by Guangyang Fang
On October 23, 2025, Guangyang Fang and CISESS interns Ian Way and Samuel Wiggins conducted a drone training and 3D scanning exercise at the Fearless Flight Facility (F3) at the University of Maryland. The goal was to train students in safe drone operation, mission planning, and image acquisition techniques for 3D reconstruction of the UMD campus as part of the Virtual Proving Ground and Training Center (VPGTC). The team practiced pre-flight checks, controlled maneuvers, and overlapping image capture patterns suitable for photogrammetry. The exercise also served as a hands-on introduction to FAA safety principles and flight data management. The collected data will support the development of realistic 3D environments for immersive geoscience and student training modules, advancing innovative visualization tools for Earth science.
