STEM and drones: Drone lesson plans for kids (and adults!)

Maybe you’re looking to start an after-school STEM program as part of a Girl or Boy Scout troop, YMCA, or other program for kids. Maybe you’re a teacher looking to incorporate drones into your everyday lesson plans. Or maybe you’re a parent of grade-school kid just looking for supplemental enrichment programming for the kids to do over summer or winter break. As drones become one of the most sought-after STEM tools in classrooms, you might be in need of some drone lesson plans.

Drones are an excellent way to keep kids both engaged with learning and entertained. And luckily, there’s tons of drone-based educational content designed for kids (okay, and adults too!). Many are even free and available online.

I’ve put together a guide to the best high school drone programs, which are best suited for school districts to adopt as curriculum placed in schools.

Related read: 7 steps to building a high school drone program

But what if you’re looking for lesson plans at home? This guide is for you.

These drone lesson plans come from some reputable sources including Khan Academy and NASA. So with that here are the best at-home drone lesson plans and other activities for parents to share with their kids (including free drone lesson plans, too):

The best paid drone curriculum

When it comes to drone lesson plans, they tend to break out into two categories: 1. using drones as an introduction to coding and STEM fields, and 2. actually getting a job in drones, by way of Part 107 training and hands-on flight experience.

We’ll dive into both:

Best progressive drone pathway from basics to Python: STEAM Thru Drones

If you’re looking for a curriculum that takes students all the way from drone fundamentals to real Python programming (rather than a single standalone course) STEAM Thru Drones has built exactly that.

The program consists of three interconnected curricula designed as a grades 4-through-12 career pathway:

• Dronology is the entry point, covering drone basics, safety, real-world applications, and FAA Part 107 foundational concepts. It introduces students to career pathways in aviation, engineering, and public safety. It’s a strong fit for CTE programs as well as standard STEM classrooms.
• AeroCode takes students into Blockly-style visual block coding using the CoDrone EDU platform, teaching logic, sequencing, and problem-solving with immediate flight feedback. This is a good option for students who have never written a line of code
• AeroPython moves students into real Python programming, covering variables, loops, functions, and autonomous flight mission design. By the end, students are engineering drone missions, not just flying drones.

What sets STEAM Thru Drones apart from other curriculum options is the pipeline design: each program builds on the last, so students who start with Dronology in elementary school can progress through AeroCode and AeroPython over the years rather than starting over with a new platform each time. The programs have already reached more than 2,700 students across 15+ schools, with a specific focus on expanding access in rural and underserved communities. Each curriculum also comes with teacher training and classroom-ready kits, making it accessible even for educators with no prior drone experience.

Age group: Grades 4–12

How to access: Visit steamthrudrones.com

The best drone lesson plans focused on coding and other STEM fields

Best for older students learning about Raspberry Pi: Drone Dojo

Whether you already have your own parts to build your own drone and want straightforward guidance via a perfectly laid out video tutorial, or you want to order a ready-to-build Raspberry Pi drone kit, Drone Dojo is your source.

Drone Dojo is an incredible learning hub with video DIY drone courses on topics including “How to build a Raspberry Pi drone,” and “How to program a drone using Python.” There’s even a deep-dive, capstone-type course on “Precision Landing and Drone Delivery.”

If all the courses make it feel like it’ll be tough to choose, the good news is you don’t have to. Drone Dojo runs on a monthly subscription model. Its Blue Belt Membership costs $27 per month.

Most of his courses are around building drones using Raspberry Pi. Raspberry Pi is a popular line of small, single-board computers about the size of a credit card used among STEM classrooms and even small businesses. These days, the Raspberry Pi is one of the best-selling British computers. In fact, more than 30 million boards have been sold as of December 2019.

The $27 online subscription gets you all the virtual courses, though you’ll need to supply your own materials. That means you ultimately might shell out, say, $900 Raspberry Pi drone kit. Though, that kit is well worth it, as it includes all the supplies you need. Plus, there are video tutorials teaching you how to put them together.

While the course itself is easy to follow, this is not a kids’ project. Use this one for advanced high school students, or young adults (and old adults!).

Age group: High school to adults

Cost: $27 per month

How to access: Subscribe to Drone Dojo here

Best drone education for high school classrooms: DARTdrones

DARTdrones has long been a leader in drone training company, and their course, “Intro to Drones: Opportunities, Careers, and FAA Certification Readiness” takes their years of training experience and puts it in a package designed for high school students.

