ISU Extension and Outreach hosts Drone Camp ...

It’s a plane. It’s a helicopter. No, it’s a drone! Youth in third through fifth grades became more familiar with drones as they learned the different parts, terminology and rules and regulations of flying a drone. They first learned of the endless possibilities that law enforcement/fire departments use a drone for, such as locating missing people, reaching remote locations to observe damage, checking buildings for hot spots after a fire, dropping aid and many more. Youth learned about rotary wing and fixed wing aircrafts when experimenting with prop-copters and Styrofoam gliders. Some new terminology for the youth included words like roll, pitch and yaw, which are three dynamics that help create a flight path for planes and drones. Colin Brennan from Lansing brought his drone and explained to the youth some of the rules and regulations that he was to follow in order to use his drone for business, capturing photos and video. Some rules and regulations he follows include completing a pilot's test, registering his drone with the government, not flying within a five-mile radius of an airport without prior approval and flying his drone under 400 feet. Another perspective received was from Andrew Mellick of Waukon, who flies a drone for crop scouting. His drone does not need to be registered nor does he need to complete the pilot's test since that drone is used for personal land use. The youth ended the day with flying their own Lumi drones. For more information about 4-H and upcoming activities contact Becky Rea, 4-H K-12 Program Coordinator, at the Allamakee County Extension and Outreach Office at 563-568-6345 or http://www.extension.iastate.edu/allamakee/. Submitted photos, group photo courtesy of Colin Brennan.