★ Hands-On · Grades 6–12 · No Prereq
AI Robotics & Autonomous Drone Lab
Build the Future. Code the Machine.
A live, hands-on robotics, AI & drone program for middle and high school students — Python-powered robots, sensors, electronics, computer vision, and autonomous drones.
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Upcoming cohorts
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Real hardware — and it's yours to keep. Students build with a professional robotics kit (SunFounder PiCar-X AI robot car with Raspberry Pi, a CoDrone EDU, and sensors). The kit is purchased separately by parents (about $400) and students keep all the hardware after the course. All you need at home is a laptop and internet.
What you'll build
Real robots. Real code. Real projects.
No drag-and-drop blocks — students write real Python to bring machines to life, from ground robots to autonomous drones.
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Autonomous Obstacle Avoider
Program a robot to detect nearby objects with sensors and respond intelligently — navigating on its own.
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Smart Vision Sorting Bot
Use computer vision (OpenCV) to help a robot recognize colors and objects, then sort and react.
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AI-Inspired Drone Challenge
Write autonomous flight logic for a real drone — search patterns, responsive behavior, and more.
The curriculum
From first line of code to autonomous flight.
Live, small-group sessions with guided, project-based learning — beginner-friendly, with advanced extensions for those who want to go deeper.
Phase 1 · Sessions 1–2
Foundations
01Python for roboticsProgramming basics that control real machines.
02Sensors, motors & controllersConnect the hardware to your laptop and make it move.
Phase 2 · Sessions 3–5
Ground Robotics
03Build the robotAssemble and drive your PiCar-X.
04Obstacle avoidance & line-followingGive the robot behaviors that react to the world.
Phase 3 · Sessions 6–7
The AI Layer
05Machine learning conceptsHow robots learn to recognize and decide.
06Computer vision with OpenCVObject and color detection your robot can act on.
Phase 4 · Sessions 8–10
Aerial Intelligence
07Drone control & autonomous flightProgram responsive, autonomous flight behaviors.
08Search-and-rescue logic + demoPut it all together; present your build and earn your certificate.
Why this lab is different
Real engineering — not drag-and-drop blocks.
Most “robotics for kids” stops at colorful blocks. Here students write real Python, wire real sensors, and debug real hardware — the way actual engineers do. That's what builds confidence and stands out.
Real code, real PythonStudents write the same language used across professional robotics and AI — not a toy block editor.
Hardware you keepA real robot car and drone that stay with the student to keep building long after the course.
The debugging mindsetWhen something doesn't work, students learn to diagnose and fix it — the most valuable engineering skill of all.
What you leave with
Hardware, projects, and a credential
KeepYour robot & drone
A PiCar-X AI robot and a CoDrone EDU — yours to keep and keep building on.
BuildThree real projects
An obstacle avoider, a vision sorting bot, and an autonomous drone challenge for your portfolio.
EarnA certificate
A Research Ignited certificate — plus the Python, AI, and robotics foundation to go further.
Reserve your seat
AI Robotics & Autonomous Drone Lab
$799 / student tuition
10-week cohort, or a 2-week summer intensive
+ ~$400 robotics kit (purchased separately · yours to keep)
- Live, instructor-led small-group sessions
- Real Python — no drag-and-drop blocks
- Robotics, sensors, electronics, AI & computer vision
- A PiCar-X robot + CoDrone EDU you keep
- Three portfolio projects + real-time troubleshooting support
- Research Ignited certificate
Questions parents ask
Good to know
Does my child need prior experience?+
No. The program is beginner-friendly and starts from the basics, while offering advanced project extensions and deeper technical challenges for students who already code.
Do they need to know C++?+
No — the lab is Python-focused. Python is beginner-friendly and used across professional robotics, AI, and computer vision.
What software and equipment are needed?+
A good laptop or desktop, reliable internet, and a small workspace. Software (Python, VS Code, OpenCV) is all free and we set it up together. The robotics kit (≈$400) is purchased separately and kept by the student.
What if the hardware doesn't work?+
Instructors provide real-time, remote hardware troubleshooting and debugging support during live sessions — learning to fix things is part of the experience.
What hardware is in the kit, and do we keep it?+
A SunFounder PiCar-X AI robot car with Raspberry Pi, a CoDrone EDU, and sensors/components. Students keep all the hardware after the course to keep building.
Ready to Build the Future?
Real robots, real drones, real code — and the engineering confidence to go further. Seats in each cohort are limited.