We are expanding our geospatial curriculum with a new course focused on one of the fastest-growing tools for collecting high-resolution geographic data.

Dr. Sen Wang and PhD candidate Adam Tjoelker have been hard at work developing GEOG 5230: Drone Mapping, which will be offered for the first time in Autumn 2027.

The course will provide students with a comprehensive introduction to drone-based mapping techniques and their geographic applications. Students will explore the technical foundations of collecting data using uncrewed aerial systems (UAS), with particular attention to visible-spectrum photogrammetry and LiDAR.

Combining lectures with drone-based field demonstrations, GEOG 5230 will give students opportunities to develop both a theoretical understanding of drone mapping and practical experience collecting, processing, and interpreting drone-derived geospatial data. The course will also introduce students to additional sensor technologies, their data characteristics, and the analytical workflows used to turn aerial observations into geographic information.

The new course is getting a boost from the Sharpe Field Library, which recently awarded Sen a $6,000 grant to purchase additional drones for student use. The new equipment will expand opportunities for hands-on instruction and field-based learning when the course launches.