Welcome to TeachAIR.vex.com!
Before joining VEX, I worked in aviation museums across the United States. There, I saw firsthand how the power of flight inspires curiosity and innovation. Drones are a modern extension of that same story. Drone are shaping industries, creating new career opportunities, and showing students what’s possible in their futures.
With the VEX AIR Drone, you can bring these real-world concepts into your classroom. Students will not only experience the excitement of flight, but also build skills in coding, engineering, and problem solving that prepare them for tomorrow’s challenges.
This page is your launchpad for teaching with VEX AIR. Here you’ll find everything you need—curriculum, resources, and support—to guide your students as they take flight and reach new heights.
Alaina Haws
Senior Education Developer, VEX Robotics
Classroom Implementation
The VEX AIR courses provides structured learning experiences designed to introduce drone operation, coding, and applied problem-solving. The courses are organized to build skills progressively, beginning with flying the drone in a simulation environment through the Virtual Flight course, moving to flying the physical drone in the Controller Flight course, and advancing to autonomous programming in the Coding Flight course. These courses can be used with students in a classroom, independently, and by competition teams for preparation. They help with understanding how the drone works, how to fly it confidently, and how to program it effectively.
The first course, Virtual Flight, introduces students to drone operation using the VEX AIR Flight Simulator. Students learn to use the VEX AIR Drone Controller to fly a virtual version of the drone with precision.
They learn to pick up and transport cargo using flight modules, and develop an understanding of basic flight principles. They then put all their learning to the test in a virtual flight competition in the course capstone.
To learn more about the Virtual Flight course, go here.
In the next course, Controller Flight, students take their experience with virtual drone flight into the physical world as they learn to fly the drone with the controller.
Beginning with safety, setup, and pre-flight checklists, students learn how pitch, roll, and throttle map to 3D movement. They build confidence through taking control of orientation and heading before advancing to complex flight patterns and maneuvers. Students also complete missions using modules to transport objects and learn to capture images and videos while flying.
To learn more about the Controller Flight course, go here.
Coming Soon!
The Coding Flight course integrates coding and computational thinking into drone operations, guiding students to program autonomous flights.
Students begin with coding basic flights, progress to incorporating sensors and telemetry data, and then learn to use the drone’s vision sensors to navigate and interact with the environment. Along the way, students practice coding the drone to pick up and transport cargo, culminating in a final autonomous Capstone Competition.
To see an overview of the Coding Flight course, go here.
Take Flight with VEX AIR
Before the First Flight
Excited to takeoff? Before you and your students get the drone in the air, there are some steps necessary to get everything set up and ready for that first flight.
As you and your students start to explore the VEX AIR Kit, it can be helpful to know what all you are seeing or where to find pieces as you move forward. See this article for an overview of the kit.
Before each flight, students need to be sure the drone and controller are charged, paired, and ready for flight. Follow the steps in this article to learn more about preparing the drone and controller for the first flight.
To set up your classroom for safe indoor flight, start by defining a well-lit, obstacle-free flight area and clearly marking the boundaries so everyone knows where drone activity is happening. For more details on how to set up your space for safe flight with VEX AIR, see this article.
Prioritize Flight Safety
Safety is key when working with a drone. It is important that the pilot and all people in the area surrounding the drone’s flight path are prepared, and that the space is set up for safe indoor flight. This includes considerations like:
- A minimum of 5 feet of clear space around the drone in all directions including overhead.
- Remove loose or lightweight objects from the flight zone and ensure a level takeoff surface
- Tie back long hair and secure loose clothing
- Clearly define and mark the flight area and post visible signage
- Use clear classroom roles and routines
The drone's Propeller Lock helps to ensure a safe flight experience for students by engaging automatically if the drone detects handling when it is not in flight.
See this article for more information about the Propeller Lock.
To keep drone flights safe and productive, establish clear classroom routines so every student knows what to do before, during, and after a flight. Assign roles like Pilot, Co-Pilot, and Observer, and rotate them so everyone shares responsibility and gets a turn to fly. If multiple teams share one flight area, post a simple flight schedule and reinforce that anyone can call “CUT!” if they notice a safety concern.
Ready for Launch
Before taking flight, ensure the pilot understands how to:
- Start the Default Fly project
- Control the drone in the air
- Land the drone to end a project
A pre-flight checklist can help to ensure that everyone is prepared and safe for a flight. This article goes through that checklist and explains the Default Fly project.
