ISU students working on unmanned aerial and ground systems

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - You may have heard of "Unmanned Drones.” It's a term usually associated with the military.
    
But Indiana State University in Terre Haute is using the technology to become one of the few colleges in America to prepare students for a future in a world of unmanned machines.
    
You've probably heard the term drones and usually you think of combat missions. But in a lab on Indiana State University's campus, students are getting first hand experience with them.

"Unmanned systems, which is what we call them, we try to get away from the drone word,” Aviation Technology professor Jeff Hauser said of the machines, “Drone kinda gives you a bad connotation, military, dropping bombs, spying (things like that.)"
    
Hauser told News 10 that Indiana State's unmanned systems program prepares students for the future of the unmanned aerial and ground systems.

"We are trying to bring in students for the application of it. We want to have students that can come out and use these with first responders; agriculture."   
    
It's a field that's growing every year from creating the systems to operating them. As of right now, unmanned systems are just a minor at ISU, but officials are looking to change that.

"We are trying to get a four year degree, we don't know when that'll start,” Hauser explained.
“Hopefully we'll get the process initiated and we'll be the fourth university to have the bachelors program."
   
But for now you won't see the unmanned planes soaring through the streets of downtown Terre Haute.
    
In fact unless you are in a restricted area, you won't see them taking off at all. But, over the next few years you may see more drones helping out in essential fields and ISU students will be the ones behind them.
    
Indiana state is also one of the partners at the table with the FAA to grant Indiana and Ohio clearance to be flying test zones for the unmanned air crafts.