Bachelor of Science in
Unmanned Aircraft Systems

The FAA-certified B.S. in Unmanned Aircraft Systems prepares graduates to enter the UAS field with an understanding of business, regulatory and security issues.

About the Bachelor of Science in Unmanned Aircraft Systems

Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University is a leader in Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) curriculum, launching the first accredited program in the country. Students enrolled in the program explore coursework in aeronautical science, unmanned aircraft systems, computer science, engineering, geographic information systems (GIS) and service learning.

Embry‑Riddle’s Bachelor of Science in Unmanned Aircraft Systems equips students with the necessary knowledge and skills of UAS, emphasizing mission planning and execution, remote pilot operations, data collection and data processing.

Student Learning Outcomes

Learning opportunities you will have while studying in the drone program:

Remote Sensing
Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
Aviation Safety
UAS Maintenance
Advanced Air Mobility (AAM)

Unmanned Aircraft Systems Career Opportunities

Careers and Employers

Embry-Riddle graduates often find careers at Lockheed Martin, Amazon, Caci International and the U.S. Military, with a placement rate of 83.3% within a year of graduation.

Students earning a UAS degree often pursue careers as:

Sensor Operator
Operations Director
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Systems Specialist
Unmanned Aircraft Systems Analyst
Remote Pilot in Command (RPICs)

Unmanned Aircraft Systems Salary Information

Embry-Riddle provides the opportunity for competitive salaries, with alumni averaging $81,200 annually one year post-graduation, as of 2022.

DETAILS

About Unmanned Aircraft Systems at the Prescott, AZ Campus

Focusing on commercial and civil applications, the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) degree empowers graduates to meet current and future employment demands. Certified as a UAS-Collegiate Training Initiative Program, the UAS degree has evolved into one of the most hands-on degree programs offered at Embry‑Riddle and prepares graduates to enter a rapidly growing and changing industry.

UAS majors also gain a broad understanding of business, aviation regulations, technology, meteorology and security issues within the industry. All students in the Unmanned Aircraft Systems degree program train at our on-campus airfield.

Tracks/Specialties and/or Certificates

Students pursuing an Unmanned Aircraft Systems degree have the option to complete the following certificate:

GIS and Remote Sensing Certificate: 12 credit hours
FAA Remote Pilot In-Command (RPIC) Certificate

Unmanned Aircraft Systems Information

Credits: 120
Online or In-Person: In-Person
Capstone: UAS Capstone (AS475)

Helpful Links

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Explore the Fields of Study: Space & Aviation
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Degree Requirements

The Bachelor of Science in Unmanned Aircraft Systems may be attained in eight semesters. To earn the degree, successful completion of 120 credit hours is required.

Program Mission Statement

The Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) degree will provide the essential aeronautical, business, and legal knowledge and skills to obtain a successful career in the UAS industry. Graduates will be prepared for successful careers as Remote Pilots in Command (PICs), observers, payload operators, and/or operational managers of governmental and private sector UAS applications. Experience will be gained in aerial data collection, secure operations, long duration operations, highly detailed operations, and autonomous operations. Graduates will be prepared to meet current industry requirements with an emphasis on future industry developments such as Beyond Visual Line-of-Sight (BVLOS) operations and the use of multiple small UAS at the same time.

Program Requirements

General Education

Embry-Riddle degree programs require students to complete a minimum of 36 hours of General Education coursework. For a full description of Embry-Riddle General Education guidelines, please see the General Education section of this catalog.

Students may choose other classes outside of their requirements, but doing so can result in the student having to complete more than the degree's 120 credit hours. This will result in additional time and cost to the student.

Communication Theory and Skills		9
Computer Science/Information Technology		3
Mathematics		6
Physical and Life Sciences (Natural Sciences)		6
Humanities and Social Sciences		12
3 hours of Lower-Level Humanities
3 hours of Lower-Level Social Science
3 horus of Lower-Level Humanities or Social Science
3 hours of Upper-Level Humanities or Social Science
Total Credits		36

Unmanned Aircraft Systems Core (101-104 Credits)

The following course of study outlines the quickest and most cost-efficient route for students to earn their B.S. in Unmanned Aircraft Systems. Students are encouraged to follow the course of study to ensure they complete all program required courses and their prerequisites within four years.

Courses in the core with a # will satisfy your general education requirements.