The curriculum teaches students everything they need to know to pass the Part 107 test, how to fly, how to find a career in drones and steps on becoming a drone service provider.

It’s also great for teachers who want to teach drones, but who feel like they don’t have the expertise (yet). DARTdrones offers a “Train the Trainer” program with virtual Q&As and access to a learning management system (LMS) specific for high school teachers.

The course costs $1,500 for a 12-student package or $2,000 for a 20-student package. There’s also an option for an individual student license, which costs $200.

Exclusive deal for Drone Camera Work Readers! Save 20% off the usual course price when you sign up for DARTdrones here and use the discount code DRONEGIRL20.

Age group: High school

Cost: $200 (single license), $1,500 (12-student package), or $2,000 (20-student package).

The best drone lesson plans for learning about drone light shows

Drone light shows aren’t just mesmerizing — they’re an engaging, cross-disciplinary learning opportunity that blends coding, engineering, design, and teamwork. If you’re an educator who wants to go beyond basic LED blinking and into actual drone choreography, here are the top drone show courses for schools:

Best DIY option: Drone Dojo Light Show Course

If you’re more hands-on or on a tighter budget, consider Drone Dojo’s Light Show Course, accessible through their Blue Belt Membership. This self-paced, online course walks you through building your own swarm of light show drones using Drone Dojo’s PiHawk kits.

It’s ideal for high school robotics clubs or advanced students who want to do it all—from soldering and 3D printing to programming their own shows.

While the course only costs $27/month, you’ll need the accompanying $1,000-per-drone PiHawk kits, so a full 10-drone light show will run you around $10,000 total.

Learn more about the Drone DoJo Light Show Course.

Cost: $27/month for course, ~$1,000 per drone
Age group: Advanced high school students or older
How to access: Subscribe to the Drone Dojo Blue Belt Membership.

The best drone lesson plans for getting your Part 107 license

Many of the online courses revolve around Part 107 test prep. Under the Federal Aviation Administration’s Part 107, anyone in the U.S. wanting to operate a drone commercially needs to obtain a drone pilot license, which you get by passing an in-person written exam. Here are some of the Part 107 test prep courses I like:

For older kids (high-school age and up) seeking a career in drones: Drone Pilot Ground School

Under the Federal Aviation Administration’s Part 107, anyone in the U.S. wanting to operate a drone commercially needs to obtain a drone pilot license. You get that by passing an in-person written exam. 

Does your teen wants an awesome summer job? Delivering pizzas via drone? Conducting roof inspections for neighbors? Maybe they just want to be ready for a career in drones. Use this time to start studying for the Part 107 test.

You must be at least 16 years old to qualify for a remote pilot certificate. Given that, it might make sense for 14 or 15 year olds to start taking the course now so they’re ready to take and pass the test when they turn 16.

To study, I recommend online learning platform Drone Pilot Ground School (it’s what I, Drone Camera Work, used to pass my Part 107 test on the first try) for a trove of videos, practice questions, a cram sheet, a forum, weekly newsletter, 1:1 customer support and more. The program typically takes about 15-20 hours to complete.

It usually costs $299, but you can use this link to automatically get $100 off their course (the discount will apply in your cart).

Plus, it gets better for high school students. They offer a scholarship program that awards recipients free access to their course and reimbursement for the $150 FAA exam fee. Apply here, and apply now, as the submission deadline is rolling.

If you’re on a budget and can’t get accepted for the scholarship program, also check out Drone Launch Academy. It’s another great Part 107 training course, and it’s slightly cheaper at just $199 (plus, use code DRONEGIRL50 to save an extra $50), bringing your total to just $149. No matter what course you use, I HIGHLY recommend Drone Launch Academy’s flashcards too!

Age group: 14+

Cost: Free to $299 (or $199 with coupon)

How to access: Visit Drone Pilot Ground School here.

For pilots who want peace of mind about not failing: Drone Launch Academy

The $200 Drone Launch Academy online course can provide you peace of mind about passing. If you fail your in-person exam, Drone Launch Academy will pay for you to retake it, which is an $150 value in itself, on top of a course refund (an additional $199 value).

