paper airplanes or tying your own shoelaces?

    Diplomas, no.
    But I bet they'll be happy to give you, at the end of the course, a certificate of attendance and... umm... yes, competence is the word.
    And they'll offer you a discount if you take both of the courses, perhaps even 10% - it'll be only $9000 instead of 2 x $5000.

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    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
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