How to Fund a School Drone Program: Grants, Perkins V & CTE Funding

Launching a high school drone program requires an investment in curriculum, teacher preparation, equipment, and student learning resources. For many schools, the biggest question is not whether students would benefit from drone education. It is how to pay for it.

There is no single funding source that works for every school. Depending on the district and state, schools may be able to combine career and technical education funding, grants, local budgets, workforce-development resources, or community partnerships to support a drone program.

The key is to connect the program to clear educational and workforce goals before looking for funding.

Start With the Purpose of the Program

Before searching for grants, define what the program is intended to accomplish.

For example, is the school trying to:

• Introduce students to aviation and drone technology?
• Add a new CTE course or pathway?
• Prepare students for the FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate?
• Provide hands-on technical and flight training?
• Connect students with careers in mapping, inspections, public safety, construction, media, or other drone-related industries?
• Expand an existing STEM, engineering, or aviation program?

A funding request is much stronger when it clearly explains what students will learn, what skills they will develop, and how those skills connect to the school’s broader CTE or workforce-development goals.

DARTdrones Insight

Budget is one of the most common concerns DARTdrones hears from schools considering a drone program. In many cases, teachers receive a program budget only after administrators identify or secure the funding source.

Can Perkins V Funding Be Used for a Drone Program?

Potentially, but eligibility is not automatic.

The Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act, commonly called Perkins V, is a major federal funding program supporting career and technical education. Federal Perkins funds are distributed to states, which then distribute most of those funds to eligible local recipients such as school districts, CTE schools, and postsecondary institutions.

That means an individual teacher generally is not applying directly to the U.S. Department of Education for a Perkins grant. Schools should instead work with their district’s CTE leadership, Perkins coordinator, or state CTE agency to understand how funds are allocated locally.

Perkins-funded activities must support CTE programs that meet identified local needs. Local recipients are required to use a Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment, or CLNA, to help determine how Perkins funding is used, and that assessment is updated every two years.

What Could Make a Drone Program Relevant to Perkins V?

A drone program may be a stronger candidate for CTE funding when the school can demonstrate that it supports goals such as:

• Building technical and employability skills
• Preparing students for high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand career fields
• Providing career exploration
• Connecting academic instruction with technical skills
• Supporting an approved CTE program or program of study
• Providing relevant professional development for educators

Perkins V specifically allows eligible recipients to use funds for qualifying professional development for CTE educators, although local and state requirements still apply.

Important: Perkins V eligibility and allowable expenses vary by state, district, program approval status, and local needs. Schools should confirm any proposed purchase or activity with their Perkins or CTE administrator before committing funds.

What Parts of a Drone Program Might a School Seek Funding For?

A funding proposal might include:

Look Beyond Perkins V

Perkins V should be one funding avenue, not the entire funding strategy.

Schools may also want to investigate:

State and Local CTE Funding

Many states and districts provide CTE funding outside of federal Perkins dollars. Availability, eligible expenses, and application procedures vary considerably, so the district CTE office is usually the best starting point.

State or Regional Education Grants

State departments of education, workforce agencies, regional education organizations, and other public entities may periodically offer competitive funding for areas such as:

• Career and technical education
• STEM education
• Workforce development
• Emerging technologies
• Industry credentials
• Work-based learning

Local Education Foundations

School or district education foundations may offer grants for classroom technology, innovative programs, equipment, or career-readiness initiatives.

These awards may be smaller than major CTE grants, but they can sometimes help fund a pilot program, initial equipment, or a portion of a larger implementation.

Workforce and Economic Development Partners

Drone skills can connect to industries including construction, utilities, surveying and mapping, public safety, agriculture, inspections, and media.

Schools may want to explore whether regional workforce boards, economic-development organizations, employers, or industry associations have education or workforce-development programs that align with the proposed course.

Community and Industry Partnerships

Local businesses may also be willing to support a school program through:

• Equipment donations
• Sponsorships
• Guest speakers
• Facility visits
• Career presentations
• Mentorship
• Work-based learning opportunities

The goal does not necessarily have to be finding one organization to fund the entire program. Several smaller sources can sometimes help support different pieces.

Build the Funding Request Around Student Outcomes

When approaching administrators or potential funding partners, focus on what the investment will allow students to do.

Instead of:

“We want to purchase drones.”

A stronger explanation is:

“We want to create a hands-on CTE program that gives students experience with drone flight, aviation safety, FAA Part 107 knowledge, and real-world applications while introducing them to career pathways that use unmanned aircraft technology.”

Then outline:

• Who will participate
• How many students the program will serve
• What students will learn
• How much classroom and flight training they will receive
• Whether students will prepare for Part 107
• What career pathways the program supports
• How student progress will be measured
• What equipment and teacher preparation are needed
• What the startup and recurring costs will be

That makes it much easier for someone reviewing the request to understand what they are actually funding.

Use Labor-Market and Workforce Information When Possible

This is especially important for schools pursuing CTE funding.

Perkins V places emphasis on aligning CTE programming with local needs, and local recipients use the CLNA process to evaluate issues including workforce and industry needs.

A school proposing a drone program could strengthen its case by showing connections between drone skills and industries important to its region.

That does not mean the proposal has to promise that every student will become a drone pilot.

Drone education can expose students to broader career and technical skills involving aviation, data collection, mapping, inspection, photography, technology, communication, and problem-solving.

Start the Funding Conversation Early

Funding processes vary by school, district, and state, so teachers should connect with the appropriate school or district leadership early in the planning process.

Depending on the school, that may include CTE leadership, administrators, grant staff, or others involved in program budgeting and approval. They can help determine which funding sources are available locally, what requirements apply, and when requests need to be submitted.

Create a Simple Funding Plan Before Applying

Before requesting money, schools should be able to answer four questions:

What are we trying to build?
Define the program format and student outcomes.

What do we actually need?
Separate essential startup needs from items that can be added later.

How much will it cost?
Create a startup budget and identify recurring expenses.

Why does this program matter?
Connect it to CTE goals, student credentials, career exploration, workforce needs, or other district priorities.

A clear plan can then be adapted for a district budget request, grant application, education foundation request, or community partnership proposal.

Need Help Planning a High School Drone Program?

DARTdrones helps schools build drone education programs that combine classroom instruction, FAA Part 107 preparation, hands-on flight training, teacher support, and career-focused learning.

Explore High School Drone Curriculum

Schedule a Call

FAQs

Can Perkins V pay for a high school drone program?

Perkins V funds may support qualifying CTE programs and activities, but funding is not automatic simply because a course involves drones. Eligibility depends on the school’s program, state and local requirements, the Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment, and the proposed use of funds. Schools should confirm eligibility with their local Perkins or CTE administrator.

Do teachers apply directly for Perkins V funding?

Typically, no. Federal Perkins Title I funding is distributed to states and then largely to eligible local recipients such as school districts, CTE schools, and colleges. Teachers should generally begin with their district’s CTE or Perkins administrator.

Can Perkins V fund teacher training?

Professional development for qualifying CTE educators is an allowable use of Perkins V funds, subject to the applicable state and local requirements.

Are there grants specifically for school drone programs?

Sometimes schools may find grant opportunities that can support aviation, STEM, CTE, emerging technology, workforce development, or equipment purchases, but availability changes. Schools should check state education agencies, district grant offices, local education foundations, workforce organizations, and other relevant funding sources rather than relying on a single national “drone grant.”

What should a school include in a drone-program funding request?

Include the program’s goals, number of students, curriculum, teacher preparation, equipment needs, startup and recurring costs, student outcomes, career connections, and how the program fits the school’s CTE or workforce-development priorities.