• Price: $199 (plus use coupon code DRONEGIRL50 to save $50 and bring your price down to just $149)
• Time needed to complete: 5 hours to watch the videos straight through, or 15 hours to go through all the study materials
• What’s included in the price tag: video lectures, 200 practice questions including actual FAA questions, 75-page downloadable e-book study guide

The best drone lesson plans specific to physical drones

The best drone to learn to code: Crazyflie Nano drone

DroneBlocks recently began selling the Crazyflie Nano drone for educators looking to teach coding through drones in response to DJI discontinuing the Tello drone. 

The Crazyflie Nano drone, weighing 27 grams, is compact enough to fit in a student’s palm. Designed for indoor flying, it can navigate crowded areas like classrooms. In fact, the Crazyflie drone comes in at No. 1 in my recommendation list of the top educational drones for a STEM program.

This allows students to engage in block coding and Python programming using the DroneBlocks app, providing them the opportunity to immediately test and improve their coding skills in real-time.

The drone can also be assembled by hand in about 15 minutes, another great feature that educators can incorporate into their instruction.

Age group: Grade school to adult

Cost: $379

How to access: Get your own Crazyflie through the DroneBlocks site

Free curriculum: the best drone lesson plans that don’t cost a dime

For free videos on mapping and reality capture: DroneDeploy Insider

This streaming service airs past DroneDeploy Conference talks, plus videos made specifically for the service. There are also podcasts, plus downloadable PDFs (in case you want extra info in a format that’s not video). Called DroneDeploy Insider, it’s made by DroneDeploy. Based in San Francisco, DroneDeploy makes drone mapping software — so just beware its underlying goal to sell you as a DroneDeploy customer.

Age group: Adults

Cost: Free

How to access: Visit DroneDeploy Insider here.

For free online instruction in a range of topics: Khan Academy

Khan Academy is a free online site with lessons, exercises and quizzes. I recommend their “Crash Course on Indoor Flying Robots.”

But that’s not all the drone-related course offered on Khan Academy. Electrical engineers might be interested in this course on home-made robots or this program on building motors. This photography course incorporates aerial photography.

And this one isn’t directly drone-related, but besides my love of drones, I love Disney…so I’m sharing it anyway! Disney developed their own series of 32 videos for Khan Academy called ‘Imagineering in a Box’. The lesson plan show how Imagineers (that’s Disney’s term for their creative engineering team) use skills ranging from story development and conceptual design, to math, physics and engineering – to create immersive experiences. We know that Disney Imagineering is actively looking into drones themselves. They’ve filed patents for their own drone projects. And, they once teamed up with Intel to put on a drone light show for Disney World guests.

Age group: 4 to 18 years

Cost: Free

How to access: Visit Khan Academy’s website here.

For drone lesson plans that integrate a 3D printer: NASA’s 3D Models

This is a little more space-oriented than drone, but it’s relevant, especially given that many dronies also own 3D printers.

NASA allows you to download tons of free digital 3D models. That way, you can print your own miniature satellites, landing sites, asteroids, spacecraft, spacesuits and astronaut tools.

While most of the models for now are space-focused, NASA has actually been quite active in the drone industry. That includes working closely with the FAA on efforts related to drone air traffic control.

Age group: 13+

Cost: Free (if you don’t have a 3D printer yet, you can typically buy one for less than $200)

How to access: Download 3D models from NASA’s webpage here.

For high-achieving students seeking college-level drone lesson plans: Class Central

Online course aggregator Class Central has tons of online educational content on a range of topics (drones and beyond). And some of its best courses? More than 400, free Ivy League classes.

Older students who want to work in the drone industry might be especially interested in these ones:

• Robotics: Aerial Robotics from University of Pennsylvania
• Introduction to Engineering and Design from Brown University
• Introduction to Computer Science from Harvard University
• Exposing Digital Photography from Harvard University
• Entrepreneurship: Launching your Start-Up from University of Pennsylvania

Browse all of the free Ivy League courses here.

Age group: High school to college

Cost: Free

How to access: Browse all of Class Central’s available classes here.

If you’re looking to incorporate physical drones into the classroom, check out my guide to the best indoor drones. Also, see my favorite free drone content online (for learning and entertainment). If you’re looking for reading materials, check out my guide to the best drone children’s books.

What drone lesson plans do you recommend? Do you have any tips for starting (or growing) a STEM program? Leave a comment below!