Six technical officers from the Ministry’s Land Resource Planning and Development Division are attending a one-week Drone Pilot Licensing Training this week.

This comprehensive training, a collaborative effort between the Drone Works Consultancy and the Ministry of Agriculture and Waterways, aims to equip the team with essential skills to harness geospatial data effectively.

Principal Research Officer (Land-use) Solomone Nagaunavou said the harnessed skills will greatly enhance emergency responses and planning and focus on agricultural areas, degraded land, and vulnerable regions prone to natural disasters.

“Our commitment to service is comprehensive, and we have been learning from past years to better guide our community in enhancing their farming technologies,” he said.

“This initiative underscores our investment in advanced technology and innovative solutions and is crucial in improving agricultural practices and disaster management strategies,” he added.

“Currently, our team has one drone with two licensed officers who operate it. This training will result in six additional officers receiving their licenses, allowing them to operate drones freely and expedite data collection from the field.”

The Ministry of Agriculture and Waterways need accurate information about land usage and methods to plan effectively, therefore, the training also aims to support our farmers by providing them with precise information about their land conditions and challenges like flooding and crop damage.

“We look forward to seeing our officers become certified drone pilots and to the positive impact this will have on our communities. The trained officers will go to the field, operate the drones, capture real-time images, analyse them, and develop plans accordingly,” said Mr. Nagaunavou.

Kavaia Veiqati, one of the participants attending the training said that to be part of the training is an incredible opportunity for him to enhance his technical skills and leverage advanced technologies to better serve the communities.

“The ability to gather real-time data using drones will significantly improve our planning and response to agricultural challenges, and I am excited to apply these new skills in the field,” he said.

ENDS