Public school officials in Osage County, Okla., were looking for a fun, creative activity for its middle schoolers last year. They found one by partnering with Scouting America’s Exploring program.
Last year, Learning for Life, an affiliate of Scouting America that operates the Exploring program, partnered with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Academy of Model Aeronautics to supply free drone kits to councils. These kits were for new Exploring clubs or posts focusing on drone aviation.
The initiative is designed to teach youth about the science of flight by constructing and flying their own drones. It proved extremely popular among students in the northeastern Oklahoma school district, as well as councils across the country that have heard the buzz about this exciting Exploring option.
“We had an Explorer explosion,” says Philip Wright, Scout executive for the Cherokee Area Council, a United Way partner agency. “It was the right program at the right time. The schools were looking for something different. It was a perfect partnership.”
Taking off
Exploring is a career-based Scouting program for young people ages 10 to 20. Each club or post focuses on a specific career field. The units emphasize everything from law enforcement to health care to skilled trades.
Drone aviation is one of the latest fields to be added to the lineup, and it’s a field that’s taking off — literally.
Drones can be used in entertainment. If you went to this year’s National Jamboree, you were treated to a spectacular drone light show.
They can also be used for delivering products, inspecting tall buildings and structures, farming, surveying, and photographing from the air.
Through the Exploring program, learning about this field isn’t just classroom work; thanks to adult leaders, it’s the EDGE method in action with building and flying days. In the Cherokee Area Council, it also included days when Scouts could try their hand at coding by programming little robotic cars from Sphero Indi, thanks to the council’s partnership with United Way.
“They’ll retain so much more if they’re a part of it,” Wright says. “That’s what made it fun; it was very hands-on.”
More endeavors
In Massachusetts, Explorers meet virtually twice a month to learn about drones and related careers.
“They’re fun and well attended,” says Darrin Johnson, program director for Scouting Boston. “Once a month, we have a fly day.”
The Explorers check out the drone kits from the New England Base Camp, a Spirit of Adventure Council camp, and work on them from home. The council also offered robots that could operate underwater.
Johnson says many older youth were interested in the drone aviation program. Older Scouts can pursue earning a recreational drone flyer certificate that will allow them to safely fly drones within FAA regulations.
Some Explorers who are also Scouts BSA members worked on related merit badges, like Space Exploration and Aviation.
Starting a drone program
If you’re interested in volunteering or helping launch an Explorer unit, visit the Exploring website, where you can find guidelines specifically for drone aviation clubs or posts.
You can also call your council to connect and collaborate with Scouting leaders and volunteers. This program can be introduced to schools, homeschool associations or other groups of interested youth.
“The excitement is contagious,” Wright says. “They were ecstatic beyond belief to have this opportunity. We had Explorers who wanted to take a robot home. That’s a sign that they’re excited about the program.”
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