Students at Thompson Falls Junior High are getting a unique opportunity this year. A GEAR UP grant has helped fund a drone class being taught by Doree Thilmony.

In this class, the students will learn about the physics of flight, engineering components, design, mathematics, science of the drone and how it flies, as well as all forces of flight experience including lift and drag. "It's a great, hands-on learning tool about the physics of flight," Thilmony said.

The students are learning on a model of drone called a Telodrone. As stated by Thilmony, "as an introductory drone, it's a great little training drone that can be used inside, without losing too much confidence when flying it." The students are studying different kinds of landing techniques such as leapfrog and a technique called Yaw Square, which is rotating the drone left and right at a ninety-degree angle.

When asked the hardest part about performing a Yaw Square, student Cole Seward said, "the distance that you have to go while making a full square." Jasmine Meyers noted when flying and landing the drone was challenging, "the controlling is really sensitive." Maddie Chojnacky said the hardest part about flying the drone was, "keeping in line with the landing pad, and all the different landing techniques."

The drone is controlled using an app on an iPad. Many students agreed that trying to land the drone on the landing pad was the hardest feat to overcome.

Thilmony said the students have been really interested in how drones can help the environment. They have learned numerous practices where drones have been beneficial. There are drones that will hover above different species of whales and have the ability to catch mucus when a whale clears its blow hole. From that mucus, scientists are able to determine certain environmental factors in the ocean.

Drones have also aided in wildfire management, allowing people to scan an area that is too treacherous for people to reach. Thilmony also mentioned that farmers have been the ones who find the use of drones most efficient. Drones help the farmers analyze the fields and cattle and have also helped reduce pesticide use. Drones give farmers the capability to see what areas need to be fertilized and what areas don't.

Even though this is the first year this class is being taught at the school, Thilmony feels it has been a successful learning experience so far. "It has been a really good class. It has opened up my eyes, as well as the kids' eyes," she stated.

The drone classes run for one quarter at the junior high. Montana GEAR UP grants lend support and help prepare students in grades 7 through 12 for college and careers through academic preparedness.