If you are trying to figure out what to buy for your kid's next birthday, drones are both fun and an excellent source of STEM enrichment. Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are an important part of your child's education. Although finding activities that promote STEM learning can be difficult, drones are an excellent opportunity to provide that experience. In addition, drones require precision to operate thus giving your child practice with small motor skills and hand-eye coordination.
What do drones teach kids about STEM?
Aerodynamics
Drones require specific aerodynamics to fly. The way the propellers spin changes the way a drone turns or moves across a 3-dimensional space. Maneuvering a drone requires practice and teaches an understanding of aerodynamics.Cognitive Development and Critical Thinking
It doesn't matter whether you're flying a drone indoors our outdoors. Reacting to changes in flight patterns or environment allows your child to improve the cognitive reasoning skills. They will gain a better understanding of cause and effect. And they will be better equipped to make quick decisions under stress.Introduction To Coding and Electronics
Once your kid has gotten good at flying the drone with a remote control they can begin tackling the more advanced forms of drone flying. They can learn to code and program drones to fly specific patterns and become familiar with the internal electronics that make the device work.
Small hobbyist drone sales are likely to drastically increase from 1.9 million in 2016 to 4.3 million in 2020. When you are buying a drone there are some qualities you want to take into consideration before making that first purchase. Make sure you know your child's capability, for example. Buying a drone with all the bells and whistles rather than a starter drone may not be the best option. Kids are easy to please and just getting to fly a remote-controlled UAV drone will be an amazing experience. As they get more and more used to operating their starter drone you can then work on upgrading to more advanced models.