Lesson 1Thermal imaging basics for plant water stress and canopy temperature interpretationIntroduces thermal imaging principles for agriculture, explaining emissivity, calibration, and environmental effects so pilots can interpret canopy temperature patterns and detect plant water stress with reliable, repeatable measurements.
Emissivity, calibration, and radiometric accuracyInfluence of sun angle, wind, and humiditySetting temperature ranges and color palettesGround truthing with leaf and soil measurementsInterpreting stress maps for irrigation zonesLesson 2Payload considerations: sensor weight, endurance, and trade-offsExamines payload weight, power draw, and mounting options, showing how sensor choices affect endurance, stability, and data quality, and how to manage trade-offs between resolution, coverage, and platform limits.
Payload mass, center of gravity, and balancePower consumption and flight time impactsGimbal stabilization and vibration controlSwappable payloads for flexible missionsWeatherproofing and dust protection needsLesson 3Sensor characteristics: RGB, multispectral (bands and bandwidths), thermal, and hyperspectral fundamentalsExplains key characteristics of RGB, multispectral, thermal, and hyperspectral sensors, including bands, bandwidths, resolution, and radiometric depth, and how these influence vegetation indices, stress detection, and data processing complexity.
RGB sensors and true color crop assessmentMultispectral bands, bandwidths, and indicesThermal sensor resolution and NETD basicsHyperspectral cubes and narrowband analysisRadiometric resolution and bit depth effectsLesson 4Flight parameters: altitude, ground sample distance (GSD), image overlap, sidelap and effects on map accuracyDescribes how altitude, GSD, front overlap, sidelap, and flight speed affect image sharpness and map accuracy, and how to choose parameters that balance resolution, coverage, processing load, and agronomic decision needs.
Relating altitude to GSD and resolutionFront overlap, sidelap, and tie point densitySpeed, motion blur, and shutter settingsAccuracy needs for different crop decisionsConfiguring parameters in mission plannersLesson 5Common vegetation indices and which sensors are required (NDVI, GNDVI, NDRE, SAVI, TCARI/OSAVI)Reviews major vegetation indices, including NDVI, GNDVI, NDRE, SAVI, and TCARI/OSAVI, explaining required bands, typical agronomic uses, and sensor selection to match crop monitoring objectives and budget constraints.
NDVI basics and red plus NIR requirementsGNDVI and chlorophyll sensitivityNDRE for early stress and dense canopiesSAVI and soil background correctionTCARI/OSAVI for chlorophyll estimationLesson 6Temporal planning: optimal flight frequency linked to growth stages and irrigation eventsCovers how crop phenology, irrigation schedules, and weather drive flight timing, helping you define optimal revisit frequency and time of day to capture consistent imagery that aligns with key growth stages and management events.
Linking crop growth stages to flight timingCoordinating flights with irrigation eventsChoosing time of day for stable lightingBalancing revisit frequency and budgetSeasonal calendars for major cropsLesson 7Pre-flight safety, regulatory checks, NOTAMs, airspace, and farm-specific permissionsDetails pre-flight safety routines, regulatory checks, NOTAM review, and airspace classification, plus farm-specific permissions and coordination, ensuring missions comply with aviation rules and protect workers, equipment, and crops.
Regulatory requirements and pilot recordsChecking NOTAMs and airspace classesSite surveys and obstacle identificationBriefing farm staff and bystander safetyEmergency procedures and abort criteriaLesson 8Selection criteria: multirotor vs fixed-wing for 60-hectare multi-field operationsCompares multirotor and fixed-wing UAS for 60-hectare multi-field farms, focusing on coverage rate, endurance, takeoff and landing needs, and operational complexity to support practical platform selection and fleet sizing decisions.
Coverage rate and endurance comparisonsTurnaround time and battery swap logisticsTakeoff, landing, and field access limitsWind tolerance and stability in farm windsPlatform mix strategies for multi-field workLesson 9Typical flight patterns, mission planning for center pivots and drip zones, and battery logisticsOutlines efficient flight patterns for center pivots and drip-irrigated blocks, including lawnmower and radial paths, plus battery planning, staging, and turnaround workflows to maintain coverage and minimize downtime.
Lawnmower patterns for rectangular fieldsRadial and spiral paths for center pivotsAdapting routes to drip and irregular plotsBattery capacity, cycles, and sparesField charging, staging, and rotation
