Taking Drone Practice to the Virtual World: Drone It

Learning to fly a drone takes practice, but getting enough time in the air isn’t always easy. Drone It was created by a Creative Media & Game Technologies student to tackle that problem by giving students a way to practice flying virtually, using either real drone controllers or a standard gamepad.

The project started as a GameLab assignment based on the “Noorderpoort Drones” case, with client Henk Lukken looking for a digital tool that students could use outside of school hours. With limited equipment, busy classes, and unpredictable weather, the team saw an opportunity to bring drone training into a virtual environment. 

Rather than creating a traditional first-person drone simulator, the team focused on Visual Line of Sight (VLOS). Players have to keep track of their drone from the ground, just like a real pilot would. This makes Drone It  less about simply controlling a drone and more about developing awareness and practical flying skills.

The game features three different areas. The Hangar  introduces the basics through tutorials and exercises, while The Outdoors adds wind conditions to make flying more challenging. In The Hub, players can customize their drone by swapping components before taking their new setup out for a test flight. 

With Drone It, the team set out to make drone practice more accessible, giving students a safe virtual space to build their confidence before taking to the real skies.