CRESTVIEW — Laurel Hill School science, technology, engineering and math students will get to see innovation in action on Monday.
Students will fly mini drones in the classroom before proceeding outdoors to watch larger unmanned aircraft systems. The demonstration, open to all LHS students, begins at 2:15 p.m.
The project — requested by local STEM advocates like Paul Hsu and the Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce's Paul Hsu Foundation Teaching Excellence Awards in Math and Science committee, chaired by Dennis Mitchell — is led by Sean McSheehy, an educator of Aviation, Engineering and Robotics at Choctaw High School.
"I was intrigued by this demo as it is not only drones but will show some specific and practical agricultural peacetime uses for the technology," Mitchell said in an email. "We usually think of military applications but that will likely end up being the small end of this rapidly developing technology."
With help from Embry Riddle Worldwide Partners and the University of Central Florida Limitless Solutions Program, McSheehy exposes students to innovation and technological entrepreneurship.
He leads a group of students in unmanned aircraft education and competition under the U.S. Drone Team. The program, which offers certification and earned education credits for college, champions efforts like Amazon Prime Air, an initiative to deliver packages within 30 minutes or less to customers who live close to the online store's fulfillment centers.
It sounds like science fiction, but it's the not-too-distant future — and that kind of technology should benefit North Okaloosa students, he said.
“When you witness these students not only learning the technology, but actually developing and harnessing it for themselves… well, there is no greater excitement as an educator,” McSheehy said in a news release.
“These kids get locked in and light up. You get a glimpse at how the next Steve Jobs could be right here in Northwest Florida.”
The possibilities are promising, Mitchell said.
"This is such a great program and I'm very interested in seeing it grow here in our region," he said.
Email News Bulletin Editor Thomas Boni, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Drone education program comes to Laurel Hill School