7 questions to ask before you buy a drone for your STEM lab

Take this into any vendor meeting, including ours. Ask each question, ask them to show you rather than tell you, and tick what you saw.

1. 01

   Can students program the real drone?

   Ask the vendor to change one block or one line of code, press run, and show the drone behave differently.

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2. 02

   Can a beginner start visually and still go deeper?

   Look for a path from block logic to text or API programming and autonomous missions, on the same hardware.

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3. 03

   Can students open it, assemble it and service it?

   Visible components and replaceable parts turn the hardware into something students can understand instead of a sealed box.

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4. 04

   Can it carry sensors, add-ons or project work?

   A lab platform should grow into experiments and projects rather than stop at manual flight.

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5. 05

   Is there structured curriculum or project content?

   Ask for the activity list. It should move from first flight toward outcomes a teacher can put on a lesson plan.

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6. 06

   Can a teacher run it again next week, without you?

   Teacher training, lesson support and technical help decide whether the drone gets used twice or gets shelved.

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7. 07

   What happens after the first crash?

   Check spares availability, repair guidance, firmware updates and support. Classroom drones get dropped.

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From Drona Aviation’s guide to educational drones: dronaaviation.com/educational-drones