Wentworth becomes first student to earn an M.S. in Unmanned Systems from the Worldwide Campus
Molly Justice
Molly Justice
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Molly Justice
Feb 05, 2016, 12:00 PM
After serving as an Unmanned Aircraft Systems team leader and pilot in the U.S. Army, Andrew Wentworth saw an opportunity to build a second career. He wanted to further his education in aviation, but traveling several weeks at a time for his job at a UAS manufacturing company posed a logistical problem. By earning his bachelor’s degree in Aeronautics through Embry-Riddle’s Worldwide Campus, the Dayton, Ohio, resident was able to juggle his career and education. Next month, Wentworth is the first student to earn a Master of Science in Unmanned Systems from the Worldwide Campus.
Wentworth said he wants to further his education in the emerging field of UAS.
“I started to look at where I wanted to go next; while the iron was hot, I thought I should keep striking it,” said Wentworth, who works with Sinclair Community College in Dayton to provide UAS instruction.
As the use of UAS is expected to increase over the next decade, students like Wentworth are entering a growing field that is changing the aviation industry. Military and government organizations have utilized this technology for decades but these vehicles are now being prepared and tested for commercial use.
The Master of Science in Unmanned Systems focuses on the application, development and management of unmanned systems and addresses issues such as regulation, design, policy, education and human performance.
Kenneth Witcher, Dean of the College of Aeronautics for Embry-Riddle Worldwide, said that the MSUS degree exceeded five-year enrollment projections in the first 16 months as more career prospects have opened in this field.
“UAS technology is allowing those of us in the aviation industry to have a valuable conversation about aviation to segments of industry that historically did not see value in aviation,” Witcher said. “Graduates from ERAU’s UAS programs will find opportunities within the traditional aviation segments of the industry but also significant opportunities in non-traditional segments such as real estate, insurance, mining, construction, and agriculture just to name a few.”
The Worldwide Campus also has launched a virtual Robotics Lab that will enable students to build and fly virtual UAS from anywhere.
Wentworth said he is weighing his career options but sees a lot of opportunity to enter the field at the collegiate level.
“Going through the master’s program has placed me in a different job market that is emerging,” Wentworth said. “The collegiate market didn’t exist 5 to 10 years ago.”
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