As part of its continuing initiatives to advance digital and precision agriculture, the Central Bicol State University of Agriculture (CBSUA), through its College of Agriculture and Natural Resources–Digital Agriculture and Innovation Center (CANR–DAIC), actively participated in a Special Training on Agricultural Drone Maintenance and Troubleshooting held on December 12, 2025, at PhilRice, Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija.
The CBSUA delegation was led by DAIC Director Karlos Miguel Haber, together with Prof. Vladimir Foronda of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. They joined technical personnel and representatives from other State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), Department of Agriculture Regional Offices, and private sector partners such as AGRiDOM and KUBOTA Philippines. During the hands-on workshop, participants were exposed to actual demonstrations on drone disassembly, component inspection, troubleshooting, and routine maintenance, which are critical competencies for ensuring safe, efficient, and sustainable drone operations in agricultural environments.
CBSUA’s participation in this activity underscores the active role of the CANR–DAIC as a key institutional platform for innovation, technical capacity building, and inter-agency collaboration. As an SUC partner of DA–RFO V in the Drones4Rice Project, CBSUA was invited through its DAIC in recognition of the university’s strong advocacy and open collaboration with government agencies and industry partners in advancing the adoption of precision agriculture technologies, particularly drone utilization in farming.
The training activity forms part of the Drones4Rice Project, a national initiative spearheaded by the Department of Agriculture (DA) in collaboration with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), in partnership with private drone service providers and SUCs. The project is currently being implemented through the DA Regional Field Offices in Regions II, IV-A, and V. The Drones4Rice Project primarily aims to develop standardized protocols for drone-based application of seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides in rice production. By promoting optimized operational procedures and streamlined regulations, the project aims to enable the private sector to scale up affordable and accessible drone services for farmers nationwide.
In addition, the project envisions establishing a drone-assisted crop monitoring system capable of assessing crop health, mapping weed infestation, and identifying nutrient deficiencies in rice fields. These innovations are expected to support timely and data-driven adjustments in nutrient and pest management throughout the growing season, while accelerating the adoption of sustainable, precision farming technologies at the farm-cluster level. Ultimately, the Drones4Rice Project aims to significantly contribute to improving farm productivity, farmers’ income, and resilience by promoting precision agriculture and sustainable best practices in rice farming.
The resource persons for the training were experts from AGRiDOM, a Filipino-owned company specializing in innovative agricultural technologies like drones. AGRiDOM maintains its main office in Davao City and operates nationwide, with accreditation from key regulatory agencies including the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA), the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), and the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB). | (𝘙𝘦𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘧. 𝘝𝘭𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘳 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘢, 𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘗𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘙𝘪𝘤𝘦)
