Napster, MySpace, sliced bread... we are under constant pressure to find the next big thing, and then capitalize on it. A few months ago it was Periscope, which has fizzled out a bit, but here recently, Drones have been a topic of conversation on the #SchoolPR hashtag.
What's a Drone?
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), commonly known as a drone and also referred to as a remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), is an aircraft without a human pilot aboard. Its flight is controlled either autonomously by onboard computers or by the remote control of a pilot on the ground or in another vehicle. - Wikipedia
What once was popular on military bases is now becoming a hobby as lower costs models are popping up on Amazon, Best Buy and even Toys R Us. Here is one from Amazon that features 4K Camera [Better than HD] for $1,253.00
How Did We Use It?
Luckily one of our teachers owns an UAV that we were able to use at band practice a few weeks ago. The response was tremendous! Not only does the footage look awesome, we were able to use the footage to post on Facebook [Native, don't link it to YouTube yet], where video is highly engaging.
Our post garnered hundreds of likes and was shared by many, many students and parents. One because it was video, and two, it was showcasing students using technology in the classroom. Anytime we can engage our audience with visuals, we are going to do it.
What Policies Do We Have in Place
Just like the Wright Brothers, this was our first flight using UAV's. Our district does not have a policy in place to use it as a Public Relations or communications tool. We are researching the guidelines setup by the government and UIL [Our school sanctioning body]
There was a ruling passed before the football season started that in Texas, UAV's or Drones are not allowed to be flown at sporting events of any kind. Make sure to see what policies are in place in your city, state and school community.
5 Ideas for Using a Drone in Your District
1. Summer Football Two-A-Days
Football is the most popular sport in the United States. People can't get enough of it. Why not give your district followers a preview of your upcoming season by filming summer practice. It might be just enough to wet their whistle before Friday Night Lights in the fall.
2. Marching Band Practice
Just like football, everyone enjoys a good halftime show. Show the public what hard work goes into fine arts by recording overhead visuals of your bands hard at work. It's an awesome perspective from high above.
3. New Construction Builds
Keep the public up-to-date with your bond projects by doing flyovers of construction sites. Show everyone what great things are to come at their schools and facilities.
4. Elementary School Field Days
What looks like mass chaos on the ground, might look a whole lot better from high above. Parents and students will get a kick out of seeing their son or daughter do the tug of war or the three-legged race. Kids always love seeing a drone fly too. Could get some kiddos interested in physics.
5. First Day of School Videos
The first day of school is always exciting. More families are on campus than pretty much any other time of the year. Mom and dad are usually seen walking their kids through the front doors. Why not get a great drone shot of all the families dropping off their kids. Great shots... great stories.
First in Flight
Just like anything in communications and marketing, you have to take risks and test the results. I do know one thing, it is certainly a fun way to spend my School PR days.
Do you have any questions about our Maiden Voyage? Leave them in the comment section below.
Links to Articles
Drones Are Creating Social Video Buzz From Cali to Cannes: Content marketers are smitten with airborne robots
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