A two-day drone pilot certification workshop and exam are being offered Dec. 15-16 by the Kentucky Agriculture Training School (KATS), a program of the University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. According to KATS coordinator Lori Rogers, the workshop will prepare candidates for the certification required under the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Small UAS Rule, Part 107.

“This is an intense prep course for the Drone Pilot Certification Exam as required by the FAA, for those who plan to use drones commercially,” Rogers said. “Drones are an increasingly popular tool in agriculture to help save time and increase production. They are used in mapping, spraying, scouting, crop and livestock monitoring and more.”

The prep course is designed for drone pilots looking to earn their certification, the final step needed to provide professional agricultural drone services. Mandy Briggs of the Institute of Aviation at Parkland College teaches the course, and her students have a 99% success rate of passing the FAA exam. The course does not cover drone flying instruction.

Sam Anderson, Kentucky Department of Agriculture Environmental Services division director, said that participating in the KATS Drone Pilot Certification Workshop was a valuable experience that directly supports her role.

“The workshop provided practical training and resources that helped me successfully prepare for and pass the FAA Part 107 exam,” Anderson said. “Because of this, drone use can become a key part of our investigation process, improving our ability to serve the citizens of the Commonwealth in an even more efficient and precise manner.”

The workshop will be held at the Hopkins County Cooperative Extension Office, 25 Mahr Park Drive, Madisonville, KY. Instruction will run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CDT on the first day, and participants should expect to complete practice exams that evening.

Participants will return to the Extension office at 8 a.m. on the second day, and the two-hour exam will be scheduled in the afternoon at Madisonville Community College. The exam is optional, and participants may choose to take it on an alternate date and location.

The fee for the workshop is $400 and includes lunch and study materials for both days. A separate fee of $175 is required to take the exam. Certified crop advisors will earn 12 CEUs.

Pre-registration is required by Dec. 5 and is limited to 20 participants.

Visit https://katsdronepilotcertificationdec2025.eventbrite.com/ to register or contact Lori Rogers, lori.rogers@uky.edu, 270-365-7541 ext. 21317. 

To learn more about KATS, visit https://kats.ca.uky.edu.  

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Writer: Jennifer Elwell, jennifer.elwell@uky.edu   

The Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment is an Equal Opportunity Organization with respect to education and employment and authorization to provide research, education information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function without regard to economic or social status and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, age, veteran status, physical or mental disability or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.