DroneBlocks

 DroneBlocks 

This week, I worked with Drone Blocks, a drone simulator that allows us students to practice our coding skills in the real world by sending our code from a tablet computer or phone to the actual drone. This course introduces essential programming principles and showcases autonomous flight using the Tello drone and DroneBlocks. This course will teach me basic block programming and allow me to gain insight into the Tello drone's capabilities. 

Notes: Intro Tello

-DroneBlocks is the range of blocks that control Tello's flight behavior,

-The different program or mission starts by adding the "takeoff" block, "yaw right" or "yaw left," and land.

-Tello will climb to an altitude of 4-5 feet

-Tello uses sensors and fight control logic to determine altitude and distance.

-"Show Misson Code" allows students to see the JavaScript code directly without having to use the blocks

-Loops allow students to repeat a sequence of instructions until a condition is met.

-Repeat is "repeating" a series of flips and other blocks to revisit the box mission in a simpler code. 

-Once ready to use "Lanuch the Misson" to see the drone move

https://www.loom.com/share/e5988a5d6a3049a99e9aced18a8a48da?sid=256cb529-f944-4cb2-b6ab-7a949043498b

Simulator 

My experience using the DroneBlocks Simulator was fun and very educational. I decided to do Healthcare in the Himaylaes Challenge. This simulator is designed and plans a drone system to simulate transporting samples or medicine between major hospitals and medical outposts in remote mountainous regions.

https://www.loom.com/share/3b40b92d3b0540a980ce5c90aeaa7c87?sid=b1a4aa69-1eeb-4b0b-937f-4bf5efa40faf

Notes: Healthcare in the Himalayas Challenge 

Author/Instructor- Natalie

-Nepal Flying Labs is looking for new innovative ideas to help solve healthcare problems in remote areas such as Nepal.

-They have drone laboratories at their district hospital in Pyuthan. The drone flies from the district hospital to different health posts around the area and returns to the central hospital when told. 

-Using these drones can collect sputum samples, blood samples, and other samples they need from these remote areas to be tested appropriately at the hospitals. 

-The reason they need drones is because people in these areas constantly need to walk more than a day to be able to reach their nearest health facilities.

ISTE TEKS used:

 5.3 C )Plan collaboratively with other educators to create learning activities that cross disciplines to strengthen student understanding of CT and CS concepts and transfer application of knowledge in new contexts

5.2.c

Choose teaching approaches that help to foster an inclusive computing culture, 

avoid stereotype threats and equitably engage all students. 

Activity for Students:

When using microdrones indoors, the classroom should always be set up before any activity. Depending on your room size, there are two recommended room setups or plans to guide you: 

 1: Safety 1st! Separate the classroom and establish a fight zone' for mission testing and a 'safe zone where students can work on their code. No batteries should be in the drones within the 'safe zone,' and students should not enter the fight zone' while there is an active drone in the air. Preferably, the drones should go toward a wall and not toward students.. 2. When the battery is in the drone and synched to the device, place the drone upside down on its landing mat. This will prevent accidental takeoff.

3. There should be a "mountainous region" for the simulated course, which can be made from various materials. These can include noodles, cones, desks, and other building materials. It should consist of obstacles that challenge the teams to do differently. This should have direction and height. 

4. Use two landing pads to establish the location of the Pyuthan Hospital and the village of Majhkot in your classroom. 

Questions

• What coded flight script did you create from which tutorial? An obstacle course in DroneBlock using XYZ code.
• How can you teach students about the coding scripts involved? Using the activity above, teaching students how to code a drone to help with real-world problems safely.
• How can you facilitate the edition of code to provide quick coding experiences for students and family members? By teaching this activity, I can facilitate by showing and modeling problem-solving skills.

                                                                 Flying Drones