We are not lawyers, and don't pretend to be one on TV, so the advice here is purely general in nature and may not be correct! Ensure that you consult your relevant laws before embarking on any project involving drones.
Understand the law
It is important that you understand the law and the legal restrictions on flying drones. This is an area in which there has recently been a lot of media attention, primarily focused on people who are doing the wrong thing.
In Australia, the laws about the flight of drones (also known as RPAS [Remotely Piloted Aircraft System], UAVs [Unmanned Aerial Vehicles], or UAS [Unmanned Aerial Systems]) is governed by Civil Aviation Safety Regulations (CASR) Part 101. There is a handy summary guide provided by CASA which is worthwhile to distribute to all students:
However, it is still important to read the full regulations to understand your responsibilities and restrictions — particularly relating to what's classified as not hobby or sport operations.
Student Activity: UAV Law
Design a poster which summarises the important rules for drone operation in Australia.
In addition to the rules already outlined in the Flying with control guide provided by CASA you should also provide some quiz-style questions with scenarios, asking whether the flight operation is legal (along with providing an answer and justification).
RPAS Training Course
We recommended that teachers involved in a drone project attend an RPAS Training Course. This is usually a one-week course which trains you in proper operation and flight of UAVs. At the end of the course, assuming that you pass the theory and practical assessment components, you are issued with a UAV Controllers Certificate from CASA. Amongst other things, this permits you to fly UAVs for commercial gain under an operator who holds a UAV Operators Certificate (this is somewhat akin to holding a pilots licence, which then allows you to fly under an airline). Even if you do not intend to fly commercially for an operator, the course still provides you with a lot of information about safe and legal operation of UAVs.