Workshop raised awareness of the importance of drones in science
Last week, 26 girls and boys from Poland and Germany joined the “Drone adventure workshop” at CASUS. They assembled in total nine small drones from construction kits with the help of drone experts and CASUS scientists. Even though minor challenges like incorrectly assembled wings or over-tightened screws had to be overcome, all nine drones successfully took of the ground and were steered by the enthralled kids.
The packed two hours flew by in a jiffy as besides assembling, the children also needed to understand how the communication between the remote control and the drone works. The Air:bit 2 DIY programmable drone kit used is based on the BBC micro:bit microcontroller. It can be programmed using Microsoft MakeCode, MicroPython or Scratch. Finally, the drones were ready to lift off. But this was certainly a challenge on its own as you needed to find the right throttle balance to take-off but not crash into an obstacle.
Additional information:
Arkadiusz Żurek
PhD Student
Wrocław University of Science and Technology & CASUS
Media contact:
Dr. Martin Laqua
Officer Communications, Press and Public Relations Center for Advanced Systems Understanding (CASUS) at HZDR
One-half of the participants show off their mini flying machines. Source: CASUS
The workshop was accompanied by an introductory presentation on where drones are already being used in science – from climate research to the exploration of raw materials. A few adult siblings of the mini drones were also on display.
The event under the helm of the Scultetus Center of CASUS was led by CASUS’ Arkadiusz Żurek along with drone expert and pilot Thomas Schommler from Drohnen Expertise Solutions GmbH. A second drone workshop is planned for late spring. The date will be announced in good time.
Additional information:
Arkadiusz Żurek
PhD Student
Wrocław University of Science and Technology & CASUS
Media contact:
Dr. Martin Laqua
Officer Communications, Press and Public Relations Center for Advanced Systems Understanding (CASUS) at HZDR