On this page, you will find links to items such as course descriptions, DACUM charts, and general links related to drones and UAS.
Summary of GeoTEd-UAS Instructional Resources.
DACUM (Developing a Curriculum)
A DACUM stands for Defining a Curriculum. A DACUM consists of a focus group of industry experts and a certified DACUM vacillator. Through storyboarding, the focus group identifies the major tasks and duties associated with particular professions. The GeoTEd project team and affiliated partners have spearheaded several sUAS DACUM to support technician-level geospatial education and workforce development. These resources include:
GeoTED-UAS DACUM Research Chart for Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operations Technician: Download the PDF here. The DACUM for Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operations Technician represents the first sUAS DACUM to support the education of technicians in the nation. The sUAS-OT DACUM charts the tasks and duties associated with the planning, operations, data processing, and maintenance of sUAS. Virginia Community College System member institutions and high school dual enrollment programs are utilizing the sUAS DACUM chart to support the development of sUAS educational pathways, programs, and course curricula statewide. This DACUM was completed in 2017.
DACUM Chart for Unmanned Systems Technicians can be found here. The DACUM for an Unmanned System Technician charts a summary of the tasks and duties associated with Terrestrial, Marine, and Airborne Autonomous Vehicle Technicians. It is being utilized by Virginia Community College System member institutions to target the curriculum development for students seeking employment opportunities in these industry sectors. This DACUM was completed in 2019.
Southern California UAS DACUM can be found here. UASTEP, based in Southern California, completed this DACUM in 2018. Even though this DACUM is associated with a different geographic region, many of the tasks and duties associated with the UASSTEP DACUM mirror the tasks and duties identified in the GeoTEd-UAS DACUM and have been used as further validation of the GeoTEd-UAS DACUM.
The 2016 GIS DACUM Research Chart for GIS Technician: Download the PDF here.The GIS Technician DACUM was completed in year 2016. This chart maps the tasks and duties associated with an entry level GIS Technician, and is utilized by Virginia Community College member institutions, as well as dual-enrollment GIS high school courses in Virginia.
Course Descriptions
Unmanned Systems (UMS) course descriptions developed through the GeoTEd-UAS project and available to all of Virginia’s community colleges are listed below.
UMS-107: Small Unmanned Aircraft System (sUAS) Remote Pilot Ground School
UMS-111: Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) I
UMS-112: Program and Flight Data Management
UMS 120
UMS-177: Small Unmanned Aircraft System (sUAS) Components and Maintenance
UMS-211: Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) II
UMS 290 – Coordinated Internship
UMS 296 – On-Site Training
Instructional Video Resources
GeoTEd-UAS in partnership with the Virginia Geospatial Extension Program and VirginiaView have developed several instructional videos in geospatial technology and UAS. The team has also developed some e-books available through Amazon. A video tutorial series can be used in conjunction with software tutorial ebooks. However, these video tutorials can also be used as stand-alone learning resources. Current topics include:
- Working with Lidar Using ArcGIS Pro (14 videos)
- Remote Sensing with ArcMap (30 videos)
- Using Lidar in ArcGIS Desktop (13 videos)
- Remote Sensing with ArcGIS Pro (28 videos)
- Drones: Mastering the Aeronautical Charts (6 videos)
Community College UAS Pathways
Virginia Peninsula Community College: Small Unmanned Aircraft (Drone) Systems Flight Technician – Certificate
Germanna Community College: Drone Foundations Career Studies Certificate
Mountain Empire Community College: Unmanned Aerial Systems Program
Danville Community College: Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) Certificate
Virginia Highlands Community College: Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Certificate
Mountain Gateway Community College: Unmanned Aerial Systems Maintenance and Operations
Instructional Resources
