# Drone Day Planning (2025)
[2024 notes](https://hackmd.io/lA1UuJs4QRWmcUIG4DNQDg) :arrow_upper_right:
[Previous attendees email](#Initial-advertising-push)
[Day-of checklist](https://hackmd.io/c6cOrYopQkW83Nnzry2Nmg?both#Planning-for-day)

# 2025 Drone Day (day of)
#### Notes
- Do we want to update Drone website with emails and or presentations? What other media?
- Afterwards, make several posts - one for each presentor? One for the field?
- Start next one with a small presentation on our group
- Reminder to have questions on Zoom sent to everyone
- Don't allow presenters that didn't show up to sign up for presentations next time?
-

#### Presenters
- **Jeff Gillan** talked about CyVerse & additional tools (eg. HuggingFace and GitHub); help with teaching w/ [AI Verde](https://datascience.arizona.edu/events/using-ai-verde) chatbot; LLMs (for writing computer code) & Natural Language Interfaces & open source machine learning. Vision transformers : convelutional networks.
- **Joe Wagner** didn't show up for his talk (in person or online). Jeff G. used the time
- **James McNabb** Application of Drone Technology in Mining. Using them to detect dangerous slope slip and rock fall prevention
- **Roberto Aguilar** Drone applications in tropical agriculture
- **Stefano Duglio** Drones for Monitoring Landfill Gas Fugitive Emissions
- **Rebecca Beers** UAV Applications in a Rapidly Evolving Postfire Environment
- **Rajitha Tiruthani** Didn't show up (in person or online)
- **Don Dinwiddie** Drones in Agriculture
- **Mike Borszich** Was unable to make it to Drone Day
- **Anita Thompson** Making UAS Safety Accesible for Rural Farmers and Ranchers in Northeastern Arizona

## 2025 day of tasks:

* Get pictures of drones
* Have everyone sign photo release form
* Assess interest in drone field days help

## 2025 Action Plans:
- [x] (Kristina): Find out when Drone Field Days are (After April 1, 2025)
- [x] Ask key people about Fri April 4 (Anita, Tyson & Jeff, Kyle & Cindy + ARSC, Rebecca & Chad + AGS) - Tyson is in; Jeff is too and wants to help plan; Anita is in; Kyle says it works as of now
- [x] Ask Anita about training portion (length, type)
- [x] Get in touch with Herb - he said they need the form back 10 days in advance to process it
- [x] Get back to Brett about date, drone form, anything else needed to reserve, any associated costs - he confirmed everything is good
- [x] Pick dates for closing talk submission (rolling until full, or Friday Feb 28), drone flying (Friday March 14, gives three weeks), just attending
- [ ] Identify an ESRI / Agisoft UA point person to give a talk
- (chris' opinion: get this early so we can advertise this)
- [ ] Contact U of A press room? (Samuel Ellis was student who wrote 2022 article)
- Civil Engineering: Drone licensing course
- [x] AI: Do these classes still get taught? It's [in the catalog](https://catalog.arizona.edu/courses/0422691) [name=Chris][time=2024]
- Civil Engineering class #281 : Drones in Engineering and Construction - Dean Papajohn teaches
- Update Drone Website with:
- [x] chosen date
- [x] other information
- [x] field days training component
- [x] Include invitational text to people who want to know about drones and don't have much or any experience
- [ ] Get promotional poster
- [ ] Advertise event on Tuesday Morning Extension Notes
- [ ] (Jeff) Advertise to local industry
- [ ] Have signs posted next year at library entrance interior/doors (and perhaps on walkways)?
- [ ] Review previous year's notes for TODO items
- [ ] Meet with Herb Wagner email [[e-mail]](mailto:[e-mail])
- [ ]
- Drone info - who has submitted their info, ask about parking (can unload at field); https://parking.arizona.edu/parking/garage-reservation/create.php?loginTry=1709584765
- Table reservation
- https://www.fm.arizona.edu/#/specialEvents
- 4-5 banquet tables
- Ask ~~Nate~~ TBD about account number

#### Webpage for 2025 event

- Include links to previous events
- Shift descriptive focus
- Include training component

