Aviation (BS) Unmanned Aircraft Systems

Summary

Unmanned Aircraft Systems relies on a combination of professional flight courses sufficient to train students with a thorough understanding of manned aircraft systems, instrument operations, and a foundation in flight operations sufficient to introduce students to National Airspace System operation and air traffic control. This allows students to complete a single exam for the purpose of earning the Remote Pilot Certificate. Students earn a Remote Pilot Certificate after completing the private pilot certificate and prior to starting the UAS Sensors, UAS Telemetry and Communication, Advanced UAS Operation, and UAS Senior Project/Capstone courses. Students gain skills in direct current (DC) circuits to understand basic electrical theory for assembling, operating and maintaining UAS. Students gain skills in fundamental programming and information security calibrating and programming UAS and working with sensitive data platforms and stored information. Students gain skills in reading and interpreting mechanical designs and working with the software to enable visualization of mechanical UAS structures.
Catalog Year

2023-2024

Degree

Bachelor of Science

Major Credits

74

Total Credits

120

Locations

Mankato

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Program Requirements

Major Common Core

Required for new students entering the Aviation Program. Course covers academic planning, degree audits, flight lab registration and completion requirements, and tips that students can apply to achieve success in the program.

Prerequisites: none

A study of how aviation fits into our modern world, relation to business, and contribution to the economy. Study of aviation as a visible alternative in transportation.

Prerequisites: none

A study of basic aeronautical knowledge including principals of flight, aerodynamics, aviation regulations, weather, visual and instrument navigation, and emergencies. The course meets, but is not limited to 14 CFR 61.105. Satisfactory completion of this course may result in an endorsement for the FAA Private Pilot written exam.

Prerequisites: none

A study of physics and aerodynamic principals of flight and propulsion systems. The nature of aerodynamic forces are explained. Flight principals of lighter-than-Air, airplane, glider, rotorcraft and powered lift are covered in detail.

Prerequisites: PHYS 101, MATH 112, AVIA 150

Provides an understanding of management and financial techniques related to aviation businesses. Generally accepted and proven business techniques and proven business techniques are applied to the aviation setting.

Prerequisites: none

To instruct the student relative to legal implications of aircraft ownership, leases, rentals, and overall aircraft operation. Emphasis is placed on the understanding of liability and negligence from the operator and pilot standpoints.

Prerequisites: none

The understanding and implementation of safe operating procedures. Assists the student in arriving at proper decisions related to periods of stress when operating as pilot in command. Various FAA regulations and standard and safe operating procedures are also discussed.

Prerequisites: AVIA 150

A study of various techniques designed to enhance management and leadership methods. Emphasizes decision-making and judgment skills as well as methods to improve effective communication and skills to develop a productive work environment for flight crew and other airline personnel.

Prerequisites: AVIA 150

An examination of the processes involved in weather formation. Students will be introduced to weather map analysis, simple forecasting and observational techniques, and weather instruments.

Prerequisites: none

Emphasis Common Core

This course discusses the Remote Pilot Certification process and the specific rules under which UAS platforms can be operated. Students will gain sufficient knowledge to prepare them for the Remote Pilot Certificate exam and apply that knowledge to operations in the National Airspace

Prerequisites: none

This course will help the student determine the UAV platform to use and demonstrate knowledge of the UAS sensors and operating procedures. The student will also use the UAS for data collection.

Prerequisites: AVIA 160

This course will provide the student with knowledge of UAS telemetry and communication. The student will apply datalink principles and identify aspects of UAS communication. Students will demonstrate knowledge of issues facing UAS interference.

Prerequisites: AVIA 370

This course will provide the student with knowledge of advanced UAS operations to include a mapping project from proposal through implementation to completion. It will identify security requirements and develop threat models and risk assessment.

Prerequisites: CIS 350, AVIA 375

This course will review and expand on knowledge that has been taught in the program. The student will demonstrate UAS concepts with a meaningful research project using the skills and knowledge learned from the program. They will apply these skills to real world scenarios.

Prerequisites: AVIA 470

This course provides conceptual and logical tools for students planning to major in a computing-based major. Programming in a high-level language such as C++, Python, or Java, and the development of skills in abstraction, problem-solving, and algorithmic thinking are emphasized.

Prerequisites: MATH 112 or MATH 113 or MATH 115 or MATH 121

Security concepts and mechanisms; security technologies; authentication mechanisms; mandatory and discretionary controls; cryptography and applications; threats; intrusion detection and prevention; regulations; vulnerability assessment; information assurance; forensics; anonymity and privacy issues; disaster recovery planning, legal issues and ethics.

Prerequisites: EE 107 or CIS 121 or an approved substitute.

A study of DC electrical circuits, Kirchhoff's laws, series and parallel circuits, inductors, capacitors, circuit response to RL, RC and RLC circuits. Thevenin's equivalent circuit theorem, and other network analysis theorems. Use of dependent sources in DC circuits. MATH 112 or 115 may be taken concurrently.

Prerequisites: MATH 112 or MATH 115

The course will be an introduction to the analysis of spatial data using the concept of a geographic information system (GIS). Content of the course will be, to a great extent, based on the NCGIA core curriculum with assignments tailored to the data and software available within the department such as ArcGIS.

Prerequisites: none

This is an introductory course on theories and techniques of remote sensing. Focus will be placed on providing students with a general overview of the application of remote sensing to practical problems, and hands-on experience for image processing and analysis.

