Leadership, communication skills come with drone search and rescue program
WINFIELD TWP — A dozen students from Butler’s Island neighborhood learned leadership and communication skills through a drone operation program that culminated Saturday, Aug. 29, with a search and rescue mission at Winfield Township Park.
Drone Fleet Academy partnered with Fishbone Ministries to organize the program, which started in July, with a goal to give sixth-grade students hands-on experience that developed leadership, communication and teamwork.
“Life skills, not just drones,” said Michael Mullas, a retired Air Force Academy officer and former Geneva College professor who runs Drone Fleet Academy.
Mullas has been working with the students for more than a month, teaching them about drone operations and aerodynamics in teams that include flight leaders, element leaders and pilots.
On Saturday, the “eagle” and “hawk” team members took turns guiding drones through a course in a search pattern to locate and recover a simulated downed pilot.
“This is their final exam. This is their capstone exercise,” Mullas said.
Using military lingo and written orders, Mullas and drone pilot Derek Laliberte helped the students through their final.
“Mission accomplishment is essential,” Mullas announced to start the exercise.
One team hid a drone, which served as the downed pilot, in the course while members of the other team looked away. The pilot on the search team used a surveillance drone with a camera to look for the downed pilot.
Once the lost pilot was located, a rescue drone was dispatched to pick up the pilot. A medallion substituted for the downed pilot.
“We want the kids to learn leadership and teamwork,” said Jim McCaslin, executive director of Fishbone Ministries.
He said the program challenges the students to work together.
“Kids rise to leadership,” McCaslin said. “Kids learn and develop leadership.”
Flight leader Mya George, 14, said communication among the team was difficult at first, but she learned to give each member a task that they enjoyed to keep them focused.
“My leadership skills have advanced,” Mya said.
Jayden Speed, 13, said she learned the importance of communication and patience, which she said she lacked before the program began.
Ashton Nicelli, 13, said he is happy for the opportunity to learn to fly drones, and work as a team.
“It helps with teamwork,” Nicelli said.
