ALEXANDRIA, La. (3/17/2025) – Guardian Aerial, in collaboration with Louisiana State University of Alexandria (LSUA), recently hosted an innovative agricultural drone field day demonstrating the revolutionary potential of drone technology in precision agriculture. The event brought together industry professionals, local businesses, crop consultants, farmers, and LSUA students to explore cutting-edge practices transforming modern farming.
Attendees witnessed live demonstrations featuring DJI Agras spray drones, highlighting their precise aerial applications that enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and promote sustainability. Experts provided insights into the latest advancements in drone technology and discussed the practical impacts these innovations have on agriculture. Participants engaged directly with Guardian Aerial professionals and experts from the LSU Ag Center during an informative Q&A session, addressing topics such as drone operation benefits, regulatory compliance, and best practices for integrating drone solutions into agriculture operations.
Guardian Aerial
Clinton Giglio, CEO of Guardian Aerial, described the regulatory process for drone operations in agriculture as nearly identical to that of traditional airplanes. Giglio said, “Our drones are registered with the FAA and operate at safe speeds of around 20 mph, delivering targeted applications tailored to individual crop needs. Early field testing indicates that drones can achieve comparable, if not better, application effectiveness while often using lower water volumes than traditional crop dusters. This precision reduces off-target movement, minimizes drift, and allows for safer applications near roadways, power lines, and sensitive areas.”
Jason Ingalls, Founder and CEO of Ingalls Information Security, is a board member and investor in Guardian Aerial. He emphasized the cost-effectiveness and efficiency of drone solutions in agriculture. “Precision agriculture represents the future of AgTech because it significantly lowers costs compared to traditional methods,” explained Ingalls. He noted, “A traditional spray airplane can cost up to $1.4 million, while drones perform the same task for approximately $30,000.”
Randy Price, Associate Professor at LSU Ag Center’s Central Region Office, highlighted the critical safety advantages drones provide. “Drone technology significantly reduces the risk to life and property,” said Price. “At a fraction of the cost and with minimal payloads, drones eliminate the life-threatening dangers associated with conventional crop dusting aircraft.”
LSU Ag Center
The LSU Ag Center serves as an extension service, actively providing field education and regulatory guidance for FAA and FDA compliance to Louisiana farmers already integrating drone technology into their farming practices.
The partnership between Guardian Aerial and LSUA underscores the university’s proactive commitment to addressing the evolving educational needs of Central Louisiana’s agriculture and technology industries. LSUA’s Coordinator of the Center for Technology Innovation (Technovation), David Saucier, noted the university’s dedication to training the next generation of skilled professionals. “We currently offer a High-Impact Practices (HIPS) course called ‘UAV Drone Safety and Systems,’ which provides recreational drone flight training, including three hours of flight time culminating in an FAA-approved TRUST license,” explained Saucier. “This course scaffolds into a second HIPS class specifically preparing students to take the FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certification Exam.”
Furthering LSUA’s strategic educational vision, a credited academic course through the College of Science, Technology, and Mathematics is in development. The course will be broadly available to students aiming to become licensed remote pilots, paving the way toward numerous career pathways across sectors such as field biology, wildlife management, disaster preparedness, criminal justice, forestry, aviation, and marketing.
Moreover, to directly support this burgeoning field, LSUA is actively building a Precision Agriculture concentration within a new Agriculture Sciences major. This forward-looking program will enable students to master skills critical for meeting the workforce demands of the rapidly evolving agriculture and drone technology sectors.
For more information about LSUA, visit explore.lsua.edu.
Written by Adam Lord
Photo credit – Nathan Parish | LSUA Strategic Communications
Pictured – [1] Clinton Giglio, CEO, inspecting a drone [2] Jason Ingalls, Investor, speaking at the drone event
