What Students Learn

Students learn how vertical farming uses technology to grow crops in stacked layers and how drones can support inspection, monitoring, and data collection in these controlled environments. Through a real case study, they discuss how the Engineering Design Process guides the development of agricultural drones and examine how precision agriculture improves efficiency and reduces waste. They also explore how loops and organized code structures help automate repetitive inspection tasks.

What Students Do

Students code Hopper to take off, ascend to each crop row, and fly horizontally across three equally spaced rows inside a simulated vertical farm. Using tower height markers and a 20' × 20' fly zone, they plan vertical and horizontal movements, calculate timing, and ensure Hopper’s camera faces the crops during inspection. After completing all three passes, they command Hopper to descend and land. Students test, refine, and reorganize their code—optionally extending the activity to inspect a fourth row.