Dual education in action: a field trip for Master’s students on the ‘Agrochemical Services in Precision Agriculture’ programme, hosted by Agronix
An off-campus practical session on the subject of ‘Remote Monitoring of Agro-Plant Communities’ was held for Master’s students on the ‘Agrochemical Services in Precision Agriculture’ vocational programme at the premises of Agronix — a modern enterprise specialising in the implementation of innovative technologies in the field of precision farming, which has been working with agricultural companies of various levels for four years.
We and the students had a unique opportunity to see the world’s largest agricultural drone in action and to observe how a comprehensive system with sensor equipment operates. The company’s specialists, Yevhen BOTSULA and Oleksandr DOLINNYI, introduced the students to current trends in the development of agricultural drones and their application in agriculture. The postgraduate students were shown unique models of unmanned aerial vehicles designed for carrying out technical operations in crop production, as well as modern power supply systems and technical support equipment for drones. Among the latter are radars and lidars, which have become indispensable sensory aids for state-of-the-art technology.
The participants paid particular attention to the professional training of agricultural drone operators, the specifics of flight planning, equipment configuration and compliance with safety requirements during field operations. They also emphasised the need to take education and work seriously today, as agricultural drones are highly efficient and expensive machines, and operator errors can lead to complex problems and significant losses.
The company’s specialists provided a detailed overview of the technical requirements for the application of liquid and solid mineral fertilisers, plant protection products, desiccants, micronutrients and biological products. Students had the opportunity to learn about the specifics of equipment calibration, the selection of application rates, the impact of weather conditions on the effectiveness of treatments, as well as the advantages of using agricultural drones in precision farming systems.
The practical session proved to be a crucial stage in the professional training of future specialists, as it enabled them to combine theoretical knowledge with real-world production technologies and modern digital solutions in the agricultural sector.
The department staff would like to express their sincere gratitude to Agronix for the informative meeting, the high standard of organisation, and their support in training competitive specialists for Ukraine’s agricultural sector.