In September, Noorderpoort, in collaboration with OmniDrones Academy, started preparing a group of students from MBO (post-secondary vocational education) Technician Engineering to become drone experts. “These students are desperately needed, because only then will it be possible to fly autonomously with drones on a larger scale,” emphasizes Egbert Swierts of OmniDrones Academy. Last week, the first group of Technician Engineering students got acquainted with the professional field and companies were updated about the educational program.
Field trip for students at Groningen Airport Eelde
A group of 26 first-year Technician Engineering students from Noorderpoort visited Groningen Airport Eelde last week. Here they were introduced to drones and drone technology for the first time. They were shown drones such as a hydrogen drone, cargo drone and an air taxi. A demonstration where a drone was actually flown was of course not to be missed.
“We are doing this field trip in the first year to introduce all Technician Engineering students to unmanned aviation. The MBO optional course Droning starts in the first year. If they are enthusiastic, they can follow an in-depth program in the field of drone technology and drones within Technician Engineering Mechatronics,” said Noorderpoort teachers Jurjen Bouwes and Robert Radix of the Technician Engineering program. Education will be further developed in the near future together with the professional field.
Sustainable mobility and autonomous transport in the North
The education thus fits in nicely with the developments in the field of sustainable mobility and autonomous transport in the North. The North is a European leader when it comes to testing autonomous transport. It is the only region where autonomous transport is being tested on road, rail, air and water. The in-depth program on drone technology and drones for students of the MBO Technician Engineering program is made possible by the Province of Groningen, Hive.Mobility and Nationaal Programma Groningen.
(information in Dutch)
