Drone and Camera
What are Drones and Cameras used for?
A very simple description of a drone is that it is a flying computer with a camera or sensor attached.
Drones have two basic functions: flight mode and navigation. To fly, drones must have a power source, such as a battery. They also have rotors, propellers and a frame. Cameras typically have between three and six lenses, with each lens collecting a different wavelength of light.
A drone is the ultimate platform for aerial productivity.
How does the SuniTAFE SMART Farm use the Drone and Camera?
Several SuniTAFE SMART Farm teachers have their pilots license, which enables them to fly our drone.
Our students and teachers have found that the images captured for vegetation mapping can help growers make informed decisions. When used with the mica sense camera, the aerial images provide a multispectral picture of the property and can identify irregularities in our crops, like irrigation leaks.
Ground truthing practices - the gathering of real or true information provided by direct observation and measurement - are applied at the SuniTAFE SMART Farm to complement the aerial view. We can then head to the patch of interest to identify where the issues are as they are not always visible with the naked eye.
Our courses in Horticulture and Agriculture now use Drone and Camera as we transition to SMART farming.
Interested in a career in Horticulture and Agriculture? Find a course that’s right for you click here.
