Geospatial UAS Specialist, less than 1 year certificate
Start your career as a drone pilot at Ä¢¹½´«Ã½. Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS), or drones, are used to collect data for mapping and 3D modeling. This three-course certificate offers a focused path into professional drone work.
What is a geospatial UAS specialist?
Student work: Labeled drone imagery
Student work: Digital elevation model
Student work: Digital elevation model
Drone image captured by students in UAS coursework at Ä¢¹½´«Ã½â€™s Sylvania Campus
A geospatial UAS specialist does more than fly drones. The work combines field-based drone operations with data processing and analysis. Geospatial UAS work includes:
- Planning and flying drone missions
- Collecting, processing, and analyzing drone-derived data
- Creating 3D models and maps
This work is a good fit for people who enjoy working with technology and solving problems. Drone mapping turns real-world data into maps and insights that support decision-making.
Why choose the Geospatial UAS certificate at Ä¢¹½´«Ã½?
Drone flight: Student launching a drone at Leach Botanical Garden
- Focused: The certificate includes just three courses and can be completed in one year.
- Hands-on: Students work with a range of drones, sensors, and industry-standard software.
- Geospatial focus: The program is designed specifically for geospatial applications.
- Pairs with GIS: The certificate added to Ä¢¹½´«Ã½â€™s GIS program gives students a competitive skill set.
- See the Geospatial UAS advising guide.
Ä¢¹½´«Ã½’s equipment includes:
Drone fleet
- DJI Mini 3 and 5 Pro
- DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise
- DJI Mavic 3 Thermal
- DJI M300
- Freefly Astro (Blue UAS)
Cameras
- DJI L1 (lidar)
- DJI P1 (RGB)
- Sentera 6x (multispectral)
- Sony LR1 (RGB) (Blue UAS)
Software
- Agisoft Metashape
- UgCS
- ESRI ArcGIS Reality
- DJI Terra
Other equipment
- Trimble Catalyst DA2
- Emlid RS3
- DJI D-RTK2
A future in drone mapping
Geospatial UAS specialists work in many settings. These include environmental organizations, the energy sector, and government agencies. The work often includes outdoor field data collection and office-based mapping and analysis. Graduates of Ä¢¹½´«Ã½â€™s UAS program have used their drone skills in:
- Water resource management
- Wildlife conservation
- LiDAR imagery services
As UAS technology changes, drone work expands into new uses across many industries, such as agriculture, conservation, construction, delivery, utilities, filmmaking, mining, insurance, real estate, natural resource management, public safety, and emergency management.
Award information
| Award | Length (attending full-time) | Financial aid eligible | Currently accepting students? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate: Geospatial UAS Specialist | Less than 1 year |
Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ this program
Learn more about GIS and Geospatial and all 3 awards available »
Locations
SylvaniaCourses
Course listing for the 2026-2027 catalog year.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ³Ò·¡°¿Ìý248 | Fundamentals of Drone Operations | 4 |
| ´Ç°ùÌý±«´¡³§Ìý101 &²¹³¾±è;Ìý±«´¡³§Ìý102 | UAS Pilot Test Prep and UAS Flight Operations | |
| ³Ò·¡°¿Ìý252 | Geospatial Modeling with Drones | 4 |
| ³Ò·¡°¿Ìý254 | Geospatial Modeling with Drones II | 4 |
| Total Credits | 12 | |
Next steps
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