Spring registration is open at Hawaii Community College for the first drone certification program in the state’s community college system.

What You Need To Know

  • The state’s first drone certification program debuted with a test cohort in Fall 2023 at Hawaii Community College

  • It introduced students to operating a drone that includes preparing them for the FAA Part 107 certification required to become a licensed commercial drone pilot, as well as combined classroom learning with hands-on experience

  • Three additional courses are required to complete the certificate following the ENGT 107 course

  • “Tasks that once took days on foot, such as surveying 50-acre fields, can now be accomplished in just 30 minutes with drones,” said Paul Agamata, program administrator and instructor

Backed by a $650,000 National Science Foundation grant, the program emphasizes practical applications for drone technology across various industries such as agriculture, civil defense and environmental conservation with the ability to address real-world challenges in Hawaii and beyond, according to a news release.

The program debuted with a test cohort in Fall 2023 and quickly gained traction. It introduced students to operating a drone that includes preparing them for the FAA Part 107 certification required to become a licensed commercial drone pilot, as well as combined classroom learning with hands-on experience. Students gained experience flying both racing drones and advanced commercial models such as the DJI Mavic 3 Multispectral and the industry-standard Matrice 350 RTK.

The introductory ENGT 107 course in Fall 2024 filled up almost immediately.

“Students are fascinated by how drones revolutionize traditional methods of observation,” said Paul Agamata, program administrator and instructor, in the release. “Tasks that once took days on foot, such as surveying 50-acre fields, can now be accomplished in just 30 minutes with drones. The accuracy is astounding — down to 2 centimeters or better.”

Three additional courses are required to complete the certificate following the ENGT 107 course. Graduates of the program will be ready for careers in fields such as construction surveying, public safety, environmental management, agriculture and media production.

The program also emphasizes data analysis. “Learning to fly is the easy part,” said Agamata. “The challenge lies in collecting and interpreting data — skills we teach so students can use drones effectively in their industries.”

Hawaii County Civil Defense, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources have shown interest in the program and will be able to provide students opportunities to apply their skills in real-world scenarios.

“Having knowledgeable, licensed drone pilots who can help make observations and collect data during emergency situations lessens the human risk,” said Hawaii County Civil Defense Administrator Talmadge Magno. “This technology gives us many advantages.”

Drone technology is also being integrated into other academic programs at Hawaii CC such as TEAM (Tropical Forest Ecosystem and Agroforestry Management) and Engineering Technology.

TEAM student MJ Crandall is the first licensed female drone pilot to graduate from the program and one student from the test cohort in 2023.

“In the TEAM program, we rely heavily on data collection and analysis in the conservation and management of natural resources,” said Crandall. “Using unmanned aircraft systems is the future. It’s the easiest and quickest way to gather the data we need to drive our projects.”

Students can now register for the Spring 2025 session of ENGT 107 held 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday. For more information, contact Paul Agamata at 808-934-2686.

Sarah Yamanaka covers news and events for Spectrum News Hawaii. She can be reached at sarah.yamanaka@charter.com.