AS 121	Private Pilot Operations	3-5
or AS 125	Private and UAS Pilot Operations
AS 220	Unmanned Aircraft Systems	3
AS 235	Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operation and Cross-Country Data Entry	3
AS 309	Aerodynamics	3
AS 310	Aircraft Performance	3
AS 322	Operational and Industrial Aspects of UAS	3
AS 323	Crew Resource Management for UAS	3
AS 324	Global Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Regulations	3
AS 325	Dronealism and Cinematography	3
AS 403	Unmanned Sensing Systems	3
AS 405	Aviation Law	3
AS 473	Operational Applications in Unmanned Aircraft Systems	3
AS 475	UAS Mission Execution	3
AS 495W	Advanced UAS Videography	3
AT 200	Air Traffic Basics I	3
BA 201	Principles of Management	3
CI 310	Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance ^**	3
COM 122	English Composition ^#	3
EC 200	An Economic Survey (OR Social Science Lower-Level Elective) ^#	3
or EC 210	Microeconomics
or EC 211	Macroeconomics
General Education - Communications Elective ^#		6
General Education - Humanities Lower-Level Elective ^#		3
GEO 210	Introduction to Geographic Information Systems	3
GEO 310	Advanced Geographic Information Systems	3
IT 109	Introduction to Computers and Applications ^#	3
or CS 118	Fundamentals of Computer Programming
SF 210	Introduction to Aerospace Safety	3
MA 111	Pre-Calculus for Aviation ^#	3
or MA 120	Quantitative Methods I
or MA 140	College Algebra
MA 112	Applied Calculus for Aviation ^#	3
or MA 220	Quantitative Methods II
or MA 241	Calculus and Analytical Geometry I
PS 113	Introductory Physics I ^#	3
PSY 222	Introduction to Industrial/Organizational Psychology (OR Humanities or Social Science Lower-Level Elective) ^*#	3
PSY 326	Group and Team Behavior (OR Humanities or Social Science Upper-Level Elective) ^**#	3
or PSY 345	Training and Development
UNIV 101	College Success	1
WX 201	Survey of Meteorology ^#	3
WX 203L	Survey of Meteorology Laboratory ^#	1
or PS 113L	Introductory Physics I Laboratory
WX 301	Aviation Weather	3

* The UAS Capstone (AS475) is intended to be a culminating experience for the Bachelor of Science in Unmanned Aircraft Systems degree, and therefore will be the last course taken in the UAS core after completing AS 473 UAS Flight Simulation.

Specified Electives (12 Credits)

Choose a total of 4 courses from the list of courses below:

AT 305	Introduction to Terminal Radar Operations	3
AT 401	Advanced Terminal Radar Operations	3
BA 308	Public Administration	3
BA 311	Marketing	3
BA 328	Professional Consulting	3
BA 337	Entrepreneurship	3
BA 421	Small Business Management	3
SF 320	Human Factors in Aviation Safety	3
SIS 315	Studies in Global Intelligence I	3
SIS 323	Intelligence and Technology	3
SIS 420	Aviation Security and Technology	3
SIS 422	Homeland Security and Technology	3
SIS 430	Emergency Management and Contingency Planning	3
WX 270	Weather Information Systems ^**	3
WX 364	Weather for Aircrews	3
WX 365	Satellite and Radar Weather Interpretation ^*	3

Open Electives (4-7)

Open Electives

4-7

Total Credits

120

*

Offered in Fall Only

Offered in Spring Only

PS 113L Spring Run Only

#

General Education Course

All Army ROTC students are required to complete SS 321 - U.S. Military History 1900-Present (3 credits) in order to commission.

