UMS News and Events

UAS flight lab students recently visited Tonnemaker Hill Farm in Royal City to perform some drone exercises! Students were able to practice flying missions and using thermal imaging to collect moisture data for the farm. This type of work would be common for students who move into a consulting role within the Agriculture industry after graduation.

Big Bend Community College’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems program spent the weekend collaborating with members of local law enforcement on an accelerated modality of the college’s UMS 107 course.

Officers from the Moses Lake, Othello, Quincy, and Soap Lake Police Departments the Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office and the Central Washington University Police spent Saturday morning on the BBCC campus training inside the college’s enclosed flight facility and Sunday morning at McKay Field fulfilling the requirements for the 107 certification.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently selected Big Bend Community College’s Unmanned Systems program for the Unmanned Aircraft Systems-Collegiate Training Initiative (UAS-CTI), a new program that recognizes universities, colleges and technical schools that prepare students for careers in UAS or drones.

The UAS-CTI program officially launched this Spring.

A recent partnership between Big Bend Community College’s Unmanned Systems program and Yakima Valley College, offering classes and even a one-year certificate in Unmanned Aerial Systems to YVC students, is proving successful.

The partnership was announced earlier this fall, and the first wave of Yakima Valley students to take advantage of it are getting ready to wrap up the first quarter. Through the partnership, YVC students enroll for the Big Bend UAS courses through their college, and participate remotely.