Connor Leszczuk, Owner/Operator of Aspekt Aerial in Sparta, N.J., has built drones varying from inches to six feet for a multitude of uses. On January 22, 2016, he visited the Irene E. Feldkirchner (IEF) Elementary School in Green Brook, N.J., where he spoke about custom drone building and held an exhibition to demonstrate the various uses of drones. Hundreds of pre-school through 4th grade students attended, were in awe as they saw drones in flight and learned about their components, design, guidelines for uses, as well as participated in a Q & A session.
The purpose of the assembly program was, “To entice students to focus on, get excited about and engage in STEAM (Science Technology Engineering Art and Math), according to IEF Elementary School Principal Armand Lamberti, who is also Vice President of Green Brook Education and Athletic Foundation (GBEAF).
President of GBEAF, Pavita Howe, Principal of Orange B Strategic Marketing, explained that the event was sponsored by the GBEAF and is a precursor to a pilot program the GBEAF is funding to take place at the Green Brook Middle School for 7th and 8th graders. The pilot program features a drone kit provided by Leszczuk’s company, complete with parts and an award-winning curriculum that integrates in to the STEAM middle school curriculum.
“Inventing or creating can be centered on almost anything. It can be a painting – even a math equation. Connor brings to us the skills, the process and the application. Now, we work with children so that they learn to learn and take it to the middle school, where they can experience first-hand why these drones are valuable as they build their own drones in the classroom,” Principal Lamberti added.
During Leszczuk’s educational program at IEF Elementary School, he said drones can be autonomous, have multiple motors, and can be made with carbon fiber or other lightweight materials; and are tons of fun. The smaller the drone, the harder to fly, the bigger the drone, the easier to fly – but more expensive,” he said. He added, “Drones are not limited to videos and photos. They can help in search and rescue, assist in inspecting cranes, skyscrapers, crop fields, can take photographs, and more!”
The Q & A session revealed that hobby users need to register their drones, if their drones are more than a half a pound and cannot fly above 400 feet. Leszczuk shared that commercial users are already registered, if they go through the proper channels setup by the FAA and cannot be flown within 5 miles radius of an airport without special permission.
According to Howe, GBEAF President, the GBEAF recently approved the drones program for 7th and 8th graders, as well as a new robot that will be introduced to the students at IEF Elementary School in the coming months. Elementary students will learn to program the robot using a visual programming tool to do things such as reciting the Pledge of Allegiance at school assemblies, singing and dancing at the school talent show and interacting with the children for a variety of learning activities.
“One of our goals of the GBEAF is to fund innovative new programs for students in the Green Brook schools,” said Howe. “Our hope was that this demonstration would inspire even our youngest students, teach them about some of the exciting new technologies that will become part of their lives and show them that they could build a drone – or anything else they want. The sky is the limit – except, of course, if you are with your drone near an airport!
(above back l-r) Irene E. Feldkirchner (IEF) Elementary School Principal Armand Lamberti joins Connor Leszczuk, of Aspekt Aerial, Verona, during an IEF Elementary School assembly all about drones. (front, l-r) Madeline Mills, Paige Thomas, David Schreck and Michael Dumiec – are all IEF students who were up close to examine a drone. The students commented on how much they enjoyed the presentation and demonstration, citing how amazingly light drone materials can be, how uses of drones span from hobbyist to the commercial industry and how they can be used for search and rescue.
