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Two student operators wearing orange safety vests stand behind as medium-size remote-controlled quadrocopter

Unmanned Aircraft Systems - Minor

Take your future to new heights with the Unmanned Aircraft Systems minor, where you will gain a foundational understanding of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and their expanding role across industry, public safety and research environments. Students complete a common core that leads to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Remote Pilot certification.

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Minor in Unmanned Aircraft Systems

Kent State University’s Minor in Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) equips students with skills needed to analyze various aspects of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), including safety, certification, communication, control, applications, trends, regulations and performance.

Program Information for Unmanned Aircraft Systems - Minor

Program Description

Full Description

The Unmanned Aircraft Systems minor provides students with a foundational understanding of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and their expanding role across industry, public safety and research environments. Through a systems-oriented curriculum, students explore UAS applications, operational concepts, sensing technologies, command and control, regulatory frameworks and flight operations. The minor allows students to tailor their studies through focused coursework in criminal and justice studies, design and technology, law and regulation or flight operations. All students complete a common core that includes UAS fundamentals, applicable law and hands-on flight experience leading to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Remote Pilot certification.

Admissions for Unmanned Aircraft Systems - Minor

Admission Requirements

Admission to a minor is open to students declared in a bachelor’s degree, the A.A.B. or A.A.S. degree or the A.T.S. degree (not Individualized Program major). Students declared only in the A.A. or A.S. degree or the A.T.S. degree in Individualized Program may not declare a minor. Students may not pursue a minor and a major in the same discipline.

Learning Outcomes

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

  1. Analyze various aspects of unmanned aerial systems operations, including safety, certification, applications, trends, regulations and performance.
  2. Analyze the system components of unmanned aerial systems.
  3. Determine the communication and control systems necessary for unmanned aerial systems platform operations.

Coursework

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Program Requirements

Minor Requirements

Minor Requirements
AERN 25250ELEMENTS OF AVIATION WEATHER 3
AERN 25800INTRODUCTION TO UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS 3
AERN 35250UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS LAW AND REGULATIONS 12-3
or CRIM 26704 ISSUES IN LAW AND SOCIETY (KSS)
AERN 35892SMALL UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS FLIGHT PRACTICUM (ELR) 2
Focus Area, choose from the following: 29-11
Criminal and Justice Studies
CAE 45092
AERONAUTICS AND ENGINEERING INTERNSHIP/COOPERATIVE EDUCATION (ELR) (WIC)
or CRIM 46792
 INTERNSHIP (ELR)
CRIM 12000
INTRODUCTION TO JUSTICE STUDIES
CRIM 22300
POLICE ROLE
Design and Technology
AERN 35810
UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS
AERN 35830
UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS SENSING AND SENSOR SYSTEMS
AERN 35840
UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS COMMAND, CONTROL AND COMMUNICATIONS
Law and Regulation
AERN 45250
AVIATION LAW
AERN 45791
AVIATION SECURITY AND POLICY SEMINAR (WIC)
POL 30130
THE JUDICIAL PROCESS
UAS Flight Operations
AERN 35830
UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS SENSING AND SENSOR SYSTEMS
AERN 35850
EMERGENT AIR VEHICLES AND INFRASTRUCTURE
AERN 35851
EMERGENT AIR VEHICLES AND INFRASTRUCTURE LABORATORY
AERN 45992
UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS FLIGHT PRACTICUM (ELR)
Minimum Total Credit Hours:19
1

CRIM 26704 may be applied toward minor requirements with approval.

2

Students may choose courses from any focus area. However, they are encouraged to select one focus area.

Graduation Requirements
Minimum Minor GPA Minimum Overall GPA
2.000 2.000
  • Minimum 6 credit hours in the minor must be upper-division coursework (30000 and 40000 level).
  • Minimum 6 credit hours in the minor must be outside of the course requirements for any major or other minor the student is pursuing.
  • Minimum 50 percent of the total credit hours for the minor must be taken at Kent State (in residence).
 
Program Delivery

  • Delivery:
    • In person
  • Location:
    • Kent Campus

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