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 Drone is brand new to classrooms, and you’re among the first educators to explore this exciting technology with your students. Our curricular resources, including STEM Labs, Activities and teacher supports, are currently in development, and will launch soon.
The VEX AIR STEM Labs will include three hands-on and engaging courses designed to help students develop their ability to pilot and code the drone gradually and safely. Additionally, VEX AIR Courses provide educators with all the support needed to easily take students from piloting a virtual drone to coding it to complete autonomous flight challenges!
The first course, Virtual Flight, introduces students to drone operation using a virtual 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 Challenge.
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.
From the first takeoff through the Capstone Challenge competition, students build on basic piloting skills to master increasingly complex maneuvers, all with an emphasis on safety. They learn to pick up and transport cargo, using multiple video feeds to fly the drone beyond their line of sight.
To learn more about the Controller Flight course, go here.
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 learn more about 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 VEX AIR 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 Drone 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 VEX AIR Drone 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.
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 safe. This includes considerations like:
- A minimum of 5 feet of clear space around the drone and its flight path.
- A minimum of 3 feet of clear space above the drone.
- Tying back loose hair and removing loose, lightweight objects from the flight path.
The drone's Propellor 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 Propellor Lock.
Ready for Launch
Before taking flight, ensure the pilot understands:
- How to control the drone in the air
- Start the Default Fly project
- 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.
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. Once you become certified, you gain access to the VEX Professional Learning Community (PLC). VEX AIR Intro Course 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:
- 1-1 Sessions: Schedule a 1-1 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.