KT’s ‘Giga Island Drone School’ opened at an experience center on Imja Island in Sinan County yesterday, featuring a number of facilities including a workshop and a simulation room, and offering educational programs to members of the local community. (Image: KT)
SEOUL, Jan. 17 (Korea Bizwire) — Telecom giant KT has opened an agricultural drone school in South Jeolla Province in the hopes of helping the farming community.
KT’s ‘Giga Island Drone School’ opened at an experience center on Imja Island in Sinan County yesterday, featuring a number of facilities including a workshop and a simulation room, and offering educational programs to members of the local community.
Around 80 percent of the residents on the remote island of Imja work in agriculture, but the community has also faced challenges, particularly in spraying pesticides, due to its aging population in recent years.
Given the situation, experts are hopeful farmers will benefit from the use of agricultural drones, which cost only 10 to 25 percent of the price of unmanned helicopters on average.
Maintenance expenses for drones are also ten times less expensive than for drones.
KT currently offers drone exercises at the drone school, and plans on providing drone rental services and tests for drone certificates in the future.
In addition, KT’s drone school will expand its educational programs to students and other regular residents in addition to farmers.
Students at Sinan Imja Elementary School have already responded well to their school being designated as a special drone school by the Sinan Office of Education, according to KT, marking the growing interest in the use of drones in the farming communities.
“We are glad to have provided useful IT technology to the residents of Imja Island. We plan to continue our support so that more people can use agricultural drones,” said Lee Sun-joo, a senior official at KT.
Ashley song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
