Commercial UAS (Drone) Pilot Certificate

Take the first step to becoming a commercial drone pilot. Learn the rules and regulations to become certified and start earning money with your drone. Review all the topics in the FAA Part 107 to ensure you are flying legally. It’s not all bookwork as you begin flying on a simulator to help build your stick control while you go through the FAA guidelines. End the class with a night flight demo!

Move from the simulator to actual hands-on flying. Unlike some drone programs, this class will give you the basic skills to fly a commercial drone. Experience what it’s like to see the world from 400 feet above the earth. Prepare to sit for the Unmanned Aircraft General – Small (UAG) exam with practice exams and reviews of what might be on the test. Prerequisite: DRN-020 Commercial Remote Pilot Pt. 1.

Now that you are a commercial pilot, take to the skies with professional-grade drones and learn how to capture photos and videos. Learn to plan and fly missions and collect images for your intended purposes. Get experience flying on different drones that are capable of doing a variety of jobs. Show off your skills by completing the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) remote pilot test lane that will show just how much control and accuracy you have. Prerequisites: DRN-021 Commercial Remote Pilot Pt. 2, Part 107 and 15 hours of flight time.

Love taking pictures or videos from the air but not sure what to do with them? Get a foundational understanding of how to edit using industry-leading software for both the visual and data world. Learn the art and science of editing and processing what you capture with your drone. Present your edited images as if you were presenting to a potential client. Get the next steps on how to launch your own business with entrepreneur help. Prerequisite: DRN-022 or DRN-002.

1. Do I need my own drone?
   No. Having your own drone is fine but not necessary, as the College supplies drones to be used by students.
2. Are there prerequisites for this program?
   No experience is required to enroll in this program.
3. Are there requirements to complete the program?
   To complete the UAS program, students need to have earned their Part 107 and a total of 35 hours of recorded flight.
4. How much flying will we do?
   There are at least 6 Saturdays devoted to flying. However, it’s important to remember that flying drones safely is only one aspect of being employed as a drone pilot. For instance, what to do with the images you collect from flying is just as important as flying itself.
5. Is financial assistance available?
   Yes! This program is eligible for tuition assistance.
6. Where does the training take place?
   This is a hybrid program with most classes held in-person at Carroll Community College, with some classes running remotely.
7. Who should take this training?
   This program is ideal for individuals who:
   • Have good hand/eye coordination and like using technology.
   • Want to add drone pilot to their résumé to make them stand out in such fields as marketing, inspections, agriculture, and more.
   • Enjoy traveling for work.
   • Like jobs that offer variety, from new locations to new outcomes.

Customize and edit photos like a pro! Understand image file types and apply basic photo editing features such as cropping and red eye reduction. Learn to utilize features such as layers, masking and gradients. Discover shortcuts to increase your productivity. Highly recommended: Familiarity with basic computer skills, including keyboard and mouse. Mac computer experience preferred but not required. This course utilizes Adobe Photoshop CC.

Unleash your photo creativity! Create impact with filters by altering lighting effects and changing backgrounds. Apply transparent areas in images to be used with other applications. Learn to retouch and restore old damaged photographs. Isolate image areas by creating and saving masks with specialized tools, commands, modes and layer elements. Learn to adjust the print settings for maximum output from your printer. Prerequisites: Photoshop Level 1 or equivalent experience. Mac computer experience preferred but not required. This course utilizes Adobe Photoshop CC.

Be Hollywood ready! Master advanced features of Adobe Premiere and learn the techniques that will set your videos apart from the rest of the crowd. Understand the secrets of special effects for audio and video and when to use them to enhance your project. Edit and mix audio and learn how to generate titles and text to give your movie a polished appearance. Prerequisite: DAP-791 Premiere Level 1. Mac computer experience preferred but not required.