Full Sail University opens Drone Innovation Center with ribbon-cutting ceremony

By Cassidy Mills, Staff Writer

 

January 7, 2026

 

Full Sail University officially opened its state-of-the-art Drone Innovation Center with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the university’s Winter Park, Florida campus, Dec. 2.

 

Faculty, students, industry partners and invited guests gathered to celebrate the launch of the more than 7,870-square-foot facility, which is designed to support hands-on education, research and innovation in drone technology.

 

The Full Sail University Drone Innovation Center is a multi–purpose-built indoor facility that supports students enrolled in the university’s emerging technologies–focused degree programs, including simulation engineering, artificial intelligence (AI) and computer science.

 

The facility features six dedicated areas designed to support a wide range of drone education and operational needs: Advanced Airspace, Engineering, Simulation & Programming, Remote Operations, Communications and a Situation Room.

 

The Advanced Airspace room is a fully netted, 3,564-square-foot indoor flight zone that supports drone racing and autonomous navigation, providing students with a controlled environment that mirrors real-world flight scenarios. The Engineering area serves as a hands-on hardware hub where students build, modify and test drone components as part of their coursework and applied projects.

 

The Simulation & Programming area allows students to test flight simulations using artificial intelligence, computer vision and drone simulation software such as VelociDrone, supporting experimentation and iteration prior to live flight operations.

 

Complementing this work, the Remote Operations room mirrors real-world control environments used in live event production, business and military and defense applications, where students learn to monitor, coordinate and manage drone operations from a distance.

 

The center also includes a Communications space equipped for podcasting, live streaming and interactive demonstrations, enabling students and faculty to broadcast, document and engage with live drone flights and testing activities.

 

A nearby Situation Room serves as a collaborative, multipurpose space for debriefing flights, reviewing footage, learning new flight control software and planning next steps for ongoing drone projects.

 

During the ceremony, Full Sail University President Gary Jones highlighted the significance of the new facility within the broader campus ecosystem and the university’s long-standing commitment to real-world education.

 

Jones credited the United States National Drone Association (USNDA), which established its national headquarters on Full Sail’s campus in 2024, for strengthening the university’s drone initiatives and expanding opportunities for collaboration across industry, academia and government.

 

Dr. Haifa Maamar, executive director of emerging technologies at Full Sail University, spoke about the vision behind the Drone Innovation Center and its role in advancing interdisciplinary learning.

 

Maamar said the facility brings together students from AI, simulation engineering, software engineering, cybersecurity, AR/VR and information technology programs, enabling cross-functional collaboration at a critical moment for drone innovation.

 

“The Drone Innovation Center is a testament to our commitment to providing students with access to the facilities, educators and technologies they need to design the future,” Maamar said. “Drone technology is used across multiple sectors our students and graduates enter, and this space allows them to gain hands-on experience that directly translates to industry readiness.”

 

As part of the program, the USNDA presented Jones with a Distinguished Service Award in recognition of his leadership and support of national drone education and innovation initiatives.

 

The opening of the Drone Innovation Center builds on Full Sail University’s growing commitment to drone education. In 2025, the university launched a student-led Full Sail Drone Club, bringing together students from multiple degree programs with a shared passion for drone technology and applications.

 

With the official opening now complete, the Full Sail University Drone Innovation Center is expected to serve as a hub for education, experimentation and collaboration, further strengthening the university’s position at the intersection of technology, creativity and workforce development.