Hawaiʻi Community College has recently been awarded a $920,238 grant from the National Science Foundation to enhance education through drones and remote sensing technology. This initiative builds on the existing drone certification program and targets industries such as utilities, civil engineering, agriculture, and environmental hazard mitigation.
The project, titled “Expanding the Impact of Geospatial Remote Sensing in Hawaiʻi,” aims to train students not only in flying unmanned aerial vehicles but also in processing and analyzing complex data. By incorporating advanced technologies like lidar and computational tools, students will work on practical projects across disciplines such as engineering technology and forestry management, ultimately leading to a certificate in geospatial remote sensing.
The initiative is expected to improve access to high-tech career opportunities, strengthen educational pathways from high school to community colleges and four-year institutions, and support ongoing training for current workers in relevant fields. The goal is to equip graduates with the skills necessary to thrive in the growing drone economy, ensuring they are competitive for high-paying positions in both public and private sectors.
