VEX AIR - Unit 8 - Delivering Cargo

Before You Begin

The VEX AIR Drone has three modules that attach to the bottom of the drone, allowing it to manipulate objects. In this unit, students will be introduced to the Magnet Module in the VEX AIR Flight Simulator. They will learn how to use the VEX AIR Drone Controller to pick up cargo and drop it off in a specified drop zone, using visual tools like the reticle and camera views. By the end of this unit, students will have completed a mini-challenge to practice using the magnet and drone to pick up and deliver cargo repeatedly.

Be sure students have the following ready for use before you begin:

A charged VEX AIR Drone Controller
A USB-C cable
A computing device with access to VEXcode AIR

Learning Objectives:

Identify the purpose of the Magnet Module on the VEX AIR Drone.
Demonstrate how to use the magnet to pick up and deliver cargo in the simulator.
Execute precise flight maneuvers while handling cargo.

Standards Alignment

Common Core English Language Arts (CCSS ELA)

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.L.6 - Acquire and use accurately a range of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when encountering an unknown term important to comprehension or expression.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.9-10/11-12.3 - Follow precisely a complex multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical tasks, attending to special cases or exceptions defined in the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.9-10/11-12.4 - Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other domain-specific words and phrases as they are used in a specific scientific or technical context relevant to grade level topics.

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)

Empowered Learner – 1.1.c – Students use technology to seek feedback that informs and improves their practice and to demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways.
Empowered Learner – 1.1.d – Students understand fundamental concepts of how technology works, demonstrate the ability to choose and use current technologies effectively, and are adept at thoughtfully exploring emerging technologies.
Knowledge Constructor – 1.3.d – Students build knowledge by exploring real-world issues and gain experience in applying their learning in authentic settings.
Global Collaborator - 1.7.c - Students contribute constructively to project teams, assuming various roles and responsibilities to work effectively toward a common goal.

In this unit, you will enhance your piloting abilities as you explore how the VEX AIR Drone interacts with its environment. Using specialized modules, the drone can pick up and transport cargo across the field. You'll focus on mastering the Magnet Module through hands-on practice in the Competition layout of the VEX AIR Flight Simulator. By applying the flight techniques you've learned, you'll complete a cargo mini-challenge that tests your precision and control.

A drone carries a cargo object above the Cargo Platform on the Competition layout of the VEX AIR Flight Simulator, with a cargo already on the Platform.

Vocabulary

The key terms below will help you as you learn to pick up and drop off objects using the Magnet Module. This list gives definitions for key terms you’ll see throughout the lesson.

Cargo — A lightweight magnetic box that expands when lifted. The drone can pick up, carry, and drop cargo using the Magnet Module.
Downwash — A stream of fast-moving air pushed downward by the propellers as a drone flies.
Magnet Module — An attachment on the bottom of the drone that uses a magnet to pick up, carry, and drop cargo during flight.
Reticle — A visual marker or crosshair on a screen that helps a pilot line up and aim precisely at a target.

Select Next > to move on to the next lesson.

Introduction

Vocabulary