Denair High School hosted its first-ever Drone Camp this week, where local students ages nine to 15 were able to take to the skies and become honorary drone pilots.

Like any flight camp, students practiced on flight simulators to learn controls before flying state-of-the-art drones outside, participating in tricky simulations and experiencing a bird’s eye view of Denair thanks to a virtual reality headset. Students also learned how to take a drone apart and reassemble it and were able to brush up on their drone terminology.

Students were able to take home their own drone at the end of the day, much to Ballico Elementary School seventh grader Brookelyn Baba’s delight.

“I’m looking forward to just flying it around for fun,” Baba said.

Baba’s friend Medeiros Elementary School fifth grader Audrey Saavedra reflected on what she learned at Drone Camp.

“Before, I didn’t know how to fly a drone at all and would just crash,” Saavedra said. “I learned how to fly drones mostly, and the rules about it and how you use a drone. I’m going to try and do a flip with mine.”