Using Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems for Remote Sensing and Data Collection: Aerospace Education and Service Learning

The authors conducted a service learning study abroad with 23 students in the Balkan country, Republic of Kosovo, during June and July 2019. Students came from the College of Aviation and Engineering and were enrolled in undergraduate coursework. Using small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS), as platforms for remote sensing, students gathered imagery of historical cultural heritage locations and collected atmospheric data in the urban boundary layer (UBL). Funded in part by the U.S. Embassy in Kosovo, the program shows great promise in reinforcing core learning concepts through practical problem solving in field applications. Furthermore, participants benefit from enhanced collaboration, cultural exposure and civic engagement.