OSU to offer first unmanned aerial systems option

Friday, September 10, 2010

Oklahoma State University/A&M Board of Regents approved the world’s first graduate degree option in unmanned aerial systems today amid predictions that it will attract top students, increase the visibility of an already heralded aerospace engineering program, and multiply partnerships. The degree option now goes to the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education for final approval.

“This is an important and exciting step for Oklahoma State University,” said Robert Sternberg, OSU provost and senior vice president.  “This advanced degree option is sure to attract quality graduate students worldwide, including many who are already aware that OSU’s aerospace engineering program is uniquely qualified to be the first in the world to offer this type of research and instruction.”

The head of the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at OSU, Dr. Larry Hoberock, said approval for the new option comes at a very opportune time. “Unmanned aerial systems have become the hottest growth area in the aerospace engineering world with an expected 10-year growth rate of tens of billions of dollars per year as the technology is expanded for use in police, security and border patrol operations, agricultural applications and for inspection of pipeline and power transmission.”

OSU is especially well positioned to be the first university to offer the unmanned aerial systems option for master’s and doctoral degree candidates, according to Hoberock, because of the stellar track record that has been established by Drs. Andy Arena and Jamey Jacob in aviation and aerospace exploration, as well as the OSU University Multispectral Laboratories partnership in Ponca City.

“UML’s fully operational full-scale airfield at Ft. Sill and our new Stillwater small-craft airfield under construction east of Stillwater, makes this the right time to become the first university in the nation to offer this special option and reap the benefits,” said Hoberock.

The UML has been utilizing OSU as a research and engineering education source for operations, testing and evaluation activities with paying clients, and providing the university with funding for research and instruction for three different contracts over the past two years, according to Hoberock. He anticipates growth in future partnerships through the UML as it promotes the OSU program to a network of contacts in the unmanned aerial systems field.