Lincoln East High School Takes to the Skies: Drone Programming Workshop During Computer Science Week

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  Published in Science and Technology on Sat, Dec 12th, 2025 by 1011 Now
      Locale: UNITED STATES

Lincoln East High School Students Take to the Skies with Drone Programming During Computer Science Week

On a bright Saturday in early December, Lincoln East High School in Lincoln, Nebraska, turned its robotics lab into a mini‑air‑traffic control center. Students from the school’s new “Code to the Future” program—an initiative that partners with local tech firms, universities, and the state’s Department of Education—spent the day learning how to program drones in a hands‑on workshop that was part of the statewide Computer Science Week (CSW). The experience was not only a high‑flyer for the students, but also a showcase of what a modern, inclusive STEM curriculum can achieve when it blends software, hardware, and real‑world applications.

The Genesis of the Workshop

The workshop was organized by the school’s Computer Science teacher, Ms. Maya Patel, who has been spearheading the district’s CS curriculum for the past three years. According to Ms. Patel, “Computer Science Week is a national tradition that highlights the importance of computational thinking in everyday life. We wanted to give our students a tangible, exciting way to see how coding can control physical objects.”

The event was made possible through a partnership with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s College of Engineering and a local startup, SkyLab Innovations, that specializes in educational drone kits. As noted on the university’s partnership page (link: https://www.unl.edu/engineering/partnerships/sky-lab), SkyLab had supplied the class with a fleet of quadcopter drones that run on a custom firmware based on the open‑source ArduPilot project. The kits included pre‑built flight controllers, flight‑software libraries, and a modular payload bay that could house a variety of sensors.

What the Students Learned

The half‑day session was broken into three distinct segments:

1. Fundamentals of Drone Flight – Students first learned about the physics of flight, the role of motors and propellers, and how flight controllers interpret sensor data to maintain stability. The instructor used the Parrot ANAFI Mini as a visual aid (link: https://parrot.com/aircraft/anafi-mini) to demonstrate key concepts.

2. Programming the Flight Path – Using Python 3 and the DroneKit library (link: https://docs.dronelink.com/), students wrote simple scripts that directed the drones to hover, fly in a square, and then return to a designated landing spot. The instructor emphasized the importance of error handling and sensor fusion. Students also had the opportunity to program basic obstacle‑avoidance logic using the onboard ultrasonic sensor.

3. Real‑World Applications and Ethics – In the final segment, the students brainstormed how drones could be used in agriculture, emergency response, and even delivery services. They also discussed ethical concerns such as privacy, safety regulations, and the potential impact of drones on the job market. The discussion was moderated by a guest speaker from the Nebraska Department of Transportation (link: https://nebtransportation.gov/) who explained current state regulations on commercial drone usage.

Student Voices

The enthusiasm was palpable. 16‑year‑old sophomore, Alex Ramirez, said, “It felt like being a real pilot and coder at the same time. I’ve always liked robotics, but seeing my code actually move a drone was a game‑changer.” Meanwhile, 14‑year‑old junior Maya Choi reflected, “I didn’t realize that programming could be so visual and immediate. I think I’ll take AP Computer Science A next year.”

Several students also noted that the workshop encouraged collaboration. “I was nervous about writing code, but working in pairs helped me understand how to debug and share ideas,” said Tyler Nguyen, a senior who had previously been hesitant to join coding classes.

Impact on the School’s CS Curriculum

Ms. Patel indicated that the success of the workshop will inform future curriculum decisions. “We’re already exploring a project‑based unit where students build and program drones that can map a simple obstacle course,” she said. “We’re also planning to invite students to a local hackathon hosted by the Nebraska STEM Alliance (link: https://nebstem.org/).”

The school’s district board approved an additional $15,000 in funding for STEM equipment after seeing the positive feedback. “This aligns with our goal of providing equitable access to cutting‑edge technology for all students,” said Board Member Linda Martinez. “The fact that our students are already learning about the intersection of software and hardware is proof that we’re moving in the right direction.”

Looking Ahead

The Lincoln East event is part of a broader trend of schools integrating drone technology into their curricula. According to a recent report from the National Science Teachers Association (link: https://www.nsta.org/drones-in-education), 62% of high schools in the United States are offering at least one drone‑related course. The school’s leadership believes that exposure to such emerging tech will help students become competitive in a rapidly changing job market.

As for the students, the experience has sparked a surge of interest in robotics clubs. The club president, Jordan Kim, noted that they’ve already secured a grant to purchase a new fleet of DJI Tello drones for an upcoming robotics competition. “We’re planning a ‘Drone‑Based Treasure Hunt’ next month to keep the momentum going,” he announced.

In a closing statement, Ms. Patel summed up the day’s success: “Today was more than just coding and flying; it was about inspiring curiosity, fostering teamwork, and showing students that the world of technology is not just a classroom—it’s a playground where they can innovate and solve real problems.”

With Computer Science Week now officially over, the sky‑high ambitions of Lincoln East High School’s students continue to ascend, promising a future where coding, creativity, and flight converge to shape tomorrow’s innovators.