On 8th November 2021, 24 Master’s students, specializing in Wireless Intelligent Sensor Networks visited Zipline, a local Company that delivers vital shipments through quick and most reliable supplies to hospitals & health settings to witness the functioning of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).

The main objective of the visit is to witness and appreciate the specialized tools for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) flights mission plans, flying process of Fixed-wing air-crafts and understanding of the flying procedures. The visit was organized in a course, which deals with planning of UAV’s flight missions, mapping and photogrammetry among other IoT applications.

Gasana Biseta Jururyishya, one of students said the visit was very impressive, interesting, crucial, encouraging and helpful for application of UAV in IoT module as they learnt more as they were able to observe the application of UAVs in real life context.

“The visit helped us in transferring our theoretical knowledge and applying it effectively through real IoT tools. We have touched and felt key components of the complete UAV technology for aircraft flying without a pilot; we also investigated on terrain the various rules that apply to firing a drone”, he said.

“We saw various considerations before, during and after piloting the aircraft and the necessary software used to operate, control, protect and maintain a drone at Zipline”, he added.

Students have recommended the Centre to keep on organizing such visits as the knowledge package obtained on field boosts the students’ understanding of module and helps being familiar with real life situation of what they learn in class.

At the site, students got to exchange with the Zipline team and knew challenges facing drone technology in general and discussed ways to solve them. This visit served as an opportunity to relate theories that they learnt in class, know what really happens at the UAVs sites and enhanced their practical understanding of the module.