Drone Courses

Choose from a variety of drone courses offered through Corporate and Continuing Education and the American Academy of Applied Forensics (AAAF) at Central Piedmont. All courses are not offered every semester.

Advancing Drone Programs for Public Safety – FRN 7964 (20-24 hours)

This training course is designed for detectives, investigators, SWAT, fire marshals, police officers, and other first responder drone pilots. It will introduce large outdoor scenes along with legal issues and include daytime and nighttime flights. We will cover how various scenes are analyzed, investigated, approached, and documented by aerial photos and video. Instructors will demo and provide video footage of mock scenes with the use of various drones and cameras. You will have practical exercises where you can use this equipment. It is not required to be a certified drone pilot to attend this class; however, 107 Certification is required to fly at night. Topics  include legal issues involving warrants and a panel of experts to include a local ADA and multiple aviation experts to answer questions. Several outdoor scenarios are set up where you will fly daytime and nighttime flights. Camera settings, safety, and other night options are all covered. The program will cover policy and personnel training while various experts in the field discuss live feeds, mapping, different platforms, and coordinating resources. Additional topics include new technology, updates with regulations, and FAA.  

Instructors: Joe Valasquez, Taurean Walker, Yvonne Becker, Linda Hudson, Andrew Phillips, and Donald Rice

Aerial Forensics: Drone Training for Law Enforcement – FRN 7959 (24 Hours)

This course introduces a number of general topics related to aerial forensics and drone technology, including drone history, aviation law and regulations, flight mechanics, airspace, meteorology, pre- and post-flight operation, piloting skill, software application, photogrammetry, organizational utilization, and safety. This specialized course educates law enforcement on how the use of drones can enhance and simplify means of combating criminal activity, and explores the outlook of future technological advances of aerial forensics and drone science. You will use a Drone simulator during this course.

Aerial Reconnaissance and Scene Diagramming – FRN 7960 (16 hours)

This training course is designed for detectives, investigators, patrol officers, firefighters, and first responders who have interest or experience with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). It is also good for police command staff to look into the future. It is an Intermediate-level drone aerial reconnaissance course on utilizing a drone to take precise aerial photos and collect location data of structures and terrain. The course introduces drone cameras, software needed, and technology, and provides an overview of drone data processing software. Drone photogrammetry can help you obtain a highly accurate map and easily turn it into a 3D topographic map with contour data, which can be helpful to professionals in surveying and law enforcement. 

Drones for Law Enforcement Online Course – FRN 7916-800 (32 hours)

This online training course gives a special look into the future of law enforcement. It is designed for detectives, investigators, patrol officers, new police officers, and first responders, and is also good for police command staff to look into the future. The course introduces all the facts, laws, and evidentiary features related to the use of UAVs by law enforcement. It also covers current state and federal laws along with the challenges facing the FAA relative to the increase in drone activity. The course explains advantages and disadvantages, search warrant issues, and surveillance along with the recent advances made in cameras and technology. Main modules will cover the history of drones, current police drones, other agencies, and other uses by fire, weather, health care, delivery, insurance, and first responders. 

FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Exam Prep – FRN 7961-20 (16 hours)

This course is designed to prepare for the FAA Part 107 test for a UAS license. This course will cover introduction and background of the Part 107 requirements. We also cover drone registrations, hazardous operations, accident reporting, operating limitations, visual line of sight, airspace restrictions, pre-flight requirements, and waivers and requirements. Discussion includes flight charts and weather along with aviation issues today and for UAS. Numerous quiz questions and a final test will prepare you for the FAA test.

Instructor: Joe Valasquez

UAS Basic Flight Training – Drone Training for Law Enforcement – FRN 7959 (24 Hours)

This course introduces a number of general topics related to aerial forensics and drone technology, covering drone history, aviation law and regulations, flight mechanics, airspace, meteorology, pre- and post-flight operation, piloting skill, software application, photogrammetry, organizational utilization, and safety. Drones can enhance and simplify means of combating criminal activity. The course educates law enforcement on that as well as predicts the future technological advances of aerial forensics and drone science. You will use a drone simulator during this course.