### Advertising materials

#### Advertising list (initial)

- [x] Jeff
- [x] Anita
- [x] Brett
- [x] Tyson
- [x] Kyle Hartfield
- [x] Herb
- [x] Last year's registrants
- [x] List of others from end of this doc
- [x] Tuesday morning extension notes
- [x] UA Main Calendar
- [x] ALVSCE weekly bulletin - repost March 13
- [x] CALES grad student listserv

Re-advertise to individuals, with reminder of talk deadline next week

#### Advertising list (second round)

- [x] Anita advertised to [AAEA listserv](https://extension.arizona.edu/programs/arizona-agriculture-extension-association) & EcoRestore (through Elise Gornish)
- [x] Tyson & Jeff
- [ ] Brett
- [ ] Kyle Hartfield
- [ ] Cindy Norton

#### Flier

Contents:
- [x] Name of event
- [x] Location & date & time
- [x] QR code to webpage & URL
- [x] Brief blurb about event...

#### Shorter advertising blurb

Please join us for this year's Drone Day at the Campus Agricultural Center on Friday April 4, 2025! Join in the discussion, give a short talk about how you use drones, and watch or fly your drones in the demo field. See the event website for more details and to register now: https://drones.arizona.edu/events/drone-day-2025

#### Email for previous registrants

Registration for this year's Drone Day is now open! Please join us at the University of Arizona Campus Agricultural Center on Friday April 4, 2025 to join in the discussion, give a short talk about how you use drones, and watch or fly your drones in the demo field.

See the event website for more details and to register now: https://drones.arizona.edu/events/drone-day-2025 Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or comments.

We are looking forward to seeing you all and having another great event bringing together the drone community in Tucson.

## Which Day 2025 (W/o Drone Field Days consideration):
- Drone Field Days grant begins after April 1 (consideration begins mid-February)
- [ ] March 19-21 (Wed-Fri after Spring Recess)
- [ ] March 24-28 (2nd week after Sprint Recess)

[Lessons Learned](#Notes-on-March-20-2024-Drone-Day) 2024

### Format
- Talks in AM (more focus on how people use their dones - how and why they fly drones; e.g. cost, legislation, travel)
- Lunch provided
- Fly & exhibit drones in the afternoon

### Objective

To bring together drone users in Tucson or at University of Arizona who are using or interested in using drones (unoccupied aerial vehicles, UAVs). To learn about drone equipment, usage, data processing and connect with other drone users to solve technical and logistical challenges.

### Proposed agenda

9 AM Welcome, overview of the day
9:15-10:00 Keynote(s)
10:00-10:15 Coffee
10:15-12:00 5-10 min talks by researchers on campus.
12:00-1:00 Lunch, relocate to field
1:00-2:30 Drone demos

### Format specifics

#### Keynote Speakers
- [ ] AI: Revisit allotted time for this
- 15+ minutes presentation
- 5 minutes Q&A

#### Lightning talks
- [ ] AI: Revisit allotted time for this
- 5 minutes presentation
- 5 minutes Q&A
- topic: Each talk should provide a quick overview of how they use or would like to use drones in their work, focused on relevant technologies, challenges faced, and opportunities that they see.

#### Drone demo's
- Don't need to be so structured. Just need tables to put drones on
- ~~1.5 hours - Minimum time for demonstrations~~
- ~~Stagger flying demo's~~
- ~~Need fliers space requirements~~

## Goals
- Where to hold it?
- ~~On campus~~ At Ag Center
- Have researchers come and discuss what they are doing with drones
- Have drone flying demonstrations?
- Need cage? No
- Tether drone? No
- Drone rules and regulations
- Campus Security handles - pilots must be registered w/ CS
- General Q&A - online and walkup
- All posted online on Drone Discussion Group site
- ~~Poster & QR code for Drone Discussion Group~~

---

### Notes 2023

Have a Drone Demo Day on the main Campus in a central location, preferably outdoors

Is there a formal/informal student organization for drones?

Tie this in with general Remote Sensing work?

