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Silhouette of person flying a drone.

Soar to new perspectives with drones

Do you want to take your connection to our planet to new heights? Flying drones gives you the chance to navigate the Earth from above and reach new perspectives like never before.

Capture detailed images from the sky for mapping landscapes and monitoring environmental change. Develop your analytical skills to identify real world features and structures in ways that allow you to provide detailed assessments of our planet. You will feel like you are soaring over the landscape while interacting with our real world datasets.

The Micro-certificate in Mapping with Drones will give you essential skills for a wide range of industries and hands on experience with new advanced technology. Whether you’re looking to build your professional career or just eager to try something new, this program gives you the tools to succeed and the opportunity to discover new possibilities for yourself and the planet.

Take a step forward to a new perspective and elevate your appreciation for the land, the water and the air around us. The sky is the limit with the Micro-certificate in Mapping with Drones.

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Description

Courses and fees

Application information

Questions?

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Program at a glance

Program description

This micro-credential will equip you with the foundational skills, methods and best practices required to use emerging drone and GIS-technology for low-level aerial land survey, data collection and digital mapping.

Drone technology is an emerging skillset in many Earth monitoring fields as it can accurately, quickly, and inexpensively map and survey a diverse range of landscapes. You can use drones to create analysis for forestry, conservation, real estate, construction, mining, emergency management, energy, agriculture and transportation use.

This program will prepare you to process drone-based data using WebODM, an open-source photogrammetry tool, to create orthomosaics, elevation models and 3D visualizations.

Topics covered in the program will include:

  • Flight and mission planning, including regulations and controls
  • Photogrammetry and structure-from-motion data processing
  • GNSS data acquisition for precision mapping
  • Cartographic design and visualization techniques
  • Ground control surveying, accuracy assessment and spatial analysis

This program is certified by CIFAL Victoria. CIFAL provides certification for training courses that build the capabilities of individuals and communities towards the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Participants who successfully complete this course are eligible to receive a Certificate of Completion co-signed by UNITAR (United Nations Institute for Training and Research) and CIFAL Victoria.

Program features

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Online Flexibility
The courses in this program are fully asynchronous to support your learning and help you manage a balanced lifestyle. The courses include a virtual field component that provides insight into drone mapping field operations.
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Credibility
The University of Victoria is consistently ranked among the top Canadian comprehensive  universities and is recognized for preparing students for careers in a wide range of disciplines. Upon successful completion of this program, you will receive a micro-certificate.
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Short Term
This two-course program is designed to provide you with the knowledge and tools necessary to achieve your professional goals in just 12 weeks of course studies. 
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Teaching Talent
Our instructors are dedicated professionals with years of applied experience. They’re committed and passionate about helping you develop knowledge and skills to realize your full potential.

StongerBC logo

Through the StrongerBC future skills grant, students may be eligible to receive funding for this program. View details and eligibility

UNITAR-CIFAL certification

CIFAL Victoria

UNITAR logo

UVic logo

View current UNITAR-CIFAL courses and programs.

Program partners

The University of Victoria logo

Faculty of Social Sciences,
Department of Geography

Program outcomes

Upon completion, learners will be able to:

  • identify the uses of drone mapping and survey use across various industries
  • describe the components of a Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) and identify industry-standard terminology and protocols
  • plan a structure-from-motion (SfM) photogrammetric survey including a supporting ground control survey
  • process SfM imagery with ground control and evaluate positional accuracy
  • analyze acquired SfM dataset
  • develop a mapping product

Learners who have completed either of the two Mapping with Drones courses can sign up for an optional in-person field day session held during the summer at the University of Victoria. Field days are held subject to enrollment capacity and weather and are not guaranteed. Attendance at a field day session is not a requirement of the program. Information on the 2025 field days will be available soon!

Who is this program for?

As geospatial technologies expand from land-based survey tools to aeronautic and drone-based technology, drone mapping is an accessible technology now used in a growing number of additional industries including, but not limited to:

  • Emergency management and search and rescue
  • Construction
  • Mining
  • Surveillance and military
  • Insurance
  • Real estate, development, and appraisal
  • Energy
  • Telecommunications
  • Environmental restoration
  • Transportation and logistics
  • Agriculture

In addition, aerial forestry mapping and drone usage has been identified as an area of high-interest from current and former Restoration of Natural Systems certificate and diploma and Ecological Restoration PSC graduates.

This micro-credential will complement those who may want to learn drone mapping skills as part of their current or future career, but do not necessarily have a dedicated background in GIS or a credential in geography. The program will also be of appeal to recent graduates in entry-level careers looking for a dedicated geospatial skillset.

Career options

Some of our learners pursue careers in the following roles:

Courses and fees

The Micro-certificate in Mapping with Drones requires the following two courses: 
Apply online
= Courses open for registration

Two (2) required courses

Estimated fees

Description Fee
Program fee $20.00
Course 1 tuition $545.00
Course 2 tuition $545.00
Estimated Total $1,110.00*
*IMPORTANT NOTE:
Fees listed in this section are an estimate. Total program fees may vary depending on delivery format, course selections, student fees, textbooks and taxes.

Application information

Admission requirements

No prior GIS experience is assumed for acceptance into the program. See individual course descriptions for specific details.

How to apply

No application is necessary, simply register for the two required courses. When registering, you will have the option to purchase the Micro-certificate in Mapping with Drones fee at an additional cost of $20. You are only required to select this when registering for one of the two courses. 

Once you have completed your second course, your certificate will be automatically issued and sent to you. Certificates will be sent approximately one month after the completion of your second course. 

Note: We are unable to retroactively issue a micro-certificate. Students must purchase the $20 program fee prior to the last day of the last course in the program.

All students enrolled in micro-credential programs will automatically be opted-in to receiving a digital credential through Accredible upon completion of their program. Please visit our digital credentials page for more information.

StrongerBC future skills grant

This program is eligible for the StrongerBC future skills grant. To register using this grant please review the eligibility, registration details and funding dates.

Questions?

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 Tel {{ data.responsibleStaffPhone || '250-472-4747' }}

RELATED TOPICS: Data AnalyticsComputing and Information SystemsEcological RestorationSustainability

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