High School CTE Drone Program
The Drone Pilot Certification Program Built for High Schools
The CTE Drone Pilot Career Pathway is a high school drone curriculum that takes your students from foundational knowledge to FAA Part 107 certification, with real flight hours logged at every step.
Built by working drone professionals. Taught by your teachers, with no prior drone experience required.
Certified and Qualified Are Two Different Things
The FAA Part 107 certification is one piece of the puzzle. Employers also want proof that a pilot can handle the aircraft when conditions change. Rocket Drones pairs certification with real flight skill training and logged hours, so your students walk into the interview room with hands-on experience that backs up their credentials.
FAA Part 107 Certification
The certificate required to fly drones commercially in the U.S., earned by students 16 and older.
Logged Flight Hours
The Rocket Drones portal tracks student flight hours and activity progress, giving every graduate a record of real experience.
Manual Piloting Skills
Students learn to fly without sensors or GPS, the skill employers require when the technology fails.
Industry-Endorsed Certifications
Built with the companies doing the hiring, starting with agriculture.
The CTE Drone Pilot Career Pathway
A semester-by-semester drone CTE program curriculum that takes high school students from foundational knowledge to industry-ready certification.
SEMESTER 1
Introduction to Drones Course
Students learn how drones fly, where industries put them to work, and the safety rules every pilot follows. Nine lessons fill a semester of twice-a-week, 45-minute sessions, and students 13 and older earn their FAA TRUST recreational certificate.
SEMESTER 2
FAA Part 107 Commercial Drone Certification Course
Our FAA Part 107 curriculum for schools prepares students 16 and older for the FAA Remote Pilot Certificate, required to operate drones commercially. Fourteen modules run in focused 50-minute sessions, instructor-led or self-paced, with mock FAA questions and two full practice exams to build test readiness.
SEMESTER 3
Drone Agriculture Certification and Simulator
Industry-endorsed curriculum and certification built with the agriculture drone companies doing the hiring. In the Commercial Drone Simulator, students practice manual crop spraying, program autonomous flights, and work through drone failures, dynamic weather, and dynamic terrain, all without the risk of a $50,000 aircraft.
More industry certifications are on the way: mapping, photography, videography, infrastructure inspection, and law enforcement.
Add Real Flight Time at Every Step
Coursework builds knowledge. Flight time builds pilots. Pair the pathway with Rocket Drones kits and simulators so your students log hours while they learn.
Foundational | Grades 3–12
Rover Classroom Drone Kit
Six classroom drones and everything your teachers need to get students flying and logging hours toward industry certifications.
Foundational & Advanced | Grades 6–12
Drone Racing Program
FPV racing develops the manual piloting skills employers require: flying without sensors or GPS.
Grades 3–12
Drone Simulators
The Drone Web Simulator runs on Chromebooks and logs flight hours automatically. The Drone Racing Simulator adds 30 progressive pilot training missions for esports labs and dedicated stations.
Your Teachers Can Lead This on Day One
Rocket Drones is the first drone education company built by drone professionals for schools. Every course comes ready to teach, so your instructors can run a high school drone program without a drone background.
- Instructor-led or self-paced formats
- Classroom slides and instructor notes for every Part 107 module
- Module quizzes, quick checks, and two full practice exams
- State standards crosswalks for the Intro to Drones Curriculum
- One site license covers up to 100 users for one year
- Unlimited virtual support and professional development
- Lifetime portal access with every hardware package
The Careers Your Graduates Can Pursue
The average salary for a drone pilot in the U.S. is around $130,000, with potential earnings of more than $200,000 depending on experience, industry, and location.
Source: ZipRecruiter
The drone industry is projected to expand at a 15.37% CAGR over the next five years.
Source: Statista
The market for agricultural drones is expected to reach $7.19 billion by 2032.
Source: Precedence Research
Put Your Pilots in
Front of Employers
The Drone Aviation League exists to connect certified and qualified student drone pilots to aviation-based employers. Your students compete in monthly simulator challenges from September through May, and top pilots race at the National Championship at Space Camp in Huntsville each April. Best of all, your team can qualify without traveling.
Simple Site Licensing for Your Campus
Each course is a one-year site license for up to 100 users. Add hardware when you want students flying.
| Pathway piece | Price | License |
|---|---|---|
| Intro to Drones Curriculum | $1,500 | 100 users, 1 year |
| FAA Part 107 Commercial Drone Certification Course | $1,500 | 100 users, 1 year |
| Drone Agriculture Certification Course | Coming soon | 100 users, 1 year |
| Commercial Drone Simulator | Coming soon | 100 users, 1 year |
FAA testing fee not included. Lifetime portal access is included with all hardware packages.
Ready for flight time? Rover Classroom Drone Kits start at $5,000.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a CTE pathway?
A CTE pathway is a sequence of career and technical education courses that builds toward an industry credential in a specific career field. The CTE Drone Pilot Career Pathway follows that model: an intro course, FAA Part 107 certification, then industry-endorsed certifications.
How old do students need to be to earn the FAA Part 107 certification?
Students must be 16 or older to earn the FAA Remote Pilot Certificate. Younger students can start with the Introduction to Drones Course, where students 13 and older earn their FAA TRUST recreational certificate.
Do our teachers need drone experience?
No. Every course comes ready to teach, with classroom slides and instructor notes, module quizzes, quick checks, and practice exams, plus unlimited virtual support and professional development.
How does the pathway fit into our schedule?
The pathway runs semester by semester. The Introduction to Drones Course fills a semester of twice-a-week, 45-minute sessions across nine lessons. The FAA Part 107 course runs fourteen modules in focused 50-minute sessions, instructor-led or self-paced.
How many students does a license cover?
Each course is a one-year site license for up to 100 users.
Is the FAA testing fee included?
No. The FAA testing fee is not included in the course price.
When will the Drone Agriculture Certification be available?
The Drone Agriculture Certification Course and Commercial Drone Simulator are coming soon. They are built with the agriculture drone companies doing the hiring. Contact our team for the latest timing.
Do we need drones to start the pathway?
No. Each course is a site license on its own, and the Drone Web Simulator runs on Chromebooks. Add Rover Classroom Drone Kits, starting at $5,000, when you want students flying.
Bring the Pathway to Your High School
Fill out the form for a fast, no-obligation quote, or book a one-on-one virtual demo with Brandon Turk.
- 260 S Tarragona St, Suite 240-B, Pensacola, FL 32502
- 901-440-2797
- [email protected]