Helping Students Explore Tech-Focused Careers in Agriculture

Brian Gautreau and Kyle Peveto

To help prepare young people for careers in modern agriculture, the LSU AgCenter has developed an educational program focused on drone and geographic information system mapping to teach classroom teachers, 4-H agents and students the skills needed to succeed. The Agricultural Career Exploration with Drones (ACED) program uses high-tech tools to spark interest in agriculture, science and engineering through multiple educational streams.

ACED was developed through the support of a $749,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA NIFA). The program creates multiple pathways for students to explore digital and precision agriculture. One component is a classroom curriculum designed to prepare students for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part 107 Remote Pilot Certification, which is required to fly a drone for commercial purposes. Grant funding also allowed ACED to provide drones to participating schools, helping students gain hands-on flight experience while preparing for certification. This approach distinguishes ACED from other certification programs that rely primarily on textbook instruction. In addition, ACED provides professional development for 4-H Youth Development and other Extension agents, equipping them to deliver agricultural drone education and youth camps in their communities.

An FAA Part 107 certification opens many pathways for a wide range of careers. Agricultural drone operations include crop scouting and spraying of important inputs such as pesticides and insecticides. A certified drone operator may provide aerial photography services, conduct infrastructure and facility inspections, perform building maintenance tasks and pursue opportunities in industries that continue to emerge as drone technology advances.

In the future, the ACED team plans to offer an on-farm education component for students who have earned the FAA certification. Envisioned as four hands-on workshops, the sessions will provide students with direct exposure to agricultural drone applications. Working alongside LSU AgCenter faculty and staff, participants will gain practical skills and a deeper understanding of precision agriculture technologies.

Brian Gautreau is the Louisiana 4-H STEM education specialist, and Kyle Peveto is the editor of Louisiana Agriculture.   

Eyes In the Sky, Minds on the Ground: Bringing Drones to Classrooms and Camps 

Benita Komunjeru

At the Agricultural Career Exploration with Drones program training for educators, the classroom in Alexandria was buzzing not just with propellers, but with ideas. By the third day of training, teachers from across Louisiana talked of how they would take this technology to their students.

“Some of our kids go home and play video games,” one teacher said. “Now we’re bringing something from their world into ours.”

Held over five days in Alexandria, the workshop offered a two-part curriculum teaching FAA certification and drone applications in agriculture. Teachers from St. Tammany, Vernon, St. John and Iberville parishes took part, with some having previous experience and others handling drones for the first time.  

Teachers learned to instruct the basics needed for agricultural drone use. An important skill in drone programming includes creating commands and looping statements to direct a drone to fly up one crop row, turn around and fly down another row. In training, students may learn in a gymnasium or on a practice field outside. Another activity ACED instructors implement is to teach students to program the drone to land only on certain colors of blocks, which mimics a drone scouting a field for yellowed leaves showing signs of disease or healthy green plants.

Instructors guided participants through airspace regulations, emergency procedures and communication protocols before shifting focus to classroom-based instruction on crop scouting, livestock monitoring and other agricultural applications. By the week’s end, participants weren’t just better pilots; they were future ag-tech instructors.  

One educator from Vernon Parish said, “The hardest part is going to be containing the excitement. They’ll want to stay out there flying all day.” 

Others saw the program as a path to evolve with their students. “I had a teacher who used to say, ‘Adapt, move on or die,’” one instructor shared. “This drone program is helping me evolve every year.”

Drones Through a Child’s Eyes  

ACED also works to educate younger students on the growing field of agricultural drone use. At a camp designed to introduce drone flight to young people, third through sixth grade students learned the basics of drone operation and reflected on their experience.  

They were asked two questions: “What was the most fun part of flying?” and “Was it easier or harder than you thought?” After their flights, students left behind a flurry of comments that captured their excitement and surprise.  

“Doing a flip,” one note read. Another said, “Learning to do the back flip.” Speed thrilled some campers. “Flying fast!” one wrote. Another enjoyed full control: “Spinning around and coming back.”  

When it came to difficulty, the majority of students were surprised by how manageable it felt. Most said flying was easier than expected. A few mentioned how familiar the joystick felt, perhaps thanks to experience with game controllers at home.  

Whether flipping, spinning or sticking the landing, these young flyers showed how early exposure to drone technology can build confidence, excitement and curiosity. For many, it was their first flight — but likely not their last. With the guidance of teachers and 4-H Extension agents, it might just be the start of something even bigger.  

Benita Komunjeru was a doctoral student in the LSU Department of Agricultural and Extension Education and Evaluation and a graduate assistant in LSU AgCenter 4-H Youth Development.

4-H graduate assistant Benita Komunjeru teaches children to use drones at a day camp in Plaquemine. Photo by Kyle Peveto

A 4-H agent helps a child learn to fly a drone at a camp in Plaquemine. Photo by Kyle Peveto

A 4-H agent gets a drone off the ground while students watch during a camp in Plaquemine. Photo by Kyle Peveto