From Components to First Flight: IUS Students Build Drones at QUAD Academy

Building a drone requires more than assembling components - it brings together electronics, mechanics, software and flight control. Students from the International University of Sarajevo (IUS) explored these connections through “QUAD Academy – Workshops from Components to First Flight,” a project carried out in partnership with DronSolution d.o.o.

Over four weeks, students from the IUS Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE) and Mechanical Engineering (ME) study programs worked alongside peers from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and the Faculty of Electrical Engineering at the University of Sarajevo (UNSA). Together, they progressed through the complete drone-building process, from understanding individual components to piloting their aircraft.

The workshops were led by Zerina Tanović, Teaching Assistant in the IUS Electrical and Electronics Engineering program, with support from the DronSolution team. Participants explored hardware and software fundamentals, component planning and wiring, communication protocols, and system configuration before putting their work to the test in flight.

This practical approach helped students connect classroom knowledge with the demands of a functioning engineering system. Building a drone requires its mechanical, electronic and software elements to work together, giving participants an opportunity to understand how decisions in one area affect the performance of the whole aircraft.

The workshops also provided a setting for teamwork and collaborative problem-solving. Working across study programs and institutions, students exchanged knowledge and applied different engineering perspectives to a shared task.

As embedded systems become increasingly important across engineering disciplines, experiences such as QUAD Academy demonstrate the value of integrating hardware and software knowledge through practical projects. For IUS, the initiative reflects a commitment to education that connects technical understanding with hands-on experience and collaboration with industry.

IUS extends its appreciation to DronSolution d.o.o. for its partnership and support, and to colleagues from UNSA’s Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Faculty of Electrical Engineering for their collaboration. Congratulations to all participants on completing the workshops and achieving their first flights.

Watch the two videos below capturing the teamwork and practical learning behind each step:

IUS Students Build Drones at QUAD Academy - Video 1

IUS Students Build Drones at QUAD Academy - Video 2