Mississippi State University (MSU) has taken a significant step forward in agricultural aviation by hosting the nation’s first Self-Regulating Application and Flight Efficiency (S.A.F.E.) training program exclusively focused on spray drones. This five-day training, held at MSU’s Agricultural Autonomy Institute, represents a crucial bridge between traditional aerial application methods and the rapidly evolving drone technology.
The training program brought together a diverse group of participants, including seven MSU graduate students and two professional aerial applicators who hold leadership positions with the Mississippi Agricultural Aviation Association. Dennis Gardisser, a renowned expert in aerial applications, led the training. While Gardisser has extensive experience with traditional crop dusters, this program marked his first S.A.F.E. training dedicated entirely to drone applications.
Madison Dixon, associate director of the MSU Agricultural Autonomy Institute and a training participant, emphasized the importance of integrating traditional crop dusters into the spray drone community. “Everything that we’re doing with spray drones, we want the traditional crop dusters to be involved,” Dixon said. “We want to build inroads between the spray drone community and the traditional crop duster community and, more importantly, ensure the mutual safety of all agricultural aviators as spray drone adoption increases.”
The training program focused on examining multiple variables to maximize the efficiency of spray drones, including payload loading, wind speed applications, application height, and nozzle configuration and flow rates. Gardisser highlighted the importance of understanding these variables to benefit growers financially and ensure the safety of all agricultural aviators. “Drones are relatively new in terms of knowing exactly what operational criteria are needed to maximize their efficiency,” Gardisser said. “The goal is to master this emerging technology and understand how it fits into modern agricultural practice.”
The training served dual objectives. First, it provided baseline testing and evaluation of MSU’s U.S.-manufactured spray drone fleet, with each aircraft still in its stock configuration. The data from this baseline testing will be used to optimize the fleet’s performance. Second, all participants will receive certifications enabling them to conduct additional spray pattern testing and analysis for other platforms and end users, including growers and agricultural retailers.
The MSU graduate students participating in the training are involved in current sponsored spray drone research projects funded by the Mississippi Corn Promotion Board and the Mississippi Soybean Promotion Board. The program is being conducted in close collaboration with stakeholders from Delta State University’s aerial applicator training program.
Operation S.A.F.E., developed in 1981, was designed to demonstrate that agricultural aviation recognizes its responsibility to minimize potential adverse health and environmental effects of agricultural chemical application. The program provides critical measurements of spray pattern quality and droplet size, which significantly impact both application efficacy and drift mitigation.
The National Agricultural Aviation Research and Education Foundation, which administers Operation S.A.F.E., is considering establishing a separate certification category specifically for drone applications. The participants in MSU’s groundbreaking S.A.F.E. training program are expected to be among the first to qualify for this specialized certification when it becomes available.
This training program represents a significant milestone in the integration of drone technology into agricultural aviation. By bridging the gap between traditional aerial application methods and emerging drone technology, MSU is paving the way for a more efficient and safer future for all agricultural aviators. The insights gained from this training will not only benefit the participants but also the broader agricultural community, ensuring that growers can maximize their yields while minimizing environmental impact.