Step this up: helping make UA a researcher drone use proving ground: check U-Alaska
- Tyson has been looking into this

What is the theme/purpose of this?
- Invite companies to bring drones and demo them
- Need a formal email to say that they can come
- Make a symposium?
- Attach to: RISE symposium (research focus) (Fall) or Engineering design day (April): or be adjacent to
-
- Start small and then scale up
- Bring researchers in (main focus?)
- Companies may be willing to put money into research
- Get UA development folks to come and give away stuff and market to others
-

Start day in closed building:
- have group discussion(s) - see what others are doing
-

Something like GIS day

### Discussion notes 2023

- Lists of commercial users in the area, more industry connections
- Dean Kelly
- James McNabb
- List of drones on campus
- Drone sharing, including experience
- Advice for getting certifications for small to big drones
- Resources on drone page
- Internal certification? For different types of drones, hours trained, etc.
- Pilots for hire?
- Field day, to collect data and process it (Cyverse) as learning experience
- GitHub drone workflow lists
- Comparing logistics / preparation / steps (nuts and bolts beyond flying), especially unique cases, e.g., night flying, going overseas
- Could be good Drone Discussion Group material?
- Drone Pilots group in Prescot
- International field work
- April discussion group, Rebecca & Chad
- More hybrid stuff
- Someone has a women in drones group in Phoenix, get their name and in touch with them for ideas!

### 2024 date of March 20

How are we handling online folks and their questions?

#### Notes on March 20, 2024 Drone Day
- [ ] Talks should be longer than 10 minutes, and probably more time for discussion
- [ ] Gather slides ahead of time
- [ ] Make sure to have the sound, video, etc. working beforehand
- [ ] Have signs posted next year at library entrance interior/doors (and perhaps on walkways)?
- [ ] Contact AZDOT (for speakers/attendees)? (Would need to start contact sooner since it may be tough to make contacts)
- [ ] Mining school contacts to bring industry on?
- [ ] Have table at Book Fair about drones? Another thing to organize
- [ ] Perhaps:
- https://www.womenwhodrone.co/
- https://womenanddrones.com/ (has instgram and other presence)
- [ ] Book field earlier in year to ensure we get the times we want (if possible)
- [ ] Contact different schools in September for industry contacts to attend drone day
- [ ] Have "about us" at start of day
- [ ] Provide list of drones being flown as part of published schedule
- Tyson Swetnam:
- state of proposed drone laws and the their impact on researchers
- also covered data transfer from drones
- AEOLUS - UA proposal & funded
- Next week (March 27 & 28) hosting drone workshop at Biosphere 2 - all are invited
- https://tinyurl.com/ua-droneday to contact people about drone legistlation
- ???: ("Moonlighting" course)
- UAS on Mars
- Using Mars experiences for planning Moon UAS
- Using existing mine site to learn how to use UAS
- Brett Carr: RAVEN project
- Rovers and drones for planetary exploration
- Roberto Guillar
- Using drones to survey Mars glaciers using Earth's ones
- Will be presenting at Drone GeoPhysics next week in Tucson
- Break
- Cindy Norton
- Remote sensing in forests
- Drones capture canopy beter than stems & terrestial sensing (TLS) captures stems better
- Drones overestimage biomass, TLS is better but underestimates
- Next is using Drone & TLS data sets together to come up with better estimates
- Tyson for Jeffrey Gillan:
- CyVerse and drone data
- Most drone captures are dark (not visible outside of project that captured data)
- Comparison of drone needs, community, processing, etc between 2019 and 2024
- Reviewed STAC
- tinyurl.com/droneday-gillan (not correct)
- James McNabb:
- Drone terrain modeling for water runoff to prevent hazards
- Drone data is underutilized in the industry
-

### Planning notes 2024

#### Food 2025
23 last year, 35 this year
Veg (+no beef/pork): 10
Vegan: 2
GF: 1

Fresco?

Get cost estimate for small catering order
Event at University of Arizona
~~Wednesday March 20~~

23 total, 2 (3) vegans, 2 vegetarians, 1 gluten free
7(-8) large pizzas: 1 vegan, 1 gluten free, 1 veggie, 2 cheese, 2 meat?
Salad?
Cost estimate?

