Robotics and Drones Labs by MINDS-i

There is a shortage of students pursuing STEM careers, and a shortage of STEM programs that give students a reason to be excited about pursuing them. By 2022 there were projected to be more than 9 million STEM-related jobs in the United States, but the pipeline of skilled students has not kept pace. The answer is not just more STEM content. It is more compelling STEM experiences that connect students to technologies they find genuinely exciting, in a learning format that challenges them to think, build, program, and solve problems as engineers and technicians rather than as passive receivers of information.

MINDS-i Robotics is built around that insight. Every product in the MINDS-i lineup is designed to create an interactive, hands-on learning experience that teaches programming, engineering, and physics through technology-integrated learning in a team setting. Students build rovers and drones with real-world applications. They program them in industry-relevant languages. They compete with them, modify them, and watch them perform impressive tasks that make the connection between classroom STEM and real-world careers immediate and obvious.

Klein Educational supplies MINDS-i robotics and STEM products to schools, CTE programs, and workforce development centers across California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii, and Alaska. We help programs find the right combination of MINDS-i labs for their curriculum and student population.

Foundations to Robotics Lab

The Foundations to Robotics Lab is the recommended starting point for the MINDS-i system and the prerequisite for the Drones Lab. It is a full-semester lab (90 hours of curriculum) designed for groups of 3 to 5 students, available in two configurations: the 4x4 four-wheel drive rover and the 6x6 six-wheel drive rover.

Students build and program advanced rovers using the MINDS-i quick-lock construction system and Arduino-based programming to tackle a series of progressively challenging tasks. The curriculum moves through seven units covering introduction to robotics and the engineering design process, variables of force and motion including gear ratios and friction and inertia, software programming with sensors and servos covering servo control, ESC configuration, radio transmitter integration, ultrasound sensors, QTI line sensors, and core C++ syntax, autonomous robotics covering obstacle avoidance and line following, mechanical and structural engineering including levers, cams, robot arm design, and end-of-arm tooling, and a culminating project challenge. The teacher's resource Breadboard accompanies the Foundations curriculum as a stationary programming practice platform with all the sensors and actuators built in for quick code testing.

UAV Drones Lab

The UAV Drones Lab is a half-semester lab (45 hours) designed for groups of 3 to 5 students. It builds directly on the Foundations prerequisite to take students from ground-based robotics into aerial unmanned vehicle programming and operation. Students design, build, and program drones for aerial search and rescue missions, GPS-guided crop dusting, autonomous deliveries, and other compelling industry-related challenges.

The curriculum covers drone code and sensors including micro-controller testing, gyro and accelerometer calibration, and drone technology fundamentals, the physics of flight, UAV build and flight dynamics, autopilot and PID tuning, simulated flight using the MINDS-i Dashboard, manual flight operations, and FAA Part 107 pilot certification preparation. Students finish the lab with genuine UAV programming and piloting experience and an understanding of the regulatory context for commercial drone operations.

The UAV + UGV Drones Lab is the full-semester (90-hour) combined version that adds unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) content alongside the aerial vehicle curriculum, covering UGV chassis construction and programming alongside the full UAV curriculum, giving students experience with both ground-based and aerial robotic systems in a single semester.

Catapult Lab

The Catapult Lab is a compact entry-point lab (10 hours of curriculum) designed for groups of 2 to 3 students. It focuses on the build process, data collection, and the PDSA cycle (Plan, Do, Study, Act) for design engineering, product troubleshooting, and problem solving. Students build a catapult from the MINDS-i construction system and use it to explore simple machines, the model for inquiry, the importance of data, data visualization through a target mat designed to represent a histogram, and design specification and tolerance concepts. The Catapult Lab is an excellent introduction to the MINDS-i system for programs that want to give students a short, high-engagement project before committing to a full lab.

Arduino Robot Kit

The Arduino Robot Kit is a starter-level kit designed for 2 to 3 students that provides quick entry into programming, robotics, and engineering. Students construct two different robot styles and experiment with sensors, actuators, and mechanical elements to perform autonomous tasks. The kit includes an ultrasonic sensor, servos, and a rechargeable battery with Arduino-based programming, sample programs for calibration and application tasks, and a step-by-step Arduino user guide covering the sample code with descriptions and notes. The Arduino Robot Kit does not include a standalone curriculum but serves as an accessible introduction that connects naturally to the full Foundations and Drones Lab curriculums.

Competition products

The MINDS-i UAV Competition Kit provides everything needed to introduce students to drone building and programming with a competition focus, including a UAV frame, replacement parts, and a full library of sample programs for quick startup. The MINDS-i Drone Cage System provides durable, modular indoor competition infrastructure in small (20x28x15 feet), medium (30x30x15 feet), and large (28x49x15 feet) cage configurations that pack into rolling cases for transport and storage. Together these products allow programs to host their own UAV competitions in a classroom, gymnasium, or convention center, merging classroom learning with the motivating real-world experience of competitive drone piloting.

The MINDS-i construction system

All MINDS-i products are built around MINDS-i's patented quick-lock construction system, which uses superior friction-snap and erector-based building elements that students can build, modify, and rebuild rapidly. The system is durable enough to withstand repeated classroom use, flexible enough to support infinite design variations, modular enough that all components are interchangeable across products, and accessible enough for beginners while still providing depth for advanced students. This construction system is the physical foundation that makes MINDS-i's project-based, team-centered learning model work in practice.

How Klein Educational supports your program

Klein Educational works with STEM coordinators, CTE directors, and program administrators from the first conversation through product selection, delivery, and ongoing support. We have direct access to the full MINDS-i product line for programs across our seven-state region.

Frequently asked questions

What MINDS-i labs are available? MINDS-i offers the Foundations to Robotics Lab in 4x4 and 6x6 configurations (90 hours), the UAV Drones Lab (45 hours), the UAV + UGV Drones Lab (90 hours), the Catapult Lab (10 hours), the Arduino Robot Kit, the UAV Competition Kit, and the Drone Cage System in three sizes.

What programming language do MINDS-i robots use? MINDS-i robots use C++ programming through the Arduino platform, with open-source code libraries included and a full sample code library provided. The Foundations curriculum covers core C++ syntax as part of the programming units.

Is Foundations a prerequisite for the Drones Lab? Yes. Foundations to Robotics is the recommended prerequisite for the UAV Drones Lab and the UAV + UGV Drones Lab.

What is the PDSA cycle taught in the Catapult Lab? PDSA stands for Plan, Do, Study, Act, a design engineering and continuous improvement methodology used in professional engineering and manufacturing contexts. The Catapult Lab introduces this framework through hands-on build and test cycles.

What states does Klein Educational serve? We serve California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii, and Alaska.

Ready to Bring MINDS-i Robotics to Your Program?

Our team will help you find the right combination of MINDS-i labs and kits for your curriculum, student population, and budget.