No. Individuals interested in attending an ACC Continuing Education (CE) Course may do so. Students must be at least 16 years old to take any of these courses.

Yes. Individuals may sign up for one or more courses. Students interested in pursuing a career involving drone or other robotics should consult with an advisor or with the UVSO coordinator.

Contact the program coordinator for further assistance.

No. All courses offered at ACC that require a drone or other robotic device will provide the necessary equipment for student use or rental. Students may be encouraged to purchase additional items for their own use, but no drone or robotic purchases will be required.

Yes. This program is geared toward all levels of learners including those who have never previously flown a drone or used robotics equipment. Courses have been developed with individual student needs in mind to include self-paced online learning and low instructor/student ratio for improved one on one teaching.

Yes and No. Some of the courses are only CE and thus not eligible for credit toward degree program, while others are credited courses. Each course will indicate credit information if available. Currently, the GIS courses and Photography courses all have credit status.

Yes. There are some financial assistance options available. Please check the following page for more information.

All drone flying courses will be held at the PSTC campus which is situated adjacent to the ACC Hays Campus in Kyle. Many of the courses will be online and/or hybrid to allow students better availability. Some of the specialized courses for agriculture, GIS and mapping, or photography will be offered at other campuses. Please refer to the individual course for available campus locations.

Yes and No. All students must first complete the FAA Part 107 course or show current status as an FAA Part 107 pilot prior to taking any other UVSO courses. Some of the advanced courses will also require students take specific classes prior to advancing into other classes; those are listed and explained within individual courses.

The Unmanned Vehicle Systems Operations Certificate is comprehensive and introduces students to various aspects of drone operations including laws and regulations, basic, intermediate and advanced flying skills for quad copters and fixed wing aircrafts and introduction to other remote vehicles. Students may enter a myriad of professional career fields such as agriculture, GIS mapping, Survey and Inspection, Real Estate, Photography, and beyond.

The program can also help students gear up towards pursuing higher education and moving on to four-year programs just beginning in colleges across the nation. Students wishing to further their learning for personal enrichment on the hobby scale are encouraged to explore the first two courses - UVSO 1070 and 1071 and ask instructors where other opportunities may exist as well.

Many courses involve a fair standing, eye-hand coordination and repetitive activities as well as a need to learn in an outdoor setting where weather may be a factor. Additionally, students may need to be able to traverse some uneven terrain although reasonable accommodations can/will be made for students with special needs.

FAA 107 pilot regulations will apply to students. My concern is who would NOT be a candidate to take classes? Can a blind or deaf person complete courses? Do you need two hands with fingers? What are the physical limitations that we will need to be prepared to address?

We do not offer specific job placement, however, we are developing lists of various corporate, private and government organizations using drone and robotics. Our goal is to form partnerships with these organizations to be able to forward potential job/career opportunities to our students.

Yes and No. Training drones and other training robotics equipment will be made available for student use during labs and outside practice hours. Students may need to purchase some additional tools that will assist them in achieving success in various classes. Students should refer to individual courses for required materials.

Yes. Each class will have specific requirements depending on the lab environment. Students must always be prepared with closed toed shoes and weather appropriate clothing including a hat, gloves, sun and bug protection. A water bottle is also recommended.