CAEE Assistant Professor Pilots New Drones for Construction Projects Graduate Course

All students obtained a full license to operate drones on construction projects after successfully completing a new, unique graduate course piloted in spring 2019 by Illinois Institute of Technology Assistant Professor of Civil and Architectural Engineering Ivan Mutis.

The students enrolled in CAE 576—Applications of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs or “Drones”) for Construction Projects were introduced to unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, that require a level of autonomy with minimal or no intervention from project members for navigation over construction jobsite environments.

Students learned to process UAV information, including the design and implementation of plans to collect, analyze, and draw conclusions from UAV data. They used UAVs equipped with advanced software for image processing, including high-definition video cameras, data communication platforms, and positioning sensors.

As part of the course, each student successfully passed the Airman Knowledge Test and received a Remote Pilot Certificate to operate drones within United States airspace under the Federal Aviation Administration’s Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (Part 107).

Armour College of Engineering's Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering will offer this course to graduate students in spring 2020.