Automatic drone flight at the Francisco Josephinum

Automatic drone flight at Francisco Josephinum

A glimpse into the future of agriculture

Brief description: At Francisco Josephinum in Wieselburg, drones now take off automatically from a ‘drone hub’. What makes this special is that they fly without direct visual contact – and are thus an example of how digitalisation can change agriculture and everyday life.

A hub for automatic drone flights

Imagine a drone taking off independently, flying its route and landing again – without anyone having to keep a constant eye on it. This is now possible at Josephinum Research. A drone hub has been installed there that allows so-called BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) flights.

This makes Josephinum the first agricultural institution in Austria to be allowed to carry out such flights from a fixed location.

What are the benefits of the ‘Digital Sky’ project?

‘Digital Sky Austria’ is a project of the Federal Ministry of Finance. The aim is to make drones available to everyone – municipalities, businesses and private individuals.

Flights can be booked easily via an online platform. Whether for surveying fields, inspecting buildings or mapping large areas, drones are becoming a tool that helps many people.

Share and save costs

Because the drones are shared via a platform, costs are significantly reduced. This makes the technology affordable and opens up new opportunities for everyone.

In addition, users can decide whether to make the data collected by the drones publicly available. This strengthens Austria's innovative power – and keeps companies competitive.

Conclusion: The Josephinum shows how digitalisation is directly impacting everyday life. Drones are no longer a gimmick, but a tool that provides sustainable support to agriculture, communities and businesses.