"UAV uses in environmental monitoring", a series of two-day trainings, took place from March 9-18 in the frame of UNDP-GCF Armenia’s National Adaptation Plan (NAP) project. The events were organized in collaboration with UNDP-RTF “Increase Resilience of Armenia to Climate Change through Modernization of Armenia’s Hydro-meteorological Service” project and Ministry of Environment “Hydrometeorology and Monitoring Center” (MoE HMC).

During the training courses, participants received information on the history and existing trends of UAV development; current uses of UAVs in mapping as well as ways of processing and application of collected data. They received knowledge on uses of data collected through drones in hydrological analysis, in particular for monitoring of water level changes in rivers, lakes, reservoirs; monitoring and early warning of floods; snow cover and soil moisture monitoring; water balance equation; and other purposes. UAV flight planning process, rules and mandatory procedures, as well as common software for drone operations management, as well as “Mavic 2 Pro” drone specifications and features were also presented during the training. In addition to theoretical flight stimulator" software. They also completed practical works processing and analyzing the data collected during field flights and preparing maps using relevant software programs. At the end of the training courses, participants received certificates.

Utilization of drones and acquired professional skills, will allow to fill in existing gaps in data collection in hydrological and meteorological monitoring, as well as in hard-to-reach forest areas, in flood risk management, when mapping required areas or evaluating vegetation conditions.

59 specialists from Applied climatology, Climate research and monitoring, Hydro-meteorological studies and monitoring, Hydrography, Hydro-morphology and monitoring, Agro-Meteorology and Forest Surveillance Service departments of  MoE HMC, as well as “Zvartnots Avia-meteorological Center” CJSC, Forest Committee, “ArmForest” SNCO and Armenian National Agrarian University participated in the event.

Agenda of the trainings courses and presented materials can be found here.