SEARCA and UPLBFI turn over drones to DA system-wide climate change office

10 June 2016

SEARCA and UPLBFI turnover of drones to DA-SWCCO. In the pictures are DA Regional Executive Directors, Director Alicia Ilaga, Dr. Rex Victor Cruz, Dr. Lope Santos III, and Dr. Rogel Mari Sese.

QUEZON CITY, Philippines - SEARCA and the University of the Philippines Los Baños Foundation, Inc. (UPLBFI) turned over two units of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to the Department of Agriculture System Wide Climate Change Office (DA-SWCCO) during the presentation of the Draft Final Report of the project, Strengthening Implementation of Adaptation and Mitigation Initiatives in Agriculture (AMIA Project 1). This was held on June 9, 2016 at Torre Venecia, Timog Avenue, Quezon City.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (AUV) developed under AMIA Project 1 The UAVs are the outputs of Disaster Risk Reduction Management Sub-component: Utilization of Drones in Disaster Assessment and Other Agricultural Purposes of AMIA.

The UAVs were developed by Dr. Rogel Mari Sese, Drone Specialist of UPLBFI. Director Alicia Ilaga of DASWCCO and DA Regional Executive Directors received the two units of drones from Dr. Lope B. Santos III, SEARCA Program Specialist for Project Development and Technical Serivces; Dr. Rex Victor Cruz, AMIA Acting Team Leader, and Dr. Sese.

It is expected for DA to use the UAVs for damage assessment as well as in field and project monitoring.