A Day of Discovery: GeoCue Presents Drone LiDAR Tech to Local 5th Graders
In an engaging and educational outreach initiative, GeoCue recently visited Mill Creek Elementary in Madison, Alabama, to introduce fifth graders to cutting-edge drone and LiDAR technology. Jake Fields, a UAS Service and Support Technician at GeoCue, led the interactive presentation, bringing sophisticated technology down to an exciting, understandable level for the 5th grade audience.
The presentation was part of a broader STEM awareness initiative funded by a recent DoDEA grant awarded to Madison City Schools. This grant supports the inclusion of dedicated STEM teachers in each of the district’s seven elementary schools, aiming to increase STEM career awareness among students from kindergarten through fifth grade.
GeoCue’s involvement was initiated by an outreach from a local educator. Deborah Weaver, the STEM Community Engagement Liaison for Madison City Schools, contacted the team at GeoCue to see if they would be interested in participating and demonstrating their drone technology to students.
Jake Fields explained, “Deborah was searching for individuals in STEM careers willing to showcase cool technologies to students. Once connected, we quickly organized our participation.”
Fields, who has a background working with students at the local Space Camp program, tailored his presentation to resonate with the young audience. “My background from Space Camp was extremely helpful,” he said. “I focused the presentation around cool images and interesting data we’ve collected locally and internationally.”
Preparation involved practical demonstrations tailored specifically to the school’s layout. “I scanned the front of the building and some interior hallways using our TrueView GO handheld LiDAR scanner,” Fields explained. “Over the weekend, I also collected aerial LiDAR data of the entire campus, from playground to parking lots, with our TrueView 535 drone sensor.”
The resulting dataset presented to the students was a highlight of the day. “The kids were blown away,” Fields recalled enthusiastically. “The teacher was also surprised to see a detailed interior and exterior scan of their school.”
Throughout the day, approximately 200 fifth graders rotated through interactive sessions as part of a career day event featuring multiple STEM-focused companies. Fields presented several LiDAR technology applications ranging from mapping projects to archaeological discoveries. He was able to creatively link different uses of LiDAR, such as ground surveying for subdivisions, with archaeological applications, including uncovering ancient ruins hidden beneath dense jungle canopies in Central America.
“The kids thought LiDAR was probably the coolest thing they’d ever seen,” Fields noted. “I structured my presentation to showcase a variety of applications—starting with surveying and inspection before showing them some exciting uses in archaeology and 3D modeling.”
Student interaction was enthusiastic. “They had great questions,” Fields said. “One student had actually seen LiDAR technology before on the television show ‘Expedition Unknown,’ which impressed me. Another student, curious about drones after losing his own, asked insightful questions about drone technology and safety features.”
A practical demonstration at the end reinforced the students’ understanding. “We performed a hands-on activity where students used a small laser pointer and a mirror to mimic how LiDAR scans environments,” explained Fields. “It demonstrated the detail and extensive data collection involved, emphasizing how much simpler it is to let drones handle such tasks.”
Feedback from teachers was also positive, particularly regarding the real-world connections Fields reviewed. “The teachers were amazed at how detailed and versatile LiDAR scans could be,” he said. “One teacher, who has a personal interest in caving, was particularly intrigued by scans I shared from Tumbling Rock Cave.”
In addition to showcasing GeoCue’s advanced LiDAR technology, Fields emphasized broader benefits of this outreach effort. “Events like these help students see potential career paths in STEM,” he explained. “I believe raising awareness about these technologies not only benefits the students but also helps GeoCue connect with the local community. It shows we care about inspiring the next generation.”
GeoCue’s commitment to community outreach in Huntsville, an area recognized for its engineering and technology sectors, has potential long-term benefits. “Many of these students likely have parents involved in STEM-related industries,” Fields added. “Sharing this technology at the school could spark discussions at home, potentially introducing LiDAR solutions to local businesses.” Overall, Fields was very satisfied with the overall response from students and teachers alike. “Almost every group of students was really enthusiastic,” he recalled. “It was great to see their excitement and interest and show off what I get to do on a daily basis.”