In this week’s episode of Your Drone Questions Answered, brought to you by Drone Launch Academy, host Chris Breedlove sits down with Kayla McCoy of Wilkes County Soil & Water Conservation District in North Carolina to explore unexpected and innovative ways thermal drones are transforming conservation work.

From monitoring rotational grazing systems and improving soil health policies to detecting hotspots in poultry composters and even locating hidden streams through dense foliage, Kayla shares real-world examples of how drones are revolutionizing agriculture and environmental management.

You’ll learn:
🚜 How thermal imaging supports sustainable farming and water quality initiatives
🌾 The data-driven discoveries that helped change state policy
🐔 How drones improve biosecurity and efficiency in poultry operations
💧 Why thermal sensors outperform standard cameras for detecting water flow

If you’re curious about new frontiers in drone mapping and thermal imaging, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss!

https://www.wilkesswcd.org/

Welcome to Your Drone Questions. Answered from Drone Launch Academy. Host Chris Breedlove sits down with Tom Searing (Seiler GeoDrones) to tackle a hot late-2025 question: Can U.S. operators finally run a truly American-made, NDAA-friendly, end-to-end LiDAR stack—from airframe to sensor to workflow?

What you’ll learn:

• What “end-to-end” LiDAR actually looks like for U.S. teams (airframe → payload → planning → processing → export)
• A quick tour of Flux payload options (H1 / O1 / L1) and when each makes sense
• How the Flow app simplifies setup, status checks, processing, and exporting in the field
• Mission-planning notes (calibrations, overlaps, orthogonal passes) and why dual-antenna GNSS matters
• Cost model highlights: Flow is included with the sensor (no annual software fee), plus an optional Verizon Hyper Precise RTK subscription if you want always-on RTK; PPK remains viable
• Field-friendly data handling: scan, verify a quick point-cloud render on the tablet, export LAZ/LAS, and go
• Availability & demand outlook as we head toward early 2026 ramp-up

Connect with Tom and check out Freefly Flux:
https://freeflysystems.com/flux

https://freefly.gitbook.io/astro-public/other-user-manuals/freefly-payloads/flux-lidar-payload

tsearing@seilerinst.com

https://www.seilergeodrones.com/

Have a question for a future episode?
Send it in and we’ll tackle it on the show: chris@dronelaunchacademy.com
or visit ydqa.io.

In this episode of Your Drone Questions Answered, Drone Launch Academy founder David Young steps in to explore how drones are reshaping high school education across the U.S.

David breaks down what Career and Technical Education (CTE) means, how industry-recognized credentials work, and why more states are adding the Part 107 drone license to their official CTE credential lists. You’ll learn:

• Which states are already funding drone programs for students
• How schools are building full drone technology pathways (like North Carolina and Florida)
• What kind of real jobs high school grads can get with a Part 107 license
• And how drone classes are helping students stay engaged and even graduate

Whether you’re an educator, parent, or drone enthusiast, this episode will open your eyes to how drones are preparing the next generation for tech-driven careers.

Check out our Drone Launch Learning website to see how you can incorporate drones in your high school: https://dronelaunchlearning.com/