4 people per pizza

Delivery [Location TBD]

~~Wednesday March 20, 2024~~ at 12:30pm

itemized receipt to email?

1. Cheese - plain
2. Cheese - plain
3. Meat - pepperoni
4. Meat - quin carne
5. Veg - herbivore
6. Vegan - herbivore
7. Vegan - margherita

Gluten free pizza - pepperoni + mushroom

### March 5, 2024 planning notes

List of people flying drones (2024):
1. Pedro Sanchez - not actually flying anymore
2. Dean Kelly - info sent
3. Brett Carr - info sent
4. Rebecca Beers - info sent
5. Roberto Aguilar - not actually flying anymore
6. James McNabb - info sent
7. Rahul Jadhav

Budget

| Item | Cost | Notes |
|---------|-------|-----------------------------------------------|
| Field | $270 | From campus rec, $90/hr for 3 hours |
| Tables | $26 | From FM, 4 tables at $6.50 |
| Parking | | |
| Lunch | $266 | Pizza including tip (free delivery)
| Coffee | | From Brueggers, $40 for coffee |
| *Total* | $556 | |

### March 1, 2024 tasks / March 4 planning notes

- Asked Wim about keynote
- He's out of town
- Invited Jeff Gillan
- He's going to come and give a talk
- Sent reminder email to previous registrations
- Added ad to TMN and CALES bulletin
- Joe Wagner as keynote
- Ask Rosa to give a talk? (decided not to after last year's fiasco)
- Not able to get in touch with Herb Wagner
- Multiple emails since Feb 12
- Called
- Send email to RMS contact form
- Food
- Restrictions: vegan, vegetarian, gluten free...
- Panera can accomodate all of those
- Drone info - who has submitted their info, ask about parking (can unload at field); https://parking.arizona.edu/parking/garage-reservation/create.php?loginTry=1709584765
- Table reservation
- https://www.fm.arizona.edu/#/specialEvents
- 4-5 banquet tables
- Ask Nate about account number

### Week of Feb 12, 2024

- Need to get drone form to campus rec contact
- Send out another advertising email to drone discussion listserv
- Do some targeted advertising
- (Kristina) Cindy
- (Kristina) Wim
- (Kristina) Diaa Eldin Elshikha
- (Kristina) Tyson
- (Chris) Rosa

### Initial advertising push

**Previous DD registrants**
[e-mail]
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**Other suggested folks**
[e-mail]
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[e-mail]

### Invitations

UA
- [ ] Micro Air Vehicles Laboratory Dr. Sergey Shkarayev
- [e-mail]
- http://mav.webhost.uits.arizona.edu/
- [ ] AZ Remote sensing
- [ ] Journalism school [e-mail]
- [ ] Diaa El Shikha [e-mail]
- [ ] Truman Combs [e-mail]
- [ ] https://www.usdronefest.com/Arizona/
- [ ] azautonomous.com - UA builds and tests [e-mail]
- [ ] journal professor/ works with drones
- [ ] Planetary science - Chris Hamilton - [e-mail] https://news.arizona.edu/story/3m-nasa-grant-uarizona-scientists-will-test-mars-exploration-drones-iceland
- [ ] good to bring in for IOT: [e-mail] https://ece.engineering.arizona.edu/faculty-staff/faculty/tosiron-adegbija
- [ ] https://icap.engineering.arizona.edu/short-range-remote-drone-deployment
- [ ] Invite speaker from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCKxcPcNyUA
- [ ] Bill Smith [e-mail]
- [ ] Greg Barron-Gafford [e-mail]

Local drone service companies (all invites submitted as 'contact us' forms)
- [ ] https://www.dronegenuity.com/aerial-photography/arizona/tucson/
- [ ] https://www.flexairco.com/drones-uav/tucson-drone-services/
- [ ] https://phantomaerialsolutions.com/

