Amid the Oklahoma winds that scatter paper planes and inspire childhood dreams, Ashlee Hightower, a teacher at Bartlesville High School, and Brandi Peace, an educator at Tri-County Tech, lead aviation programs that defy gravity—encouraging students to look beyond the horizon and discover careers they never knew existed.
The Missing Gear in Drone Education
Oklahoma is a leader in aviation education, and Ashlee Hightower and Brandi Peace are shaping the next generation through drone technology. But for students, drones still felt like toys.
The problem? Accessibility. The kits were overpriced, fragile, or too complex to build. Some required an iPhone, leaving some students out. Meanwhile, Brandi’s students spent two years troubleshooting a drone that never flew—held back by limited resources and poorly designed technology.
Determined to find a solution, Ashlee and Brandi were invited by Paula Kedy, Oklahoma’s statewide aerospace STEM education manager, to beta-test Pitsco’s Drone Infinity program. Paula recognized the importance of the opportunity, explaining that “Oklahoma is committed to equipping schools with the resources to prepare students for aerospace careers. Partnering with Pitsco for Drone Infinity ensures that teachers have the tools to teach the latest in unmanned aircraft development and drone engineering.”
For Ashlee and Brandi, this was the breakthrough they’d been searching for. Finally, their students had the tools to lift their drones—and their dreams—off the ground.
Turning Classrooms Into Launchpads
After years of frustration with complicated drone kits, Brandi, Ashlee, and their students were surprised by how intuitive and engaging Drone Infinity was. “It reinvigorated their drive,” Brandi explains. “After struggling for over two years to get the other drone to fly, they were losing motivation. But with Drone Infinity, I watched them regain their confidence. Once they succeeded, they were even ready to tackle the tougher kit again.”
Ashlee’s students, despite varied technical skills, jumped in eagerly, assembling drones in small groups. Some carefully followed instructions, while others skipped ahead—learning firsthand through trial and error. “They immediately saw the impact of their mistakes,” Ashlee recalls. Even her least-engaged students were fully hands-on, some among the first to get their drones in the air.
The learning went beyond assembly. Students built quad and hexcopter configurations, programmed flight characteristics with iNav, and explored configurable concepts in a hands-on way. For the first time, they weren’t just building—they were troubleshooting, collaborating, and seeing the real-world applications of flight.
A turn-key solution was invaluable for both Ashlee and Brandi. “Educators need more than just parts—we need lesson plans, quizzes, and flight logs to assess performance,” Ashlee says. With everything provided, her students could focus on learning, not logistics.
It felt like Christmas,” Ashlee says, as students unboxed their kits. When the first drone took off on the first try, excitement spread, drawing in students and teachers to witness the moment. It became a schoolwide spectacle—one that left everyone in awe.
When it Comes to Careers—The Sky isn’t the Limit
For Ashlee and Brandi, Drone Infinity was a game-changer. “The hands-on aspect keeps my kids coming to school,” Brandi says. At Tri-County Tech, where students split their day between traditional and hands-on learning, attendance is strong. “Some skip their public school classes,” she says, “but here, they stay engaged because they’re building, inventing, and seeing what they can do.”
That engagement is more than learning—it’s career preparation. Drones are transforming industries, from agriculture—where they track cattle and analyze soil—to search and rescue, aerial photography, and even pizza delivery. “I saw drones used for spraying fields at a farm show,” Ashlee says. These real-world applications opened students' eyes to new career paths. By mastering drone technology, they’re not just gaining STEM experience—they’re building future-ready skills.
Drone Infinity Empowers Students to Reach Higher
Pitsco’s Drone Infinity program is more than a classroom tool—it’s a spark. As industries like agriculture, logistics, and emergency response embrace drone technology, this program turns curiosity into capability. For educators, it’s a chance to engage students with hands-on learning, equipping them with future-ready skills and a vision for what’s possible.
