Sinclair Addressing Demand for UAS Data Analytics Jobs Through New Partnership with Pix4D

Sinclair College’s National UAS Training and Certification Center and Pix4D, a global leader in utilizing drone imagery to create maps and models, have created a new partnership to expand training and education focused on data capture and processing for unmanned aerial systems (UAS), a rapidly expanding component of the industry.

Due to an increasing number of civil and commercial applications for UAS, there is a growing demand for analysts who have the competencies needed to correct, calibrate, process, store, and analyze the large volumes of data collected from each flight. Through the collaboration, Sinclair students will have the opportunity to gain real-world experience utilizing the industry-leading Pix4D software that is currently being used around the world.

“Sinclair’s partnership with Pix4D is a new and exciting component to our growing capabilities in UAS,” said Jeff Miller, Interim Vice President for Sinclair Workforce Development. “This collaboration allows Sinclair to expand our curriculum and services to meet the growing demand for jobs in the industry.”

Sinclair currently uses Pix4D software for processing data from applied research and systems integration flights.  Recently, data processed using Pix4D software from Sinclair applied research flights was utilized by one of Sinclair’s airport partners to support a funding request for an airport runway pavement replacement project.  Looking forward, Sinclair is integrating Pix4D software into a new Aerial Sensing Data Analytics certificate program, being developed as part of a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant leveraging competency-based education principles that will allow students to process real-world data collected during UAS flights conducted through the National UAS Training and Certification Center.

“From our perspective, the industry is all about the high-quality data UAVs can provide to clients,” says Dr. Gregory Crutsinger, Scientific Associate for Pix4D North America. “We are seeing huge growth in aerial data provision and hope that the use of our software provides students with an exciting hands-on experience of the professional workflow, from flight to finish. Moreover, we have just launched a low-cost student rental license for a semester or year to facilitate schools and colleges to teach with our software.”

Pix4D offers turnkey solutions from drone-flight planning for optimized image capture. Using Pix4D’s mobile app, students will be trained how to collect high resolution data for commercial projects in and around the Dayton area, such as construction site surveys, real estate assessments and infrastructure inspections. From there, students will generate 2D maps and 3D models using Pix4D’s desktop and cloud software platforms, thereby creating professional data products.

Sinclair College’s National UAS Training and Certification Center sits at the forefront of UAS innovation, creating partnerships, developing leading curriculum, and investing significantly to establish a nationally prominent program dedicated to meeting the workforce needs of the growing UAS industry. Sinclair’s UAS program supports applied research and development, consulting, and training leveraging leading expertise and advanced unmanned and manned simulation, indoor flight facilities, aircraft, sensors, avionics, maintenance labs, additive and traditional manufacturing labs, data analytics software, and a wind tunnel lab. For more information, visit uas.sinclair.edu.