On Friday, October 22, approximately 25 students from the Pennsylvania College of Technology's Technical Drawing-Related Disciplines class took an online tour of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Engineering District 3's office in Montoursville.
The students heard a presentation by Jonathan Richardson, Survey Technician with PennDOT Engineering District 1 about the current use of drones within the department. The second presentation was given by Scott McMasters, Highway Designer with PennDOT Engineering District 1, which discussed how PennDOT uses LiDAR and photogrammetry to create 3-D models of areas to map out a project's specifications.
“It is very beneficial for students to connect their classroom experience to real-world applications," said Katherine A. Walker, assistant professor of engineering design technology. “Although an on-site visit was not possible due to the pandemic, we are grateful for the opportunity to tour virtually."
The tour was coordinated by Ronald A. Newcomer, Contract Management Supervisor with District 3, who is also a Pennsylvania College of Technology graduate. Newcomer graduated in 1983 in welding and in 1998 in computer aided drafting technology.