Progress report for WPDP24-005
Project Information
The unmanned aerial system (UAS, also known as drone) is one of the new driving forces for economic development over the next few decades. Although numerous UAS applications are widely adopted for civil operations, including emergency response, hazard monitoring, delivery service, and public safety, there is still much untapped potential in agricultural applications. Over the past several years (2017 – 2022), the team at the University of Idaho (UI) has interacted with extension educators and agricultural advisors across Idaho, and there is overwhelming interest in UAS learning and training for precision agriculture. The goal of this project, therefore, is to engage ag professionals, including extension personnel, agricultural advisors, and tech-savvy producers to use the information with the end-user (typically a producer) through an innovative drone education program titled “The Idaho Drone League for Ag Professionals (iDrone Ag)”.
The goal of this project will be achieved by meeting three key learning objectives: 1) increase participant knowledge in drone technologies for precision ag (PA) tools, 2) increase participant motivation to utilize such tools by demonstrating how drones integrated with PA tools can increase net profits by reducing costs, and 3) increase participant self-confidence to fly drones for their own ag practices by meeting federal regulations and safety guidelines at the national airspace. The first iDrone Ag will take place at Parma Ag Exp Station for up to 10 Extension personnel and a few key agricultural advisors across Idaho in early-to-mid summer 2024. A second program will be offered in 2025 for a wider range of agricultural professionals and producers. Once Extension personnel complete this training, they will have ability to host iDrone Ag at their respective location so that more ag professionals and producers will increase their knowledge of how to use UAS’s to improve crop production and profitability (“trickle down effect”).
The overarching goal of this project is to educate and train extension personnel to use the information with the end-user (typically a producer) through an innovative drone education program titled iDrone Ag. To achieve the goal of the project, three specific objectives will be met through the following
specific tasks:
Objective 1: increase participant knowledge in fast-moving drone technologies for PA’s tools.
- Task 1.1: Develop online course curriculum to help participants obtain a remote pilot license, Part 107 issued by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
- Task 1.2: Develop sample test for participants to get familiar with the actual Part 107 test.
- Task 1.3: Generate a catalog with descriptions of common PA tools that integrate with drone technology to introduce participants to a wide range of applications.
Objective 2:
increase participant motivation to utilize such tools by demonstrating how drones integrated with PA tools can increase net profits by reducing cost.
- Task 2.1: Demonstrate how to use drone technologies to increase the net profit at farm scales by reducing equipment (e.g. hours on sprayer or irrigation pump), labor (e.g. scouting large fields on foot), and input costs(e.g. applying fertilizer or herbicides to an entire field rather than specific areas).
- Task 2.2: Invite industry partners to share their drone experience in precision agriculture settings.
Objective 3: increase participant self-confidence to fly drones for their own ag practices by meeting federal regulations and safety guidelines at the national airspace.
- Task 3.1: Develop hands-on drone training modules to understand drone mechanics, operations, regulations, and safety guidelines.
- Task 3.2: Develop safe flight training for participants to practice flying in different conditions, ensuring their familiarity with all controls and features of the drone while flying.
Recruitment will take place as soon as the proposal is funded. The iDrone Ag cohort will be selected upon submitting an online application form along with their interest (e.g., drought, weed control, pest management, fertilizer application), but a first-come, first-served principle will be applied. A manageable cohort of students (10 – 15 students) will be recruited and selected for iDrone Ag hand-on workshop and late applications will be automatically moved to the waiting list. Ideal participants for the first iDrone Ag will have the ability to provide constructive feedback on the course content delivery, hands-on activities, and structure.
Part 1 (virtual/online content) will be a mix of self-paced modules and real-time virtual discussion groups with an estimated time commitment of 20 hours. The course would open up in early June. Part 2 will include two- 6 hour days at the end of Jun or early July when crop stresses, drought, pests, and fertilizer issues are more likely to be evident. Curriculum and the online course will be developed and continuously improved based on cooperator feedback and participant comments. Evaluation will occur after both workshops and extension products will be developed at the end. Curriculum will be published in both train-the-trainer and traditional formats. The online course and curriculum will be available for any extension personnel who has taken the initial workshop to deliver to stakeholders. The chart below illustrates a brief timeline for the iDrone Ag activities.
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | ||||||
| Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Q1 | |
| Recruitment | ||||||||
| Curriculum Development | ||||||||
| Online Course | ||||||||
| Host Workshop | ||||||||
| Extension Products | ||||||||
| Evaluation | ||||||||
Education & Outreach Initiatives
The main objective of this education and outreach initiatives focus on helping farmers and extension educators obtain Part 107
pilot license administered by FAA. The students will gain a mock-up knowledge exam by covering various topics, including: federal regulations and safety guidelines, airspace classification, operating requirements and flight restrictions.
The Part 107 pilot license online course was developed and delivered to the participating extension educators via Zoom virtual meeting platforms, December 2 - 13, 2024. There are two learning modules (Part 1 and Part 2) featuring from basic knowledge about drone regulations and policies, airport communication, and responsibilities as a Pilot-in-Command to weather conditions, flight operations, and sectional chart for safe drone flights. Moreover, the course was tailored for farmers and extension educators to gain the knowledge required to legally operate drones for agricultural and commercial purposes. This self-paced course prepares participants for the FAA's Remote Pilot Certificate Exam (Part 107), a mandatory certification for commercial drone operators.
The course features a comprehensive curriculum covering FAA regulations, airspace rules, weather impacts, flight operations, and emergency procedures, with an emphasis on agricultural applications. Over the 2-week long online courses, participants learned how to use drones for practical farming needs such as crop scouting, livestock monitoring, and aerial mapping. Practice exams and real-world scenarios were also discussed thorough preparation for the Part 107 test.
The course has offered interactive modules and quizzes to reinforce learning. It also provides step-by-step guidance for scheduling the FAA exam and maintaining compliance post-certification. By completing the course, participants have completed the survey and the result indicates that overall, the content and organization of the course are satisfactory.