With a drone programming course, you can easily build your drone programming skills in Python, JavaScript, and block coding. Drone programming is starting to become more and more popular, simply because the cost of drones keeps coming down as the technology advances. There are a few good drone programming courses out there. In this post, I want to share with you the drone programming courses that are available through Drone Blocks.
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The drone programming courses on Drone Blocks are designed to work with either a Tello Edu or DJI Spark drone.
Introduction to Drone Programming
Drone Blocks offers a free course to introduce you to the Drone Blocks app and basic computer programming concepts. The course is designed for 4th-8th grades, but I think this is a great drone programming course to get started with, regardless of your age. Even if you have a background in software development, these are some simple steps to help you get started on the drone programming path!
Introduction to Tello Edu Drone Programming with DroneBlocks
The next drone programming course that would be next in the sequence could be the Introduction to Tello Edu Drone Programming with DroneBlocks. This course uses the Drone Blocks app to teach the foundation of block programming with the Tello Edu Drone. You will learn how to program basic flight maneuvers, such as take-off, landing, climbing, descending, and loops.
Advanced Tello Programming with Drone Blocks
Now that you’ve learned the fundamentals of block coding and drones using the Drone Blocks app and the Tello Edu drone, it’s time to do some more fun stuff! In the Advanced Tello Programming with Drone Blocks drone programming course, you’ll learn how to program some advanced flight maneuvers and coding techniques with your Tello Edu, such as nested loops, slope, using the Sine Wave equation, and turns around a point.
The DroneBlocks Simulator
What to do if you don’t have a Tello Edu drone to complete these drone programming courses? Drone Blocks offers a way for you to test your code with a virtual Tello drone with the DroneBlocks simulator. This gives you the opportunity to test out your code in a simulation first rather than testing using your Tello Edu drone. This is also great for classroom teachers, after school clubs, Boy and Girl Scout troops, and other youth organizations that want to teach drone programming, but don’t have the space or budget for actual Tello Edu drones.
Drones and the A in STEAM Education
Drone Blocks offers a course for those who want to bring art into drone programming. (I’ve always said that writing code is an art itself!) Tello and Art Presents: Dance is a STEAM drone programming course, you will learn how to program your Tello Edu drone to synchronize with music and develop choreography. BTW – How COOL is this? Bringing drones into STEAM education. What a fantastic way to engage your learners, not matter the age!
If you’re not familiar with the term STEAM education, it means Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math. Before art became the accepted ‘A’ in STEAM, I thought ‘aviation’ would be a good one!
Tello Drone Programming with Python
The python programming language is a very robust programming language that has a ton of different uses. Once you’re ready to advance beyond block programming with your drone, you can learn using the Tello Drone Programming with Python drone programming course. You will gain a better understanding of how software communicates with a drone, and how to use the Python programming language to fly missions with your Tello Edu drone.
If you haven’t used the Python programming language before and you want to get a good introduction to the language, there are quite a few Python for Beginners courses on Udemy that will get you started! DroneBlocks also recommends that you’ve at least completed the Introduction to Tello Edu Drone Programming with DroneBlocks drone programming course.
OpenCV, Python, and DroneBlocks for Tello Camera Control
Now you can take your drone programming with Python one step further! The OpenCV, Python, and DroneBlocks for Tello Camera Control course helps you learn how to access the camera on your Tello Edu to take pictures, video, and begin learning about autonomous flight.
Introduction to JavaScript Programming with DroneBlocks Code
JavaScript is another very popular and robust programming language. In the Introduction to JavaScript Programming with DroneBlocks Code drone programming course, you will learn the basics of JavaScript programming, variables and types used in JavaScript programming, and conditional logic. Drone Blocks does recommend that you complete both the Introduction to Tello Edu Drone Programming with DroneBlocks and the Advanced Tello Programming with Drone Blocks before starting this course.
If you want a deeper dive into Javascript programming, Udemy also has quite a few JavaScript programming courses, though not specific to drone programming.
Drone Blocks Membership
There are 11 drone programming courses available for you on the DroneBlocks website. Rather than purchasing each course separately, you can sign up for a monthly or annual membership. I think this is fantastic because you can work through each drone programming course on the site at your own pace and quickly move on to the next course once you finish!
Where are you in your drone programming journey? Are you just getting started or are you an expert? Either way, I think there’s a lot of great stuff to learn using Drone Blocks!
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