The problem
A university UAV course needs a fleet that survives a semester of student handling, software that matches the papers being taught, and enough airframes that lab sessions aren’t bottlenecked on one aircraft. Consumer drones fail the first two; bespoke research builds fail the third.
What the application demands
- Student-proof hardware — replaceable arms, locking connectors, no soldering to rebuild after a hard landing.
- Real research stack — PX4 and ROS 2, the same toolchain used in the literature.
- Fleet economics — per-seat pricing that fits a teaching budget.
- Safety progression — simulation-first workflow before students ever fly.
Recommended configuration
| Role | Product | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Teaching fleet | YD-Explorer 450 | Backpack-portable, 1.5 kg for course payloads |
| Advanced labs | YD-Swift 250 | Aggressive control and racing electives |
| Spare / repair stock | YD-Pilot Pro | Standard flight controller across the fleet |
A typical lab package: 8–12 aircraft, spare-parts kit sized to a semester, ground stations, and the simulation-to-flight curriculum workflow. Instructor training is included with fleet purchases.
