Sky's the Limit for Game of Drones Competition
15/2/2018
The Game of Drones is a competition run by Hermitage Schools Plant Science. With entry open until the 29th of June, this contest provides an excellent opportunity for young science minds to shape the future of the agriculture industry. The tournament will be engaging while making agricultural science a lot more fun for young minds.
The Game of Drones is a competition in the Hermitage Schools Plant Science department. With entry open until the 29th of June, this contest provides an excellent opportunity for young science minds to shape the future of the agriculture industry. The tournament will be engaging while making agricultural science a lot more fun for young minds.
Kerrie Rubie, the organiser of the competition said drones are a new and innovative tool finding use in the agricultural sector. She notes that the drones can help in areas such as field analysis, soil analysis, as well as spraying and planting of crops. Drones are fun but they can also be useful in science and agriculture, and that is the message that Ms Rubie hopes the kids will take away from this competition.
The theme of the competition is quite popular with over 70 schools from across the country registered. The game has a new focus than in previous years, a more technological focus but at the same time, there is still the focus on growing plants as well.
For the competition entrants will have to do some different tasks. They will be required to grow a small crop of plants and keep track of the growth of the plants by taking regular photographs. The photographs are used to analyse plant growth using some simple computer programs.
Other tasks for the competition include researching how robotics and drones are being used currently in farming in Australia and across the globe. They will also look at how technology is being used around the world to improve farmer’s livelihoods in developing countries.
Rubie notes that all the tasks required by the competition will help children to think about agriculture in a more global context. It helps them to understand that items produced in Australia are not merely only for Australians but also for other parts of the world. With Australia needing to double the current global agricultural production by 2050 while working with fewer resources innovations are welcome and the way to go.
The competition is run nationally, reflecting the Hermitage Research Facility’s cutting-edge work outside of Warwick. They have a technical officer at the facility that is working on drone technology and how drones can assist with research.
The competition is excellent for students with artistic flair as well as those with interests in agriculture and technology. Students interested in art can enter the contest by drawing a model for a drone that will have capabilities of changing agriculture’s future.
Students interested in entering the Games of Drones competition have up until the 29th of June. This allows students as well as schools ample time for getting their ideas together for entering the competition. With this small competition, young minds can see beyond the traditional farm and traditional farming methods and have a more new outlook on farming and the future of the industry on the whole.