Local advanced UAS/Robotic and research companies
- [ ] ~~https://tech.aztechcouncil.org/list/member/hawkeye-international-72292~~ seems no longer a company; listed CEO is on to other things https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomkillingsworth/
- [ ] https://www.crowindustriesinc.com/contact
- [ ] https://rizse.io/
- [ ] ~~https://tech.aztechcouncil.org/list/member/tangent-aviation-llc-71027~~ broken link to http://www.tangentuas.com/
- [ ] https://www.aerospacearizona.org/contact-us
- [ ] Invite DJI to come and talk about their drones and the new rules [e-mail] [e-mail]

### TODO 2/5/2024

- [ ] Send out another advertising email to DD listserv (looking for speakers)
- [ ] Ask people who have already registered if they would speak or know someone who would
- [ ] (Kristina) Ask Wim if he would be keynote
- [ ] (Kristina) Confirm with facilities about field rental

### Meeting w/ Herb 11/21/2023

- Drone request form (one for event or one per operator/group/) -- can we prefill parts of this for people?
- Pilot license for each operator
- Certification of insurance...
- Flight plan map / drone flight path (how detailed?)
- FAA registration number for each drone
- Deadline?
- Order of things along with field reservation -- need drone permission documents to do facility reservation?
-

#### From Herb meeting 2024

- Campus Rec first about field reservation
- Drones from UA are covered by UA insurance, will need FAA registration (if big enough) & pilot license; non-UA drones will need FAA pilot license; third party would need insurance; affiliations for non-UA folks
- Put in application for the event, then can add pilots/drones info later on; stop accepting at least a week before
- Flight path: within boundaries of Bear Down Field, max height 400 feet
- Dean Kelly at SkyPods Images, might want to do demo or be speaker; UAmarketing and comms folks; facilities operator does roof inspections; construction progress group
- Michael McKisson, journalism, does drone demo
- Engineering profs; mining profs
- No drone depot; each drone is registered to a department, CALES has the most

#### TODO:

- [ ] Choose date
- [ ] (Kristina) Review [field rental policies](https://rec.arizona.edu/hours-locations/locations/bear-down-field)
- [ ] (Kristina) Reserve Bear Down field for afternoon (or whole day) -- liability insurance?
- [ ] (Kristina) Set up meeting with Herb, have questions
- [ ] (Chris) Reserve library room for morning (projector/screen) via online form
- [ ] Create this year's website
- [ ] Put together attendee form (do they want to fly/exhibit drone; do they want to present; want to give/attend presentations online?; drone/pilot info for form; want lunch; food restrictions/allergies; presentation format & storage location; is date OK w/ suggestion if not [informational based upon room]; advertize drone discussion group or add signup for listserv; also suggest topics of interest) [previous year's form](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1JM5WTo8cxzo8qj87NlRsOEILxj1bDOr09ZlvqTIuuNw/edit)
- [ ] Create list of people/places to advertise (all the normal workshop venues; professors; other? all of CALES?)
- [ ] Brainstorm fun flying activities?
- [ ] publicize date in December 2023
- [ ] publicize date in January 2024
- [ ] Rent tables and chairs for field afternoon (early January)
- [ ] Find keynote speaker
- [ ] Put together speaker schedule
- [ ] Contact people bringing drones for flight plans
- [ ] Contact people bringing drones about parking needs
- [ ] plan breakfast-snacks, drinks, and lunch
- [ ] Send presenters reminder in Mid Feb
- [ ] Send general reminder in after break (mid- to late- week)

## Next time
- [ ] (Not needed) ~~Have a pre-generated flight plan for Bear Down field (contact Rosa about whether this is a good idea - Chris)~~
- [ ] ~~is this cross-platform?~~
- [ ] ~~A better room & ~~check the facilities beforehand
- [ ] Announce the afternoon drone flights before and after lunch
- [ ] Student posters with a competition between them? Better reaching out out to students **(Early February 2024)**
- [ ] Bring in more industry: we have a list of potential speakers (based on this 2022) and proven ability to fly drones **Begin contacting industry in January 2024**
- [ ] ~~Sign up for Discussion Group emails at the meeting~~
- [ ]

