Southeastern gets new drone

Information Technology students are learning how to control and operate a new drone which was recently purchased by the school. The drone, which is a Phantom 3 model developed by DJI.com, is a light-weight remote control quadcopter with a high-definition camera mounted to it. It can provide both aerial videos and photos which are taken automatically during flight-time.

Besides being a lot of fun to operate, the drone could be used for a lot of different projects around the school. Already, the students have used the drone to make a six-minute video of the school grounds, posted on the Southeastern Facebook page, which shows the school’s roof, football field, courtyard, and playing fields.

Athletic Director Daniel Tripp said he would like to use it to record football practices and games. He said it is currently difficult to video all the football plays from the school press box in the stadium and having aerial views could be a great boost for instruction.

The students in Information Technology all enjoy operating the drone and they have learned yet another use for their smartphones. The drone works through an APP that is downloaded onto a smartphone which is then connected to a hand-held control box. The students can then direct the quadcopter with a multi-axis stick, which controls the speed and direction of the drone. The control box also includes a viewing screen so the students can see exactly what the drone is viewing.

So far, the biggest challenge has been keeping the drone on course through the wind.

“At first, it was difficult, but after a while, we got used to it,” said Jovohn Andrade.

Dylan Putnam operated the drone while it was shooting the school grounds video and he said he’s been very impressed with the drone’s maneuverability.

“It has a lot of capabilities and we can do a lot of different flying with it. It can also hover right over the ground,” he said.

Mr. Paul Pietal, who directs the Information Technology program, said he and his students have been considering a variety of projects for the drone. They hope to collaborate with the Video Production department to make creative videos. Other possible uses include roof inspections and assisting the Legal and Protective Services department by providing aerial views of their search and rescue operations.

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