Controlling the Drone
The drone can be controlled in two primary ways: manually using the controller and autonomously through coding in VEXcode AIR. The controller features dual joysticks and a built-in touch screen that displays live camera feeds and flight controls, helping to clearly see and manage the drone during flight. This controller is used to pilot both the physical drone and the virtual drone within the VEX AIR Flight Simulator.
VEX AIR Flight Simulator
As a first step, students can fly a virtual version of the drone using the physical controller and build flight skills in a low-risk environment. In the VEX AIR Flight Simulator, they practice the same types of movements they would use with a real drone, helping them develop confidence and control. In addition, students begin to:
- Develop safety habits related to the drone.
- Use modules to interact and move objects.
- Further their skills to complete advanced piloting maneuvers.
VEX AIR Drone Controller
Once students are ready to move from the simulator to physical flight, they can take control of the drone using the same controller. This allows students to apply the piloting skills learned through virtual flight to the physical drone.
Coding in VEXcode AIR
VEXcode offers options to support learners at different experience levels:
- VEXcode supports two primary coding methods: block-based and text-based coding.
- Block-based coding uses a visual, drag-and-drop interface that allows users to focus on fundamental coding concepts—such as sequencing, loops, conditionals, and variables—without needing to worry about memorizing or typing syntax. This approach is ideal for building foundational understanding and confidence.
- Text-based coding allows users to write code using Python. Text-based coding provides greater flexibility and mirrors real-world programming practices.
- To help learners transition between these methods, VEXcode also includes Switch blocks. Switch blocks is an approach designed to scaffold the transition between block and text-based coding. They preserve the logical flow and visual structure of a block-based project while allowing users to type Python code directly within the blocks. This scaffolded approach supports a smooth progression from visual coding to fully text-based coding.
Continuing Support with VEX PD+
VEX Robotics offers comprehensive professional development resources available on pd.vex.com. VEX’s Professional Development Plus (PD+) platform is your destination for a wealth of resources designed to empower educators in the world of STEM. The VEX PD+ platform offers two tiers - a free tier and an All-Access paid tier.
VEX PD+ free tier
The VEX PD+ free tier includes access to:
- Intro Courses: These self-paced online courses provide training on each VEX platform. Each course contains formative assessment and tracks your progress, making it easy for you to check your understanding and complete the course at your own pace. The VEX AIR Flight Educator Certification Course is designed to provide comprehensive context and preparation for educators, coaches, and adult leaders who will be supporting students or operating the VEX AIR Drone. Once you become certified, you gain access to the VEX Professional Learning Community (PLC). VEX AIR Flight Educator Certification coming soon!
- Professional Learning Community (PLC): Join a network of global educators and VEX Experts, where you can learn, share, and benefit from a wealth of shared experiences. This is your virtual Teacher’s Lounge, where you can have meaningful dialogue, share expertise, ask questions, and work collaboratively to improve your STEM teaching and learning.
VEX PD+ paid tier (All-Access)
The VEX PD+ paid tier (All-Access) includes access to:
- 1-on-1 Sessions: Schedule a 1-on-1 session with a VEX expert, get guidance and support tailored to your needs.
- VEX Masterclasses: Video-based, expert-led courses that range from introductory ‘Getting Started’ courses to more advanced and pedagogy focused courses.
- VEX Video Library: Access to hundreds of videos across a variety of topics and VEX platforms, available anytime and from anywhere.
- VEX Robotics Educators Conference: An annual conference that brings the VEX PD+ Community together for in-person, hands-on learning, inspiring keynotes, and learning sessions with VEX education experts.
Every user will also have access to their own dashboard, which includes a tour of all the VEX PD+ features, allowing them to get started easily. We are continuously updating PD+ with new materials, ensuring our platform remains a rich, dynamic resource for our educators.
We are here to support you on your professional journey. If you have any questions, or feedback, you can use the feedback tool in VEX PD+. We're excited for you to explore, learn, and connect.
VEX AIR Drone Competition
VEX AIR Drone Competition is a team-based, game-style challenge where students pilot and program drones to complete objectives and score points in a match environment. It gives students an authentic way to apply flight skills, problem solving, and strategy while building confidence through repeated practice and competition.
Read more about this year’s game.