RPAT-ENGLISH

The Remotely Piloted Aircraft Technology (RPAT) course is a self-paced learning module designed to teach students about the fundamentals of drone operations in areas such as aerodynamics, propulsion systems, flight operations, and more.

Who is this course for?

Students that wish to learn and grow their understanding of drone technology.

What will you learn? Students will be able to:

·       Obtain and apply knowledge of Lift and Drag Theory and Aircraft Structures to understand overall aircraft flight and operation.

·       Obtain and apply knowledge of Propulsion Systems to understand aircraft design.

·       Learn how aircraft design, weather conditions, and control surfaces, impact aircraft performance.

·       Learn about basic safety practices and organizational procedures to use in developing safe drone flight habits.

·       Develop knowledge about drone payload integration to use in custom-built drone solutions.

Topic Overview: Basics of Fixed-Wing Aircraft, Lift and Drag, Aircraft Structures, Propulsion Systems and Aircraft Design, Aircraft Performance, Stability, and Control, Safe Flight Operations, Organizational Procedures, Basics of Meteorology, Impact of Weather on Drone Flight, Payload Integration

Prerequisites: Students are encouraged to have some background in engineering, mathematics, and physics. Relevant professions include technicians, engineers, drone pilots, data scientists, and more.

How much time you need to invest: RPAT has 5 full sessions with a 6th partial session for Payloads. Each session will require 4-8 hours of learning, including time for an assessment. As such, RPAT requires anywhere between 20-40 hours of time invested, completely self-paced.

Course Certificate: Students that complete the RPAT course will receive the African Drone and Data Academy's RPAT certificate, signifying the student has a fundamental understanding of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Technology.

Course Owner: All content is owned by UNICEF and the content was developed for UNICEF by Virginia Tech, in partnership with Furman University and Malawi University of Science and Technology. Copyright: UNICEF.

Content License: CC-BY-2.5

Course Contact: For any issues regarding the course, please contact Matt DeJager at dmatt99@vt.edu .