10 March 2021
SALINA Public safety agencies are one of the fastest-growing adopters of unmanned aircraft systems technology. Utilizing UAS provides opportunities and advantages to law enforcement officers, firefighters and emergency management personnel, but knowing where to start in developing a UAS operation can be complicated.
Kansas State Polytechnic is offering a free webinar and live question and answer session from noon to 1 p.m. CDT Thursday, April 15, to provide guidance to public safety and emergency management organizations on how to start a UAS operation.
The free webinar will cover identifying a need, budgeting, technology decisions, training and legal considerations. Law enforcement officials currently managing a UAS operation will also join the webinar to discuss lessons learned, including how to gain leadership and community buy-in, and identifying funding sources. Kansas State Polytechnic UAS experts will be available to answer questions.
2 March 2021
SALINA Unmanned aircraft systems are a global phenomenon, and the experts at Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus are helping to ensure regulation updates are shared across the globe.
A free webinar offered by K-State Polytechnic on Feb. 25 discussing recent changes implemented to UAS regulations by the Federal Aviation Administration was attended globally.
The webinar shared information on UAS operations that will go into effect in the coming months, including a new implementation timeline adjustment from the FAA. UAS operators in attendance numbered more than 380 from 42 states across the U.S. and four countries.
The updates to the federal regulations primarily covered remote identification of unmanned aircraft, operations over people, operations at night and requirements for recurrent training for remote pilots. The webinar’s primary focus was on the immediate changes that will affect remote pilots starting in March.
The Salina Journal
Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus has begun the spring semester and it is looking bright.
The school said enrollment for spring 2021 is up 5% with student credit hours up 9%. This is the fourth year in a row that K-State Poly has seen enrollment trending higher.
K-State Poly said this is impressive considering the pandemic is still ongoing.
“It’s important during challenging times to focus on what we can control,” said Christopher Smith, executive director of enrollment management, marketing and financial aid. “I am proud of our team for never losing sight of the mission and keeping students at the center of everything we do.”
Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021
Kansas State Polytechnic and Salina USD 305 have signed a partnership to create the PolyCATS Academy for USD 305 high school students. From left are Curtis Stevens, USD 305 director of secondary education; Linn Exline, USD 305 superintendent; Alysia Starkey, CEO and dean of K-State Polytechnic; and Terri Gaeddert, associate dean for academics and student success, K-State Polytechnic. | Download this photo.
SALINA Kansas State University s Polytechnic Campus and Salina USD 305 have partnered to create the new Polytechnic Center for Applied Technology Studies.
This academy provides an opportunity for eligible high school students to earn industry-recognized credentials, receive college credit for general education requirements and complete dual credits for an associate degree during high school. The PolyCATS Academy will also foster strong community partnerships with businesses, community organizations and educational organizations.
New Kansas COVID cluster list names 23 of 252 active outbreaks. Here are the locations. Jason Tidd, The Wichita Eagle
Feb. 10 Kansas public health officials named more locations with active outbreaks of COVID-19.
Sedgwick County had a school, a church and two nursing homes on the state s list. There could be additional outbreaks in the Wichita area, as the Kansas Department of Health and Environment s weekly cluster update on Wednesday identified only a fraction of all the locations with an active outbreak of COVID-19.
The Sedgwick County Health Department s COVID-19 dashboard showed seven new clusters in the past week. The new outbreaks were at four businesses, two long-term care facilities and one religious institution.