Webinar: Unique UAV Use cases in Universities

For this webinar, we sat down with the great Robert Keane, the GIS expert and chief drone pilot from Flinders University, as he unveils the unique and innovative applications of drones within the university setting. 

This session covers a range of topics, from enhancing research capabilities to supporting environmental sustainability efforts. 

Participants gained insights into how drones are revolutionising academic studies, facilities management, and safety protocols, offering a glimpse into the future of technology in education. 

Click below to explore the unique use cases of drones in universities through the lens of an industry leader.

Key points of Our Interview with Robert Keane:

•  The collaboration between universities and drone technology is leading to innovative and unique use cases, providing valuable insights and lessons learned for the community.
   
• The use of drones in research allows for the collection of current aerial images, reducing the need for repeated field work.
• Industry recognizes the value of well-trained students coming out of university, rather than having to retrain them when they enter the workforce.
• The growth in UAV missions at Flinders Uni is driven by collective grants and funding from multiple universities and organizations.
• The value of using LiDAR data has been instrumental in showcasing the potential of UAV technology for university research projects.
• Drones have been used to monitor koalas and their behavior, as well as to assess the health of whales through their blow holes, showcasing the diverse applications of UAVs in environmental research.
• The use of UAVs for studying biomass in forests and identifying dieback shows the potential for machine learning and AI in environmental conservation and management.
• Using drones to monitor coastal erosion and sand movement can revolutionize the time-consuming process of data collection along the South Australian coast.
• The use of UAVs to assess water depth and its impact on carbon uptake in mangrove areas shows the diverse and important applications of drone technology in environmental research.
• The biggest thing for us was getting support at the top from the University.
• Flinders Uni is planning to use a night vision drone to support biodiversity and biological students, as well as a hyperspectral drone to differentiate species and analyze soils.
• The use of drones for infrastructure inspection, such as bridge inspections, can be enhanced by creating 3D models from point clouds or using AI technology.
   

Have any questions or interested to see how FlyFreely might be able to help - Reach out to our team for more information.