FUNAAB GRADUATE, FEMI ADEKOYA QUALIFIES AS UK DRONE PILOT

A former highflying student of the Department of Horticulture, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Mr. Femi Adekoya has qualified as a Drone Pilot with a Permission for Commercial Operation (PfCO) License by the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

Mr. Adekoya, a qualified professional Drone Pilot stated that as a Drone operator under the law, he is allowed to use small and unmanned aircrafts under 20KG for commercial projects.

He stressed that it was his career goal to be an astute professional in agriculture, contributing to global food security in the context of a sustainable environment through technological innovations and proven scientific knowledge.

Explaining the objective of learning and adopting Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), commonly known as Drone, Mr. Adekoya said he was using it as a tool to improve the efficiency of agriculture and doing precision agriculture to improve food security as well as resource use efficiency. He added it was also used to help farmers adapt to unfavorable climate realities, reduce carbon foot print in agriculture and contribute to environmental sustainability.

Mr. Adekoya, an astute farmer disclosed that professionalism in the use of Drone encompasses operators ability to understand safety in Drone-use, analysis and assessment of operational risks and importantly follow to the letters the regulatory guidelines for Drone-use. According to him, Drones still raises consciousness and concern about Privacy and Public safety.

Commenting on his brilliance, the Head, Department of Plant Physiology and Crop Production (PP&CP), Professor Akeem Oyekanmi recalled when he visited Mr. Adekoya’s cucumber farm at FUNAAB in early 2018, stated that he was highly impressed by his desire and commitment at putting into practice what he studied.

Professor Oyekanmi, however congratulated Mr. Adekoya for qualifying as a Drone Pilot, saying that it is another feather to his cap. He described Drone as a technology that is used to carry out so many problem-solving activities in the field of crop production, adding that these included but not limited to field surveys, soil moisture and nutrient mapping, prevalence of pests and diseases, incidence of vertebrate intruders as well as other types of data collection, among others.

Mr. Adekoya graduated with a 4.55 CGPA in 2015 and had already commenced his postgraduate studies with the Centre for Excellence in Agricultural Development and Sustainable Environment (CEADESE), before winning a scholarship to study in the UK.