People with an interest in drone technology and Geographic Information Systems (a.k.a. GIS) can register now for a one-day educational event titled “GIS and Drones: Learn the Tools for Smart Mapping” on Tuesday, August 5th from 9:30am to 3:30pm at Cayuga Community College in Auburn. The event is geared toward farmers, youth 16+, educators, job-seekers, and lifelong learners looking to explore career and educational pathways in drones, mapping, and emerging technology.
Presenters include Dr. Abu Badruddin, GIS Professor at Cayuga Community College, and Maylin Murdock, Cornell Ph.D student in the School of Integrative Plant Science. Event participants will experience hands-on drone operation in a safe, guided environment and will learn to create a map using GIS data in the college-computer lab. They also can network with local professionals, tech experts who use drones and GIS in their daily work, and educators from Cayuga Community College and Cornell Cooperative Extension, to help determine whether continuing education in the field of GIS is a good option for them. Information will be available on drone licensing, careers, and education pathways.
“This is an opportunity to understand how drones help people make good decisions about soil, water, crops, and forests,” said Ryan Staychock, Environmental/Natural Resources Educator for Cayuga County Cornell Cooperative Extension and the organizer of this event. “It’s great career exploration for youth, and a chance to learn how geospatial tools like mapping, remote sensing, and spatial data analysis are used in agriculture, environmental science, and more. Everyone likes drones, and this is a way to experience them in a quasi-academic setting,” he added.
Whether you’re a farmer, current or aspiring college student, professional, or just drone-curious, register now to explore how mapping technology can work for you on the farm, at your job, or as a career. This educational event offers an excellent introduction for anyone curious about mapping, and learning how geospatial technology (GIS) and drones are shaping the future.
The program fee is $20, lunch (pizza, salad, drink) is included, and parking is free. Registration is free for current Cayuga Community College students, and area high school students entering their junior year and older, but registration still is required because space is limited. Register by visiting https://ccecayuga.org/GIS&Drones or bit.ly/45R5tBS. Please contact Ryan.Staychock@cornell.edu for any assistance or with questions about this event.
$20/person includes lunch; FREE for current CCC and area high school Jrs and Srs
https://pub.cce.cornell.edu/event_registration/main/events_landing.cfm?event=GISandDRONES_205
Ryan Staychock
Environmental/Natural Resources Educator for Cayuga, Schuyler, & Seneca CCE
rms462@cornell.edu
(315) 539-9251 Ext. 110
Cayuga County Community College
197 Franklin Street, Student Lounge M214
Auburn, New York 13021
Last updated July 7, 2025