Drone Intern Program

Drone Technology

Internship Program

We are excited to be able to sponsor a student internship program. Our students gain hands-on experience working on a variety of research projects where drones are used as the primary means to capture data. Students learn to flight plan, capture data, post-process images, and lastly, to collaborate on writing a professional scientific report. We are proud to report that each of our students have successful transferred to some of the top Universities in California, including UC Berkely, UC Davis, and Stanford University.

Interns at the vineyard

(Photo by Dan Cearley 2023)

Flight Planning & Unique Sensor Packages

We strive to fly on a weekly basis. Our students have access to commercial sized drones capable of carrying various types of cameras and sensors.

We use an RBG telephoto inspection camera to conduct infrastructural examinations of our campus architectural features.
Monthly we fly over our Campus Hill Vineyard using a 5-band multi-spectral camera that helps our viticulture program manage their annual crop.
Two recent additions of a high resolution thermal camera and a LIDAR sensor, have propelled our program to the cutting edge of technology.

Each of these sensor packages allow us to ask complex questions about our landscape and our campus features.

Drone Post-Processing

Our students are exposed to specialty software used to stitched together imagery, these include Pix4D and Drone Deploy, two of the leading post-processing software companies.

Post Processing IMages

Mapping & GIS Skills

Since all of our drone data is geo-referenced, the program is very mapping and cartography based, with students becoming proficient in GIS (Geographic Informational Systems). Students learn to use ESRI ArcGIS Pro and the open-source software, QGIS.

Drone Technology & Computer Center

We have a new workspace, at the Computer Center (Building 2100, Second Floor, Room 21206) where we can be found working diligently if we are not out flying.

Please reach out if you have any questions or you would be interested in collaborating on any research questions where drone data might be useful.