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Houghton First College in New York State to Add Drone Pilot Course to Curriculum

January 28, 2022

Houghton Adopts Aquiline Drones’ Specialized Training

Houghton University and Aquiline Drones announced a five-year partnership to offer online, instructor-guided drone pilot training to current and future students. Houghton is the first four-year educational institution in New York State to add an Aquiline Drones pilot course to its curriculum. The training will prepare students to take the exam required to become a licensed drone pilot under the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Houghton University, a top Christ-centered, higher learning institution with locations in Houghton and Buffalo, NY, will offer these courses as part of Associate and Bachelor’s degree programs, as well as standalone courses for Houghton’s Early College program.

“Equipping students for personal and professional success demands our embrace of relevant and emerging technologies,” said Houghton University President, Dr. Wayne D. Lewis, Jr. “Houghton prioritizes alignment between our degree programs and industry realities. We are committed to the integration of our liberal arts foundation with professional and applied learning experiences.  This exciting new partnership with Aquiline Drones allows us to do just that; providing Houghton students with exceptional preparation to enter this in-demand field.”

Aquiline Drones, a commercial drone manufacturer and cloud technology company in Hartford, Conn, created its Flight to the Future online drone pilot training program as a remedy for America’s staggering unemployment rates due to the ongoing pandemic.  Besides attracting applicants from all parts of the country and from a diversity of industries, Aquiline Drones Founder and CEO Barry Alexander noticed that numerous inquiries resulted from several community colleges in the area, which offer that training as only a certification course.

“We are honored that Houghton University realizes the high-tech journey that our drone pilot training offers and has chosen to adopt it as two, separate, instructor-guided courses,” said Alexander. “Their commitment to engage students in a hands-on, upwardly mobile field of study that is growing exponentially with a potential market share of $127 billion is to be commended.”

drone sitting on work table

Houghton University will offer two courses:

  • Drone Operation and UAV Aeronautical Procedures – an introduction to drones, that prepares students for the FAA Commercial Drone Pilot (Part 107) certification exam
  • Cloud Connected Drone Operations, Computing and Analytics – focused on digital technologies that are enabling cloud-connected commercial drone operations and unmanned aerial systems (UAS) provider business formation.

Additionally, the course will provide artificial intelligence (AI) assisted sessions and individual flight training with drones. The two, three credit-hour, 8-week courses will be available and offered year-round starting March 7, 2022.

“Our partnership with Aquiline Drones marks the beginning of a new and exciting chapter for Houghton University. We are confident these courses will propel our students’ learning and skills to new heights,” concludes Lewis.


About Houghton University

Houghton University is a nationally ranked Christian college of the liberal arts and sciences and the best-priced Christian college in the nation. With an enrollment of nearly 1,000 students, Houghton has equipped graduates for lifelong success since 1883 through customizable programs offered in Houghton and Buffalo, N.Y., and online. The College offers more than 50 undergraduate in-person and online programs, including equestrian studies, data science and biological sciences, as well as graduate programs in business, education and music.

About Aquiline Drones

Aquiline Drones Corporation (AD) is a progressive American drone manufacturer and cloud solutions company located in the financial district of Hartford, Connecticut. Through Aquiline Drones Indemnity Corporation, the company insures its continuum of products and services, as well as those of its partners and affiliates. Founded by CEO Barry Alexander, AD’s core management comprises highly experienced aviators, systems engineers, IT gurus, military personnel (including veterans), and business strategists. AD delivers a vertically integrated blend of products and services. These include an aviation cloud for commercial drones, U.S.-based drone manufacturing, drone “maintenance-repair-overhaul” (MRO) services, unmanned aerial systems (UAS) solutions for large enterprises and governments, a superior line of Spartacus drone products, a robust UAS training academy, and the country’s first ‘drone-on-demand’ service enabling customers to order drone services through a proprietary mobile app. AD’s full spectrum of technological solutions is widely applicable across countless industries and environments for superior, real-time data processing and insights. Visit www.AquilineDrones.com for more information.