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From commands to missions

You can already take off, move, and land. Now you’ll combine blocks into smart, flexible programs using the ideas real programmers use every day: loops, variables, decisions, operators, broadcasts, and custom blocks. Work through these programs in order. Each one adds exactly one new idea, and each ends with a challenge to make it your own. That’s four-plus hours of building - pick up wherever your class is.
A ladder of coding concepts building from sequence up to custom blocks

Each program climbs one rung up the coding ladder - loops, variables, decisions, and beyond

Every program below flies the drone. Run in a clear space, keep people back, and keep the 🔴 stop and 🚫 no-entry buttons in reach.

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Program 1 - Fly a square with a loop

Instead of writing “move, turn” four times, use a repeat loop. This is the single most useful pattern in drone coding.
AT-66BL Control category blocks including repeat and forever

Control blocks: repeat, forever, if-then, wait until, and repeat until

Start and take off

Add when 🏳 clicked, then take off.

Add a repeat loop

From Control, drag a repeat [10] block and change it to 4.

Fill the loop

Inside the loop, add horizontal move [Forward] [50] cm speed [1], then turn [Right] [90] degree speed [1].

Land

Snap land below the loop.

Challenge

Change the repeat to 3 and the turn to 120° to fly a triangle. What repeat count and turn make a hexagon? (Hint: 360 ÷ sides.)

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Program 2 - One number, any shape (variables)

A variable is a named box that holds a value. Store the number of sides once, and the whole program adapts.
AT-66BL Variables category blocks

Variables blocks: make, set, and change your own values

Make a variable

Click Make a Variable and name it sides.

Set it

After take off, add set [sides] to [4].

Use it in the loop

Use repeat [sides]. For the turn, drop an Operators division block in and build turn Right (360 / sides) degree.
Now change sides from 4 to 6 and the same program flies a hexagon. One change reshapes the whole flight - that’s the power of variables.
Diagram showing how changing one variable value changes the flown shape

Change one variable, get a totally different shape - the same code flies them all

Challenge

Add set [size] to [50] and use it for the move distance too. Now one program flies any shape at any size.

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Program 3 - Loops inside loops (a spiral tower)

Put a loop inside a loop to build patterns. Fly a square, rise a little, repeat.
The inner loop flies a square; the outer loop stacks three squares into a climbing tower.

Challenge

Make each layer smaller than the last using a size variable and change size by -10 each loop.

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Program 4 - Make it decide (if-then + operators)

An if-then block lets the drone choose what to do. Combine it with Operators to build a condition.
AT-66BL Operators category blocks

Operators blocks: random, comparisons, and logic

Use pick random so every run is different:
Each lap the drone flips a coin and turns left or right - the path is a surprise every time.

Challenge

Use pick random 1 to 4 and multiply by 90 to pick a random turn each time.

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Program 5 - Time a routine (Sensing + timer)

The timer reports seconds since the program started. Pair it with a loop to run for a set time.
AT-66BL Sensing category blocks

Sensing blocks: timer and reset timer

The drone loops its routine until 10 seconds have passed, then lands - no matter how many laps it managed.

Challenge

Show the timer on screen with show variable, and make the drone do a different move every 3 seconds.

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Program 6 - Two scripts talking (broadcast)

Broadcast lets one part of your program trigger another. This keeps big programs organized.
AT-66BL Events category blocks

Events blocks: broadcast and when I receive

The main script handles take off and land; the “dance” script handles the moves. Send dance whenever you want that routine.

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Program 7 - Build your own block (My Blocks)

Package a routine into one custom block you name yourself. This is how pros keep code readable.
AT-66BL Make a Block dialog

Make a Block - name your own reusable command

Make a Block

In My Blocks, click Make a Block and name it square. Click OK.

Define it

Under the new define square hat, put the four blocks that fly a square.

Use it

Now your main program can just call square - as many times as you like.
Great programmers build in small, tested steps. Get a simple version flying, run it, then add one new feature at a time. If it breaks, you know exactly which change did it.

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Instructor cheat sheet

Check for a when 🏳 clicked hat at the top of the stack, and confirm the drone is still paired (Bluetooth icon).
Fly slower (lower the speed), use larger distances, and start with a fully charged battery. Indoor drafts and low battery both cause drift.
A repeat until needs a condition that eventually becomes true. Test the condition with show variable or a shorter timer.
Turn each challenge into a quick “show me” - students fly their version for the class. Fast feedback keeps everyone building.
You built programs using a loop, a variable, an if-then decision, the timer, a broadcast, and a custom block, and you can explain what each one adds.

Next: the capstone project

Design, code, and present your own drone mission.