| Don’t let the recent debacle about the boy from | | | | completed to the time the aircraft was ready for its |
| Colorado who was feared to have flown off in his | | | | first test flight. |
| family’s weather balloon discourage you and your | | | | Many of today’s most successful engineers got |
| children from experimenting with flight. I’m not | | | | their start monkeying around with electronics and |
| suggesting you launch Junior, by any means, but I | | | | motors as children. There something about having a bin |
| would like to invite you and your kids to explore the | | | | of mechanical and electronic parts: electric |
| world of unmanned flight. | | | | motors,transistors, wheels, dials, transmitters, tubes, |
| Drones aren’t just for the military. While Air Force | | | | cables, LEDs, antennas, amplifiers, maybe even a |
| drones have gotten all the media attention during the | | | | switch mode transformer or two to inspire creative |
| past ten years or so, people forget that it was | | | | genius in anyone. Sitting down with a child and telling |
| hobbyists who started the whole unmanned airplane | | | | them that they can work with the components too |
| tradition, many years ago. Back when kids used to | | | | and watching the look in their eyes as they realize that |
| play outside and knew their way around more than | | | | they’ve just been given the license to create is an |
| just a joystick or a computer keyboard, it used to be | | | | experience I encourage all parents to undertake. |
| common to see them in parks, radio transmitter in | | | | And if it turns out that starting from scratch just |
| hand. It’s a great hobby that teaches children | | | | isn’t your thing, don’t worry. Kits have actually |
| important skills like how to identify a switch mode | | | | become even more accessible than ever and you can |
| transformer, how to solder and weld, principals of | | | | easily order a basic starter version online. For under a |
| aerodynamics and how radio frequency control works. | | | | hundred dollars you can put together a simple radio |
| While full airplane kits are available from many hobby | | | | controlled airplane with your son or daughter and be |
| stores, there’s a lot to be said for building from | | | | outdoors flying it in hours- or once the glue dries. And |
| scratch. My daughter and I built our last project | | | | no-one will hold the commercial aspect against you -it |
| together and, aside from a slight delay while waiting for | | | | may have been a kit, but you still put the effort into |
| some custom transformers to arrive, we spent about | | | | assembling it yourself. |
| sixty days all told from the point where our design was | | | | |