Prerequisites: none

The course covers a process of developing and analyzing solid parametric models for mechanical applications. Course includes solving technical design problems based on real-world applications as well as creating technical documentation: working and assembly drawings.

Prerequisites: none

An introduction to statistical concepts and methods that is applicable to all disciplines. Topics include descriptive measures of data, probability and probability distributions, statistical inference, tests of hypotheses, confidence intervals, correlation, linear regression, and analysis of variance. The use of statistical software will be emphasized. Prereq: ACT Math sub-score of 19 or higher, successful completion of MATH 098 or appropriate placement scores (see Placement Information under Statistics) Fall, Spring, Summer GE-4

Prerequisites: Satisfy Placement Table in this section, or MATH 098 with grade of P.

Goal Areas: GE-02, GE-04

Emphasis Restricted Electives

Choose 6 Credit(s).

Provides beginning flight student with the in-flight requirements needed to obtain the FAA Private Pilot's Certificate.

Prerequisites: none

AVIA 153, Private Pilot Flight Lab II, continues the flight lab progression in the MSU aviation program to the second stage of the Private Pilot flight lab. The course reviews and expands the classroom knowledge received in the Private Pilot Ground Course as well as the skills developed in AVIA 151. The training flights continue the building block approach to training with student pilots gradually obtaining the skills to fly safely and pass an FAA administered practical examination.

Prerequisites: none

A study of fundamental air navigation principles and how it is applied to flight. Pilotage and dead reckoning. Great circle navigation. Charts and conformal projections. Celestial navigation. Electronic navigation systems and their operations and use.

Prerequisites: AVIA 150

Prepares advanced flight students with the in-flight requirements needed to obtain the FAA Instrument Pilot rating.

Prerequisites: none

AVIA 243, Instrument Pilot Flight Lab II, continues the flight lab progression in the MSU aviation program to the second stage of the Instrument Pilot flight lab. The FAA requires each pilot to obtain their Instrument Pilot flight certificate to fly in instrument weather conditions. The course reviews and expands the classroom knowledge received in the Instrument Pilot Ground Course as well as the skills developed in AVIA 241. The training flights continue the building block approach to training with student pilots gradually obtaining the skills to fly in all instrument conditions and to pass an FAA administered practical examination.

Prerequisites: none

A study of advanced aeronautical knowledge, including aerodynamics, aviation regulations, weather, visual and instrument navigation, and emergencies. The course meets, but is not limited to 14 CFR 61.125(b). Satisfactory completion of this course may result in an endorsement for the FAA Commercial Pilot written exam.

Prerequisites: AVIA 153, AVIA 240

Prepares advanced flight students with the in-flight requirements needed to obtain the FAA Commercial Pilot's Certificate.

Prerequisites: none

AVIA 253, Commercial Pilot Flight Lab II, continues the flight lab progression in the MSU aviation program. The FAA requires each pilot to obtain their Commercial Pilot flight certificate to be compensated for work as a pilot. This stage two course of the Commercial Pilot flight lab reviews and expands where required the classroom knowledge received in the Commercial Pilot Ground Course. The training flights use a building block approach to training with student pilots gradually obtaining the skills to fly the more difficult manuvers and to pass an FAA administered practical examination.

Prerequisites: none

Students train for and participate in intercollegiate flight competition as a member of the MSU Flight Team. An additional fee is required during semesters in which the team participates in competition. A maximum of 4 credits can be earned.

Prerequisites: none

Designed to cover the complex area of operation techniques and problems confronting the airlines today. Entails a study of marketing research, passenger trends, feasibility route studies, etc.

Prerequisites: none

Hydraulic, pneumatic, electrical, pressurization, environmental, and other systems for large-transport category aircraft are covered. Also turbine engines, primary and secondary flight controls, and miscellaneous important systems are examined. Examples of systems in large transport-category jets will be discussed from the pilot operational perspective.

Prerequisites: AVIA 201

Introduces students to airline training, regulations, and flight management systems (FMS). Students will develop an understanding of airline operations as they experience an FAA Part 121 style basic indoctrination. Students will be trained on procedures, requirements, and limitations for airline operations through all phases of flight and ground in a simulated Advanced Qualifications Program (AQP) style course. Students will also develop technical and procedural knowledge of FMS.

Prerequisites: AVIA 153

Covers aeromedical factors that are essential for high-altitude flying aircraft. Hypoxia, hyperventilation, dysbarism, basic gas laws. Armstrong line, vision in flight, day and night. Pressurization systems, pressurized suits, danger of loss of cabin pressure, future HSCT and LEO commerical flights.

Prerequisites: none

Comprehensive examination of GIS for manipulation and analysis of spatially-referenced data, including data structure and organization, input and output problems, data management, and strategies for analytical work.

Prerequisites: GEOG 373

This course will introduce students to the fundamental knowledge and techniques of open-source GIS and geospatial data analysis. Students will learn the basic and advanced GIS functions in QGIS, a popular open-source GIS with advanced capabilities. The major topics that will be covered include open source GIS data standards; working with projections and available GIS data; making maps in QGIS; spatial and attribute data query, editing, and manipulation; multi-criteria overlay analysis; raster image styling and analysis; 3D and terrain analysis; spatial pattern analysis; spatial interpolation; automating map creation and complex workflows using processing models; customize and extend QGIS.

Prerequisites: GEOG 373, GEOG 474

This is an introductory course of GIS programming. It consists of lecture and laboratory components covering fundamentals of GIS programming concepts and techniques, as well as hands-on practice with Model builder and Python supported by ESRI'S ArcGIS platforms.

Prerequisites: none