The Energy and Agricultural Machinery Laboratory of the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering conducted training on drone sprayer operation for students and technicians on December 14-15, 2023. The drone used in this training is the DJI Agras T20P, an agricultural drone sprayer designed for spraying pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers in agricultural fields. The training was conducted with the guidance of Mr. Gordon A. Sinaga and Mr. Adnan from SmartTechSolutions, the main distributor of DJI Agriculture in Indonesia.
The event began with an opening speech by Dr. Ir. Radi, S.T.P., M.Eng., IPU., ASEAN Eng., the head of the Energy and Agricultural Machinery Laboratory. The training was officially inaugurated by the representative from the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Dr. Arifin Dwi Saputro, S.T.P., M.Sc., IPM., ASEAN Eng. In addition to students and technicians, the training was also attended by several lecturers, including Mr. Ir. Andri Prima Nugraha, S.T.P., M.Eng., Ph.D., IPU., ASEAN Eng., and Mrs. Sri Markumningsih, S.T.P., M.Eng., Ph.D.
The training commenced with an introductory session covering the fundamentals of drone operation. This included the identification and understanding of components, as well as an introduction to the User Interface of the DJI Agras for operating the drone sprayer. The training covered topics ranging from the basics of flying to the ethics and fundamental safety of operating drones. The participants then engaged in basic flight simulations using training drones in the agricultural technology area of UGM’s Faculty of Agricultural Technology. Trainees displayed enthusiasm as they took turns to learn and practice drone operation, from takeoff and flight to a proper landing.
The training continued the next day at Pancasila field, Universitas Gadjah Mada. This time, participants were trained to operate the DJI Agras T20P drone sprayer. Participants took turns operating the drone, with Mr. Gordon, the drone trainer, guiding them to fly the drone manually, map areas, and execute missions. The goal of this drone training is to enhance the participants’ skills and assist them in research and innovation for utilizing drones in the field of agriculture.