### Planning for day

- [ ] All presentations are scheduled and have been distributed
- [ ] All people bringing drone stuff know where to park & have paid parking information
- [ ] All people bringing drone stuff know where and when to bring their stuff
- [ ] Room is able to handle expected computers/internet/media from presenters?
- [ ] AI: Chris sent email waiting for response
- [ ] How to open room, and opening time has been defined
- [ ] AI: Chris to bug them and ensure Zoom is available
- [ ] AI: Chris to get more chairs for the room
- [ ]
- [ ] Bear Down field opening and closing procedure has been set
- [ ] AI: Chris get the info and prepare to open the field at ~~11:50~~ (and close down after ~~~4:00PM~~)
- [ ]
- [ ] How are tables getting to Bear Down Field and returned
- Arriving at ~~12:30PM~~
- Teardown at ~~3:30PM~~
- [ ] Lunch and coffee arranged? Procedure for this? Where to hold lunch?
- is there a plan for people that drop in?
- could sign up (but we have limited funds ~)
- where: In room~~Deliver to Field (need permission from Campus Recreation for food at their facilities)~~
- [] AI: check with facilities to add chairs
- [ ] AI: print out sign up form and bring
- [ ] Is there a drone list
- [ ] list of drones from public Safety and availability
- [ ] Email sent out to attendees w/ information
- Schedule of presentations and technical considerations
- Lunch (for register people? Whom?)
- Drone to field procedure & close out time
- Encourage participants to use their social media
- Info for pilots
- Info for speakers
- upload to google drive or send Kristina~~David~~ a link or email it to me or show up at 8:30 to load your talk on the computer
- strict about time limits
- Info for people bringing drone stuff
- allowed to power on drones, show equipment, just can't fly if you aren't a pilot

### Budget

Our estimated budget, assuming 25 attendees, is $??? ($??? max):

- Bear Down Field afternoon rental: $X
- Tables & Chairs:
- Coffee: $X
- Donuts: one dozen and a box of 50 munchkins: $X
- Lunch (optional), 25 burritos, + chips and dips): $X

### Send email to departments

- [ ] **News and publicity - UA News Weekly**
- [ ] Local news
- [ ] Earth sciences (Geo Science)
- [ ] Engineering
- [ ] Optics
- [ ] Atmosphere Science

Try Department heads & have them forward emails or respond

## Talking with Herb (2024?)

- Herb wants to talk about flying drones
- Ceiling is 400ft
- Need to stay within the parameter of fence - cordon off 40 yards for flying drones
- Use cones and caution tape
- Everyone fill out forms:
- As organizer, fill out one form for all individuals at once
- Flight info, and insurance from 3rd party vendors (students - if related to degree can be considered UA)
- Recreational needs separate insurance
- Due the Monday before the event - as soon as possible is ideal
- Used to have "Program Days", focus on STEM
-

### Schedule
- [ ] Check for free parking for event (drones in cars)
- [ ] Room for meeting
- [ ] Field for flying: Due ~~February 28~~ (Bear Down field availability in procesing by Rec. Center)
- [ ] Determine presenter's formats: Due ~~February 17~~
- [ ] Begin getting presenters: Begin ~~February 14~~
- [ ] create form to accept titles and abstracts for lightning talks
- [ ] circulate invitation to talk with high level description of the day and link to form
- [ ] invite Kamel (or Wim?) to give keynote
- [ ] Find 1-2 other keynote or plenary speakers
- [ ] ~~Create poster for emails and notices: Due February 25~~
- [ ]] Reach out to larger organizations: Begin ~~February 28~~ (after poster created)
- Send a "Save the date" and reminder email
- UA News, Local News, Department lists,
- [ ]

## Tasks
- [ ] Determine hours - maybe a 3 hour noon-spanning slot?
- All day
- [ ] Determine date: [TBD]
- [ ] Get venue
- Determine location
- Get permissions and permits
- Electricity requirements
- Other costs
- [ ] Get researchers, pilots, support, security signed up
- Schedule time slots
- Provide requested physical space
- Tie into their online presence
- [ ] Have a web page about the Demo Day (on Drone Discussion Group site)
- Provide information on the day
- Add information on participants (a tile each?)
- updated with information and images of the day
- https://drones.arizona.edu/drone-demo-day-2022
- [ ] Encourage participants to use their social media