By Tyler Christiansen
SW Junior High Options Teacher

Something new is taking flight at our SW Junior High School — literally.  Starting in semester 2 we’re launching a pilot Drone course called Unmanned Aerial Vehicles or UAV, and a small group of Grade 9 students will be the first to test it out. Drones sit at the intersection of engineering, aviation, coding, and creativity, and this course is built to let students explore all of it hands-on. From day one, students aren’t just learning about drones — they’re flying them, building them, and programming them.

Students will start by learning how drones operate safely and legally in Canada, using the same foundational knowledge required of real drone pilots. From there, the course dives into engineering as students build their own drones from individual components, learning how motors, electronics, and flight controllers work together to get airborne. Flight time is a major focus, with students training in simulators before moving into real-world flying, developing confidence, precision, and problem-solving skills along the way.

The course then pushes into the future with autonomous flight and coding. Students will program drones to fly repeatable missions, navigate paths, and complete challenges, seeing firsthand how software and hardware come together in modern technology. To connect these skills to the real world, the course also features guest speakers from across industries that use drones — from media and mapping to environmental monitoring and emergency services.

This semester’s course is a small-scale trial with Grade 9 students, designed to refine and strengthen the program. In the 2026–27 school year, the course will open up to all Grade 8 and 9 students, giving more learners the chance to explore this exciting and fast-growing field. It’s hands-on, future-focused, and built for students who want to learn by doing — the STEMIA way.