Drones for the farm takes flight at ACC this April

ACC's Ag Extension department plans to host a drone workshop, Drones on the Farm, on April 2.

This one-day workshop will feature a morning of ground school orientation and an afternoon of drones in the field. This full day introduction to drones - or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as they’re also known as - has flight demonstrations that will show participants the basics and how they can be used in agriculture.

“We look forward to showcasing what UAVs can do for agriculture,” says James Hood, Coordinator for the Agriculture Extension at ACC.

Drones are used to observe and take digital images from the sky. They are becoming an invaluable tool in agriculture in respects to monitoring livestock, crops and water levels. This technology broadens the capabilities of what data farmers can collect in real-time. Data like crop health and 3D imaging of the landscape for planning purposes are just a few of the applications for agriculture. These applications allow for better decision-making when issues arise on the farm. With real-time data, farmers can identify and address problem areas in a quick and seamless manner.

“Taking images with a UAV is a fast way to not only see what areas of the field are affected but also provide a way to calculate exactly how much of the crop may be lost, allowing more time to adjust plans and make more responsive management decisions,” says Craig Linde, instructor for the Drones on the Farm workshop, “…and having the ability to fly trouble fields multiple times through the season gives the producer a perspective on crop health that soil testing and yield maps can’t provide.”

ACC’s workshop will cover three sensors; namely, natural, NIR/NDVI and thermal sensors which will provide an idea of what UAVs as a technology can do for farmers when managing their farms.

“UAVs are a tool to give the farmer a different perspective of their crop at a reasonable cost,” says Rejean Picard, instructor for the Drones on the Farm workshop.

There are regulations around flying a UAV for any form of work or research. “You need to understand the requirements for a Special Flight Operations Certificate (SFOC) before you use your UAV,” says Hood.

SFOC regulations, safe operating conditions, types of UAVS, different sensors and applications of UAVS will be covered in the workshop.

“This workshop is hopefully the beginning of many more to come,” says Hood.

Space is limited to 20 participants at a cost of $299.

For more information and to register, visit Assiniboine.net/events