Northwest ISD board requests approval for new drone course for students

Northwest officials unanimously approved a request to submit an application for a new drone course to the Texas Education Agency during the district’s regular board meeting Aug. 25.

What you need to know

The proposed high school course, currently titled as “Advanced sUAS Applications,” would train students on a variety of drone career operations, according to district documents. The class would be the first in the state to allow high school students to pilot and fly small unmanned aircraft systems, or drones.

“This course that we’ve put together prepares students for flying and operating drones and their sensors, and it introduces them to the variety of drone missions,” said Donny Pharr, NISD’s aviation and aeronautics academy facilitator.

Texas schools currently have introductory drone pilot courses, but there are no Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills-based courses that allow students to further prepare for real world jobs, according to district documents. Pharr said the district’s existing program already supports a market need since students have been securing internships working with drones.

What’s next?

The district will submit an application to the Texas Education Agency to gain approval for the new course from the state, according to district documents. According to the TEA, course applications can be placed on the board’s agenda as soon as September 2025.

If the TEA approves the course, Northwest ISD will begin offering the course in the 2026-27 school year.