MOUNT VERNON, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension specialists will provide a full day of discussion and hands-on training for using drones in Missouri agriculture on May 1 in Mount Vernon.

“We will cover the various kinds of drones currently being used in agricultural settings and what is required of remote pilots to utilize these technologies,” said Caleb O’Neal, MU Extension field specialist in plant science. “Our team will introduce many capabilities of small drones and large utility drones commonly used for spraying or spreading materials as well as give examples of how these technologies can be utilized by entrepreneurs.”

The training is 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, May 1, at Mizzou’s Southwest Research, Extension and Education Center, 14548 Highway H, Mount Vernon.

A morning of classroom lecture and discussion will be followed by a catered lunch at noon. The afternoon will be devoted to field exercises for which attendees will receive training on manual flight maneuvers of small and large drones as well as autonomous mission planning and task implementation for drone imaging, spraying and spreading.

By the end of the day, attendees should have a firm grasp on the many ways drones can be used in Missouri agriculture, the licensing and certifications required to pilot these technologies, basics of aircraft performance, weather and safety considerations, calibrating sprayer and spreader functions on utility drones, and manual flight controls for these aircraft, said O’Neal.

A $175 per person registration fee covers trainings, materials packet and catered lunch. Preregistration is required by April 28 for an accurate meal count and to ensure adequate materials.

Register at http://muext.us/DronesInAg2025.

Photo

https://extension.missouri.edu/sites/default/files/legacy_media/wysiwyg/News/photos/20250404-drone-1.jpg
Drone at the MU Southwest Research Extension and Education Center in Mount Vernon. Photo by Chloe Collins.