MIX Unmanned Aerial Systems Prototyping
The MIX Unmanned Aerial Systems Prototyping (Drone) Workshop Series returns for Fall 2025, building on four successful semesters of a 10-week hands-on short course where students learn UAV fundamentals and advanced manufacturing through drone prototyping. This semester, students will be encouraged to use 3D printing, Laser Cutting and other fabrication processes to customize their drone airframes.
Working in teams of three, students will assemble a baseline drone and complete their first test flight by Session 3, then extend their drones (Sessions 4–6), complete mini-challenges (Sessions 7–9), and present their work at a final poster session and flight demo on November 20 (Session 9 on Week 10).
The workshop begins Thursday, September 18, runs weekly from 4:30–6:30PM for 10 weeks, and is open to students from all majors—previously, 30 students from 19 majors participated. Successful completion earns a GMU digital micro-credential. Applications are due by midnight on Wednesday, September 10, and acceptances will be sent by Monday, September 15. Waitlisted students must attend the first session to maintain eligibility.
This semester GMU Robotics PhD Candidate Aniket Anand Datar, advised by Professor Xuesu Xiao, will be the instructor for this badged short course.
Questions? Contact mkazemza@gmu.edu or adatar@gmu.edu, or visit the MIX in Horizon Hall 1408.
“I had so much fun learning all about drones and having this wonderful experience!”
Fall 2025 10 WEEK COURSE OUTLINE:
*Meets Thursdays, 4:30 PM - 6:30 PM (2 hour sessions)
September 18 - Week 1: Kickoff, intro Drone technology and history, Lab: Intro to Arduino, PWM with a servo, Ultrasonic distance measurement
September 25 - Week 2: NO MEETING THIS WEEK -due to Fuse Opening in Arlington campus
October 2 - Week 3: Intro to proportional–integral–derivative controllers (PIDs), Intro to IMU sensors, Lab: Build a balance beam to demonstrate PID’s, Arduinos/ Servos
October 9 - Week 4: Power system of a drone, Lab: Soldering, begin drone assembly
October 16 - Week 5: Flight controllers and how it integrates, Lab: Assemble drone frame, Integrate ESC’s to controller
October 23 - Week 6: Radio & flight controller programming, Lab: Radio Pairing with drone, Load software on the flight controller, test
October 30 - Week 7: Safety briefing, Lab: Final drone preparations and test flights
November 6 - Week 8: Testing and flight training *potential to be Outdoors
November 13 - Week 9: Testing and flight training; Practice demonstrations, pitch presentations to fellow teams
November 20 - Week 10: Final Technical Presentations and flight demo to judging panel