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Online Undergraduate Certificate: Drones & Autonomous Systems

Drones & Autonomous Systems
Undergraduate Certificate
DEGREE AT A GLANCE
  • 18 credits
  • Transfer up to 9 credits
  • All courses available online
TUITION RATES
  • $330 per credit (in-state)
  • $499 per credit (out-of-state)
  • $250 per credit (military)
  • Other fees may apply
Next Session Starts
May 14

Plant your flag in a future-facing industry with an online undergraduate certificate in drones and autonomous systems at University of Maryland Global Campus. Explore key concepts, notable trends, and future applications of an emerging technology that is beginning to impact the global marketplace. Earn a certificate at your own pace and on your own schedule, thanks to our convenient online classroom. Plus, you’ll study under the tutelage of our experienced faculty members, who bring their real-world experience with them to the classroom. Ready to own your future? Apply today!

Study the History, Applications, & Future Trends of Drone Technology

This online certificate is designed to give you a broad overview of Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) drone systems and autonomous systems technology. As you move through our 18-credit curriculum, you’ll explore the history, key terms, and general applications of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), as well as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations that govern their use. You will also study the future applications of this technology, particularly in the fields of AI, machine learning, and Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations. Earning this certificate will supply you with a key credential that can help prepare you for careers in the commercial, public safety, and defense sectors.

Here are a few benefits of this online certificate program:

  • This certificate program is designed to equip you with the knowledge and requirements to pursue an FAA remote pilot’s certificate, required to fly drones under the .
  • We offer competitive tuition rates for Maryland residents, as well as discounts for military servicemembers and their spouses and dependents.
  • This program is taught by faculty members with extensive knowledge of drone and autonomous systems technology in military, civilian, systems design, and emergency management contexts.

View Drones & Autonomous Systems Courses

This program requires a total of 18 credits.

Required Courses 

  • (3 Credits, DRON 300) 
  • (3 Credits, DRON 305) 
  • (3 Credits, DRON 310) 
  • (3 Credits, DRON 315) 

Elective Courses 

Choose two courses from the following list of electives. You must choose two electives from the same discipline to ensure that prerequisite requirements are met. 

Criminal Justice 

  • (3 Credits, CCJS 100) 
  • (3 Credits, CCJS 340) 

Public Safety 

  • (3 Credits, PSAD 302) 
  • (3 Credits, PSAD 410) 

Emergency Management 

  • (3 Credits, EMGT 302) 
  • (3 Credits, EMGT 304) 

Homeland Security 

  • (3 Credits, HMLS 302) 
  • (3 Credits, HMLS 406) 

Search Course Catalog

This program is first being offered in the 2025–2026 academic year. There will be no differing program requirements for previous years. To review information about other programs, please visit the catalog archive. 

Read the Catalog

Certificate Requirements

In addition to the specific course requirements outlined on each certificate webpage, maintains certain requirements for all undergraduate certificates.

See Certificate Requirements

Build Career-Focused Skills in an Exciting Field

Build skills that are applicable to a wide range of public safety, emergency management, and homeland security functions. Through our career-focused coursework and our emphasis on providing career- and certification-ready knowledge, you’ll be ready to apply the lessons from your coursework to an exciting, new career.

Our program directors refresh and update the curriculum regularly, with a focus on helping students achieve the following:

Discuss Trends
Discuss how the trends for military and civilian applications will impact the commercial and emergency management sectors.
Analyze Ethics
Analyze the ethics, laws, and regulations of unmanned autonomous systems, both domestically and internationally.
Evaluate Systems
Analyze the hardware and software of drone systems and how they are used for data collection, storage, and system life cycles.
Compare Research
Compare and contrast the research and development trends of military and civilian drone applications, especially with regards to the commercial and emergency management sectors.
Identify Capabilities
Identify future capabilities and uses of UAS and UAV systems in various industry applications.
 

Unlock Your Career Potential

In today’s rapidly evolving world, the use of drones has revolutionized various industries and sectors. This program is designed to expand your knowledge of emerging technologies and career opportunities within the field of drones and autonomous systems. This includes general applications; common terms and definitions; history and background; and how emerging commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) technologies have provided breakthroughs in the public, defense, and commercial sectors. 

$18.9B
Projected Production
Production of non-military Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) is expected to reach $18.9 billion a year by 2030.
1M+
Registered Drones
According to the FAA, there are more than one million registered drones in the United States.

Practice Real-World Skills in Your Drones & Autonomous Systems Courses

Throughout your academic curriculum, your instructors will assign coursework that may help you prioritize real-world skills and experience. Some possible course projects include: 

  • Develop a conceptual design of an autonomous drone for a specific industry (e.g., agriculture, delivery, security). 
  • Create a comparative timeline of drone evolution that explores the technological advancements that have transformed drones from basic remote-controlled aircraft to fully autonomous systems. 
  • Analyze the impact of autonomous drones on society, focusing on regulations, ethics, opportunities and security challenges. 

Explore Insights

Gain insight from our faculty and staff and delve deeper into a range of topics, including more information about this new certificate program from faculty members and how a credential can help advance your career. 

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