Course Description
Offered in partnership with Landview Drones and the Atlantic Institute for Digital Agriculture, Ag Drone School is a hands-on, two-day workshop that introduces participants to the safe, legal, and practical use of drones in agriculture. Learn drone flight fundamentals, Transport Canada regulations, agricultural mapping and remote sensing, and real-world farm applications through a combination of classroom instruction and guided flight experience. Ideal for farmers, agricultural professionals, researchers, and beginners looking to integrate drone technology into their operations.
Course Outline
Drone Fundamentals & Agricultural Applications
- Introduction to Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS)
- Drone technology, aircraft systems, and theory of flight
- Transport Canada regulations and certification requirements
- Airspace classifications and operational restrictions
- Agricultural applications of drones
- Sensor technologies: RGB, multispectral, thermal, and LiDAR
- Human factors in aviation and safe flight operations
- Site surveys and pre-flight planning
- Guided indoor flight training and manual flight manoeuvres
- Emergency procedures, maintenance, storage, and battery management
Mapping, Data Analysis & Field Operations
- Remote sensing and agricultural mapping workflows
- Multispectral imagery and vegetation analysis
- Elevation mapping and hydrology applications
- Introduction to QGIS for agricultural data visualization
- Improving accuracy with RTK/PPK and calibration techniques
- Basic Operations exam preparation
- Optional Transport Canada Small Basic Operations test
- Outdoor field exercises with multiple drone platforms
- Site survey, mission planning, and emergency response scenarios
- Hands-on experience with thermal and multispectral sensors
What You Will Learn
- Understand the fundamentals of drone flight and operations
- Navigate Transport Canada requirements for drone pilots
- Identify agricultural uses for drone technology
- Plan and execute safe drone missions
- Interpret mapping and remote sensing data
- Apply drones to improve farm management and decision-making
Notes
Instructors
Markus Weber grew up at Weyga Farming, a large grain and cattle farm managed by his father near Camrose, Alberta. He earned agriculture, law and MBA degrees from the University of Alberta. After working as legal counsel and in senior government management positions in Nunavut, he started his renewed career as an agricultural consultant in 2011 with Serecon, an independent agricultural consulting firm in Edmonton. He is a Professional Agrologist and has been leading LandView Drones since 2015 and customizing curriculum for agricultural drone users since creating the Ag Drone School in 2016.
Charlie Turcotte is the owner/operator of Valley Precision Ag, a licensed drone pilot, and flight reviewer with a rich background in agriculture. Formerly a cereal and oilseed farmer in western Canada, Charlie transitioned to Nova Scotia eight years ago, immersing himself in the local agriculture industry. His extensive experience and dedication have positioned him as a valuable contributor, and he's been collaborating with LandView to deliver drone courses in Nova Scotia, sharing his expertise with those looking to harness the potential of agricultural drones for precision agriculture.
Recommended For
- Farmers and producers
- Agricultural consultants and service providers
- Researchers and students
- Agribusiness professionals
- Anyone interested in using drones in agriculture, including beginners with no previous flight experience