As we’ve reported recently in Commercial UAV News, there has been an increase in educational programs designed to keep pace with the growing demand for qualified drone-industry professionals. Just this year, new UAV training initiatives launched at colleges and universities in Texas, Utah, Alabama, Maryland, and Nebraska. At the same time, there have been efforts to spotlight the many paths to career advancement that are opening up in our field.

One of the most exciting developments in drone-based education was recently announced by California’s Fullerton College. Starting in the fall of 2026, Fullerton will offer a Bachelor of Science degree in Drone and Autonomous Systems. This comprehensive program will provide students with practical instruction on topics like drone operations and maintenance. It will also offer rigorous coursework in areas such as business management, programming, safety, and the use of sensors.

“This program builds on the certificate and associate’s degree programs we currently offer,” explained Jay Seidel, who chairs the Fullerton College Drone Technology program. “We saw the need to develop a new, bachelor’s level program that combined hands-on instruction with courses that addressed management, operations, and other subjects.”

Seidel, who moderated the University Roundtable session at this year’s Commercial UAV Expo, said that Fullerton’s longstanding drone-focused certificate and degree programs help students train to become drone pilots and learn the basics of operating UAVs in a variety of commercial settings. This new course of study, however, will give students a more well-rounded understanding of uncrewed and autonomous systems, as well as training in business and management skills that will help them thrive in different work environments.

“We’ve offered our drone programs for a few years, and they’ve been successful, but we realized that a bachelor’s degree program would help people train for some of the new jobs that are opening up and give people already in the workforce a way to gain more skills,” Seidel said.

To this end, the new program includes required classes in “Aerial Mapping and Photogrammetry,” “Advanced Drone/Autonomous Device Programming,” “Ethics in Technology,” “Drone Operations Management,” “Drone Law” and more. By providing this wide range of coursework, Seidel stated, students can develop skills and gain perspectives that will enable them to succeed professionally, regardless of what field they go into.

“Some of our certificate and associate’s degree students have been looking for additional training,” Seidel said. “Also, there are people who are working in law enforcement and construction and other fields that want more training on drones and autonomous systems so they can move ahead in their careers. Our bachelor’s program was designed to provide that training.”

Importantly, Seidel said, the bachelor’s degree program also gives students the foundation to adapt to the changes that are happening in the workplace. “Schools like ours have to look into the future, and we know that autonomous systems, AI, and other technologies are becoming increasingly important,” he asserted. “With this program, we’re hoping to give students the training they need to keep pace with all the advances that are coming down the road.”