Fullerton College will offer a bachelor'degree in drone and autonomous systems beginning in 2026, President Cynthia Olivo said during an interview on the Future Talks podcast. The program was pursued because the University of California and California State University systems do not currently offer the degree, Olivo said, creating space for the community college to fill a workforce need.

"We were approved," Olivo said of the drone bachelor's; "in 2026, we'll be offering a bachelor degree program to our students." She credited faculty leadership for advancing the proposal, naming Jay Bridal as the lead on the effort.

The college intends to stack credentials so students can start in high school through dual enrollment, earn a certificate and associate degree, and continue to the bachelor program. Olivo framed the program as an opportunity to align instruction to regional workforce demand and to provide students with clear career pathways.

Olivo also noted the program selection was shaped by system rules: "we cannot replicate any of the programs that are at the University of California or CSU systems," she said, and drone and autonomous systems did not exist at those institutions.

Next steps for the program include finalizing curriculum, securing program resources and recruiting students and faculty. Olivo described the approval and the planned 2026 start date as milestones rather than a completed delivery: the college will implement the courses, dual'enrollment agreements and student supports needed to launch the degree.