Evaluating the Impact of Drone Technology Bootcamps on Student Skill Development and Performance
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12928/joves.v8i2.12668Keywords:
Drone Technology, Bootcamp, School Students, Skill Development, Vocational EducationAbstract
This study evaluates the impact of a comprehensive drone technology bootcamp conducted at PSSCIVE Bhopal, targeting school students from diverse educational and demographic backgrounds. Designed to blend theoretical instruction with hands-on drone assembly and flight training, the bootcamp aimed to foster technical skills, innovation, and entrepreneurship awareness. A mixed-methods approach using pre- and post-test assessments, observations, and feedback surveys was employed to analyse learning outcomes. Findings revealed significant improvements in students' theoretical understanding, practical proficiency, and entrepreneurial mindset. Students from various school types, Demonstration Multipurpose Schools, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas, and State Government schools, benefited equally, with marked gains across gender and rural-urban segments. Participants reported increased confidence in knowledge retention and a sustained interest in further exploring drone technology. Despite some technical and logistical challenges, the program successfully addressed gaps in STEM and vocational education by offering an engaging, real-world learning experience. The study underscores the potential of immersive, skill-based bootcamps in enhancing design thinking, innovation, and job readiness among school students. It provides key recommendations for future bootcamp models, including tailored content, continuous assessment, and stronger entrepreneurship modules, thereby supporting NEP 2020’s vision of a holistic and practical education framework.
References
Agrawal, P. S., Jawarkar, P. S., Dhakate, K. M., Parthani, K. M., & Agnihotri, A. S. (2024, May). Advancements and Challenges in Drone Technology: A Comprehensive Review. In 2024 4th International Conference on Pervasive Computing and Social Networking (ICPCSN) (pp. 638-644). IEEE.
Ahmad, A., Nordin, M. K., Ali, D. F., & Nabil, A. (2015). Conducting hands-on task in vocational education: teaching method in automotive courses. Journal of Technical Education and Training, 7(1).
Ahmed, T., Wasim, J., Usman, M., & Akhtar, M. W. (2025). Female entrepreneurial vocational training and entrepreneurial behaviour: a longitudinal study. Journal of Asia Business Studies. https://doi.org/10.1108/JABS-03-2024-0172
ASPIRE (2023) A Scheme for Promotion of Innovation, Rural Industries & Entrepreneurship. https://aspire.msme.gov.in/ASPIRE/AFHome.aspx
Atal Incubation Centres (2023) https://aim.gov.in/atal-incubation-centres.php
Bhuyan, J., Wu, F., Thomas, C., Koong, K., Hur, J. W., & Wang, C. H. (2020). Aerial drone: An effective tool to teach information technology and cybersecurity through project-based learning to minority high school students in the US. TechTrends, 64, 899-910.
Chou, P. N. (2018). Smart technology for sustainable curriculum: using drone to support young students’ learning. Sustainability, 10(10), 3819.
Khaled, A., Gulikers, J., Biemans, H., van der Wel, M., & Mulder, M. (2014). Characteristics of hands-on simulations with added value for innovative secondary and higher vocational education. Journal of Vocational Education & Training, 66(4), 462-490.
Make in India (2023) https://www.makeinindia.com/
Morselli, D. (2024). To assess or not to assess an entrepreneurship competence in vocational education and training? Results from a case study of Italy. Education+ Training, 66(10), 29-41.
National Education Policy (2020): Ministry of Education, Government of India https://www.education.gov.in/sites/upload_files/mhrd/files/NEP_Final_English_0.pdf
Newton, K. J., Leonard, J., Buss, A., Wright, C. G., & Barnes-Johnson, J. (2020). Informal STEM: Learning with robotics and game design in an urban context. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 52(2), 129-147.
Rossoni, M., Spadoni, E., Carulli, M., Barone, C., Colombo, G., & Bordegoni, M. (2024). Virtual reality in education to enable active learning and hands-on experience. Computer-Aided Design and Applications, 21(2), 258-269.
Sivenas, T., & Koutromanos, G. (2022, July). Exploring the Affordances of Drones from an Educational Perspective. In 2022 International Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies (ICALT) (pp. 90-94). IEEE.
Slater, T. F., & Sanchez, R. L. (2021). Evaluating K-16 Student Engagement In STEM-based Drone Racing. Journal of Astronomy & Earth Sciences Education (JAESE), 8(2), 81-90.
Start-up India (2023) https://www.startupindia.gov.in/content/sih/en/startup-scheme.html
Yepes, I., & Barone, D. A. C. (2023, June). Drones as Pedagogical Technology in STEAM Subjects: Analysis of Student Perceptions. In 2023 32nd Annual Conference of the European Association for Education in Electrical and Information Engineering (EAEEIE) (pp. 1-6). IEEE.
Yeung, R. C. Y., Sun, D., & Yeung, C. H. (2025). Integrating drone technology in STEM education: Curriculum, pedagogy and learning outcomes. Education and Information Technologies, 1-36.
Yeung, R. C. Y., Yeung, C. H., Sun, D., & Looi, C. K. (2024). A systematic review of Drone integrated STEM education at secondary schools (2005–2023): Trends, pedagogies, and learning outcomes. Computers & Education, 212, 104999.
Zhang, Y. (2024). Research on the Current Situation of Competency of Students in Higher Vocational Colleges Oriented by Entrepreneurship and Employment. New Explorations in Education and Teaching, 2(7).
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Universitas Ahmad Dahlan
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with Journal of Vocational Education Studies (JOVES) agree to the following terms: Authors retain the copyright and grant the Universitas Ahmad Dahlan right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY-SA 4.0) that allows others to share (copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format) and adapt (remix, transform, and build upon the material) the work for any purpose, even commercially with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in Universitas Ahmad Dahlan. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in Universitas Ahmad Dahlan. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
.png)
