Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) are increasingly being used for applications that range from package delivery to transportation planning to global change science. Our 11-credit online graduate certificate in UAS teaches you about drone platforms and sensors, mission planning, how to safely fly drones, and importantly, how to rigorously manage and analyze the large datasets that drone-based sensors collect. Students explore other areas of remote sensing or geospatial science by choosing a related elective course from the GIST program or other departments on campus (with approval). Adding a UAS certificate to your graduate program gives you expertise in this fast-growing field, and students who decide later to earn our professional master’s degree in GIS&T can apply these courses to their program.
The online graduate certificate in UAS is built around 1-3 credit core courses that teach you the fundamentals of UAS hardware, flight planning and execution, and data analysis. Included in the core is a 2-credit field-based workshop that teaches you to safely fly drones and efficiently collect data. Students also choose a 3-credit elective course to strengthen their knowledge in a topic relevant to their studies or career.
In the last 10+ years, UAS (drones) have evolved from aerial vehicles used primarily by the military, to important tools in science, business, and civil government. Trained drone pilots and data analysts can apply their skills to graduate studies across disciplines or in careers in construction, journalism, energy development, agriculture, business, and many other fields that comprise this $100 billion industry.
Contact our program advisor:
Ken Driese
gist@uwyo.edu
307-766-2532