TESDA to open training program for agricultural drone operation

To boost the country’s agriculture, forestry and fishery sector, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) will start offering a training program for Agricultural Drone Operation.

This was after TESDA, together with the stakeholders and experts of agricultural remotely piloted aircraft from the AgriDom Solutions Corp. developed the Competency Standards (CS) for Agricultural Drone Operation which will be used by training institutions.

Last March 18, TESDA Secretary Isidro Lapeña issued a circular containing the guidelines in the deployment of the Competency Standards (CS) for Agricultural Drone Operation Level II.

Lapeña noted that the training program aims to respond to industry skills requirements for agricultural drone operation and produce individuals with 21st Century Skills and compliant to the existing industry standards.

“We also want to provide world-class and competent human resources for the Agricultural Drone Operation under the Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery Sector,” he said.

Lapeña has been strongly supporting the agriculture sector to help the country achieve food security, even listing it as among the top priorities of TESDA.

“We should be developing more training programs that would shift the skills of our local farmers from traditional farming to smart farming. We want to make farming more attractive and enticing among the youth,” he added.

Drones become an essential part of smart farming, helping farmers to deal with wide range of challenges and gaining numerous benefits. Specifically, drones can be used for the following: estimating soil condition, planting future crops, fighting infections and pests, agriculture spraying, crop surveillance, livestock monitoring, among others.

The TESDA chief is also encouraging all Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions to register their own agriculture drone operation courses.

According to TESDA’s Qualification and Standards Office (QSO), DJI Academy of Region XI has started working on program offerings this April 2021.

Based on the competency standards, trainees for agricultural drone operation who will be trained for free must have basic communication and arithmetic skills.

Meanwhile, an agricultural drone operation trainer must be a holder of Trainer’s Methodology Certificate or must be a practicing trainer for two years; with two year’s industry experience within the last five years related to Agricultural Remotely Piloted Aircraft Operation; and must be a holder of Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) license.

Graduates of Agricultural Drone Operation could be employed as Ground Support, Junior Drone Pilots, and Senior Drone Pilots.