Building Drone Capacity in Florida Forestry Through Extension Education
Sustainable Agriculture and Natural Resources
J. Strickland
Extension Agent IV
UF/IFAS
Kissimmee
Abstract
Situation: Prescribed fire is a critical management tool for maintaining forest health, improving wildlife habitat, and reducing wildfire risk in Florida. However, evaluating burn success and conducting burns in remote or hazardous areas present logistical, safety, and financial challenges. Traditional methods, including helicopter ignition and ground-based assessments, can be costly and increase risk to personnel. Emerging unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) technologies provide new opportunities to improve both assessment and implementation of prescribed fire programs. Objective: UF/IFAS Extension partnered with the Florida Forest Service to integrate drone technology into forestry operations. Initial efforts focused on using drone-derived orthomosaics and image analysis algorithms to evaluate vegetation response following prescribed burns. Building on this research, a structured UAS training program was developed to prepare forestry personnel for the FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certification and support operational adoption of drone technology within the agency. Results: An early participant earned Part 107 certification in 2019 and played a key role in developing internal drone protocols for the Florida Forest Service. In 2024, Extension expanded this effort by training 25 foresters statewide, achieving a 100% certification pass rate. Drone adoption improved post-burn evaluation and enabled aerial ignition using “dragon eggs” in areas inaccessible to ground crews. This innovation enhanced operational safety by reducing personnel exposure to hazardous conditions and significantly lowered costs by minimizing reliance on helicopters. The program contributed to the creation of a dedicated drone position within Forestry, and the original trainee now leads training and oversees operations, exemplifying a successful train-the-trainer model. Since implementation, hundreds of thousands of acres of state and private lands have been treated using drone-supported prescribed fire. Discussion: This program demonstrates Extension’s role in bridging research and practice through scalable, applied training. By improving efficiency, safety, and cost-effectiveness, this model supports agency-wide innovation and provides a framework for expanding UAS adoption in natural resource management programs.
Authors: J.S. Strickland, B.J. Scharf
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J.S. Strickland Extension Agent IV, UF/IFAS Extension, Florida, 34604
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B.J. Scharf County Extension Director, UF/IFAS Extension, Florida, 34604