StudyDesk Scholarships
About the fellowship
The Dragon Flight Fellowship is Tiffin University’s honors experience for students who want to lead in drone and aerial technology. It is structured as a four-year journey that grows with you: Year 1 covers drone operations, safety and regulations; Year 2 builds technical skill and teamwork; Year 3 moves into applied research and leadership in specialized areas; Year 4 is capstone projects, mentorship and a professional launch.
Fellows work on real missions with real partners — public-safety agencies, companies and community organizations — across sectors including environmental monitoring, public safety and emergency response, agriculture, construction and surveying, healthcare logistics, media and filmmaking, and autonomous systems.
What fellows actually get
- Real flight time and real missions with industry and public-sector partners.
- Direct FAA engagement — compliance reports, safety initiatives and regulatory reviews.
- Specialized certifications such as thermal imaging and photogrammetry.
- Internships with state and local agencies.
- Research exposure — presenting at conferences or in professional publications.
- Leadership and mentorship — leading teams and mentoring junior fellows in the final year.
What you do not get, as far as the official page states: a published cash award. Trackers label the programme "funded", but the university’s own page describes an honors experience, not a scholarship cheque. If tuition funding is what you need, look at Tiffin’s separate merit scholarships instead.
Eligibility
- Enrolment: you must be a Tiffin University student — the programme is open to both online and on-campus undergraduate and graduate students.
- In-person commitment: weekly in-person participation is required, so online students must be able to attend regularly in Ohio.
- Academics: the official page publishes no GPA cut-off; scholarship trackers report a 3.0 GPA benchmark (high school for entry, college GPA to continue) — treat this as tracker-reported and confirm with admissions.
- Nationality: trackers describe it as open to students worldwide; international applicants must additionally meet Tiffin’s admission requirements (including English proficiency).
Documents you will need
- Tiffin University admission application (undergraduate or graduate, as applicable).
- Academic transcripts.
- A short personal essay on why you want to join the fellowship and how drone technology fits your goals.
- CV/résumé and a valid passport (for international applicants).
- Any supporting documents the admissions counsellor requests; an interview may follow.
How to apply
- Apply for admission to Tiffin University and indicate your interest in fellowship opportunities.
- Write the fellowship essay after submitting your application, outlining your interest in the programme.
- Speak with your admissions counsellor and complete any interview the university requests.
- Meet the 1 February deadline — the official page sets the fellowship application deadline at 1 February each year.
- If selected, accept the fellowship terms (active participation in fellowship events and programme regulations) to confirm your place.
FAQs
No — not according to the official page. It is an honors fellowship: the value is certifications, FAA and industry experience, internships and mentorship. Do not expect a tuition cheque.
Tiffin University undergraduate and graduate students, on-campus or online — but weekly in-person participation is mandatory, so you need to be reachable for regular on-site sessions.
1 February each year, per the official programme page. The next occurrence is 1 February 2027.
The official page does not state one. Scholarship trackers report a 3.0 GPA benchmark for entry and continuation — confirm with the admissions office.
Trackers describe the fellowship as open worldwide; you must first meet Tiffin University’s international admission requirements.
Hands-on drone operations across sectors — thermal imaging for firefighting, mapping and surveying, FAA compliance work, agency internships, and a final-year capstone with real stakeholders.
Verified 18 Oct 2026 against the official Tiffin University programme page (tiffin.edu/academics/dragon-flight-fellowship-program/: "honors experience"; application deadline February 1 (annual); open to online and on-campus undergraduate and graduate students with weekly in-person participation required; four-year structure — certifications including thermal imaging/photogrammetry, FAA engagement, agency internships, capstone and mentorship), corroborated by three trackers (scholarshipunion.com, brightscholarship.com, daadscholarship.com). No monetary award is published on the official page — framed as an experiential fellowship, not a cash scholarship; the 3.0 GPA benchmark is tracker-reported and flagged as such.