Unmanned Aircraft Systems - General

Freshman Year
Fall		Credits
AS 121	Private Pilot Operations	3-5
or AS 125	Private and UAS Pilot Operations
COM 122	English Composition	3
IT 109	Introduction to Computers and Applications	3
or CS 118	Fundamentals of Computer Programming
MA 111	Pre-Calculus for Aviation	3
or MA 120	Quantitative Methods I
or MA 140	College Algebra
UNIV 101	College Success	1
	Credits Subtotal	13.0-15.0
Spring
BA 201	Principles of Management	3
	Humanities Lower-Level Elective	3
MA 112	Applied Calculus for Aviation	3-4
or MA 220	Quantitative Methods II
or MA 241	Calculus and Analytical Geometry I
PS 113	Introductory Physics I	3
WX 201	Survey of Meteorology	3
WX 203L	Survey of Meteorology Laboratory	1
or PS 113L	Introductory Physics I Laboratory
	Credits Subtotal	16.0-17.0
Sophomore Year
Fall
AS 220	Unmanned Aircraft Systems	3
AS 309	Aerodynamics	3
	Communications Elective	3
PSY 222	Introduction to Industrial/Organizational Psychology (OR Humanities or Social Science Lower-Level Elective)	3
WX 301	Aviation Weather	3
	Credits Subtotal	15.0
Spring
AS 235	Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operation and Cross-Country Data Entry	3
AS 310	Aircraft Performance	3
	Communications Elective	3
SF 210	Introduction to Aerospace Safety	3
	Specified Elective	3
	Credits Subtotal	15.0
Junior Year
Fall
AS 322	Operational and Industrial Aspects of UAS	3
AT 200	Air Traffic Basics I	3
EC 200	An Economic Survey (OR Economics, Psychology, or Social Science Lower-Level Elective)	3
or EC 210	Microeconomics
or EC 211	Macroeconomics
GEO 210	Introduction to Geographic Information Systems	3
	Open Elective	3
	Credits Subtotal	15.0
Spring
AS 323	Crew Resource Management for UAS	3
AS 325	Dronealism and Cinematography	3
AS 403	Unmanned Sensing Systems	3
GEO 310	Advanced Geographic Information Systems	3
	Specified Elective	3
	Credits Subtotal	15.0
Senior Year
Fall
AS 324	Global Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Regulations	3
AS 473	Operational Applications in Unmanned Aircraft Systems	3
AS 495W	Advanced UAS Videography	3
CI 310	Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance	3
	Specified Elective	3
	Credits Subtotal	15.0
Spring
AS 405	Aviation Law	3
AS 475	UAS Mission Execution	3
	Open Electives	1-4
PSY 326	Group and Team Behavior (OR Humanities or Social Science Upper-Level Elective)	3
or PSY 345	Training and Development
	Specified Elective	3
	Credits Subtotal	13.0-16.0
	Credits Total:	120

GIS and Remote Sensing Certificate

The GIS and remote sensing certificate prepares students for employment in GIS and remote sensing related careers. Due to its versatile use in many industries, the GIS certificate is open to all disciplines that use geospatial data to manage workflows, processes, policies, and high-level decision-making.

Students in this certification program will learn the most common GIS and remote sensing workflows to generate, process and apply geospatial data via in-depth, hands-on experiences using state-of-the-art GIS software. Emphasis is placed on the practical aspects of working with a GIS using easy-to-understand, step-by-step tutorials and instructor demonstrations.

Students who successfully complete the GIS and remote sensing certificate will have the necessary skills to compete and work in the field of GIS and remote sensing in both the public and private sectors. Moreover, GIS and remote sensing skills earned through this certificate are useful in supporting capstone projects, master theses and can provide students with a robust foundation to engage in a research career.

Certification Requirements

To obtain the proposed GIS and Remote Sensing Certificate (a total of 12 CH) students will be required to take the following 4, 3-CH GEO courses:

GEO 210	Introduction to Geographic Information Systems	3
GEO 310	Advanced Geographic Information Systems	3
GEO 350	Introduction to Remote Sensing with GIS	3
GEO 450	Lidar Processing with GIS	3

The GEO courses in the GIS and Remote Sensing Certificate should be taken in the order outlined above, but it is not necessary, except for GEO 210 which is a course prerequisite for GEO 310, 350 and 495. The content of study in each GEO course participating in this certificate is described in each GEO course already offered.

For course descriptions, education requirements, curriculum, and suggested plan of study, please see the Bachelor of Science in Unmanned Aircraft Systems Science/Unmanned Aircraft Systems in the Prescott Catalog.

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Summary

120 Credits

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Spotlight

Pursuing a Passion in Unmanned Aircraft Systems

As an Unmanned Aircraft Systems major, building things that fly comes naturally to Taylor Mantick (’21). Mantick began his college journey as a mechanical engineering major but soon realized that his true passion was unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). After researching different programs, he came across Embry-Riddle’s UAS degree and decided to enroll to pursue his goal of working in the field.

Bachelor of Science in Unmanned Aircraft Systems