Business : Drone Univ. Workshop to Be Held at Northeast Research and Demonstration Farm

Explore the power of aerial technology in agriculture on Sept. 11

AMES, Iowa - Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, in collaboration with the ISU Digital Ag Innovation Lab, will host Drone University on Thursday, Sept. 11 at the Northeast Research and Demonstration Farm near Nashua.

Designed as an introductory course, the workshop will provide growers, crop advisors and agricultural professionals with foundational knowledge on the effective use of imagery drones for improved decision-making in crop management. Participants will also gain insight into the emerging role of spray drones in modern agriculture, including practical considerations and real-world applications.

"With drone utilization continuing to expand across Iowa, especially given the extremely wet 2025 growing season, this workshop was developed to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of both the regulatory framework and operational use cases of unmanned aerial systems," said Ryan Huffman, senior digital agronomy research manager with the ISU Digital Ag Innovation Lab. "Drones generate high-resolution data that can significantly improve precision agriculture and support informed decision-making at the farm management level."

Presenters for the workshop include Doug Houser, digital agriculture extension specialist, Luke Fuhrer, precision ag engineer, and Ryan Huffman.

Topics for the workshop are:

• Definitions, Terms and Overview
• Drone Usage in Agriculture
• Recreational versus Commercial Missions
• Purchasing and Registration
• Best Practices and Flight Applications
• UAV Demonstrations and Data Acquisition
• Introduction to Spray Drones

Advance registration is required to attend Drone University. The cost is $75, which includes lunch, refreshments and educational materials.

Registration for the workshop closes on Tuesday, Sept. 9 at 11:59 p.m., and the workshop is limited to 35 participants.

Check-in will begin at 8:30 a.m., with the program running from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Directions: From Nashua, at the junction of Highway 218 (Exit 220) and County Road B60, travel west on B60 for 1.1 miles to Windfall Avenue. Then, turn south for 1 mile to 290th Street. Lastly, head east for 0.2 miles to arrive at the farm.

For more information, contact Doug Houser at dhouser@iastate.edu; Terry Basol, extension field agronomist, at tlbasol@iastate.edu or 641-426-6801; or Josh Michel, extension field agronomist, at jjmichel@iastate.edu or 563-581-7828