THE Institute for Drone Technology and Rangelands NRM (Natural Resource Management) have collaborated to build a training course aimed at utilising drone technology for natural resource management.
Designed for first-time users, the training program will ensure people new to using drones will know the rules and regulations and how to safely operate a drone within a natural resource management environment.
Rangelands NRM project development and research manager Steve Ewings said as an organisation, NRM saw value in the agricultural industry utilising drones and that the induction course would encourage the uptake of the devices by farmers as well as other NRM organisations.
"In the space of a few years, drone technology has been successfully used in a variety of ways to manage our country's wonderful natural resources including for project planning, mapping revegetation, monitoring erosion and wildlife and performing baseline surveys," Mr Ewings said.
"We want to encourage people to get involved in this training program so they can implement some new techniques for their own management practices and see for themselves what an important role drone footage and aerial images can play.
"Natural resource management encompasses the agriculture sector and sustainable practice, so whilst we use the drones for vegetation and erosion monitoring, the agricultural industry can use them for a broad range of things like pest and disease detection, nutrient deficiencies and soil moisture water logging."
While it is not a Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) requirement for pilots to hold a Remote Pilot Licence when flying drones under two kilograms, there are still CASA requirements and standard operating conditions that pilots must adhere to.
In conjunction with the Institute for Drone Technology, Rangelands NRM has created an online induction course that allows pilots to gain competency and comply with these CASA requirements.
"The induction course will give an in-depth view of CASA regulations and get staff and people in organisations to really understand that rather than just have a cursory tick and flick approach," Mr Ewings said.
"We still have Visual Line of Sight (VLOS) in Australia where you must be able to see your drone but CASA is moving to and can issue permits and licences to fly Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) and there are a few companies within Australia that have already obtained those.
"Once that opens up to where you can use a drone beyond where you can see it, things like mustering, stock maintenance and checking infrastructure like fences, tanks and mills on some of the larger properties will come into its own as well."
With drones becoming more affordable in recent years, Mr Ewings said their application across various industries had been rapidly expanding.
"You can buy a small multi-rover drone for $3000, whereas 10 years ago it would have cost you $15,000 - $20,000," he said.
"There are also more third parties coming on board, developing payloads that have application."
The cost of the induction course is $150 plus GST for anyone working or associated with the NRM sector.
The training is also complemented by a suite of documents that can be tailored to individual organisations with an overarching drone policy, safety management procedures and safe work methods to cover an organisation's duty of care and mitigate the risks associated with operating drones.
- For more information phone Steve Ewings: 0437 381 842 or enrol directly in the course at dronetechinstitute.com or via courses@dronetechinstitute.com
