İskele: Youth Develop Autonomous Drone to Combat Agricultural Pests

Initial tests of an autonomous drone for pest control have been completed in İskele: the equipment passed the tests, and the first flights were without issues. The project was carried out under the auspices of the İskele Merchants and Craftsmen Association (İEZB) and the İEZB Vocational Education Center (İEZB‑MEM) with technical support from the operator Telsim; the project leader is Serkan Kırmazy, and the instructor is Emre Rıfat Yıldız. (Original publication date — September 1, 2025.)

According to the organizers, the next stage is to develop software based on artificial intelligence for automatic pest recognition and decision-making regarding localized, eco-friendly control measures. Telsim provides data transmission and real-time communication, which enhances the reliability of drone management in field conditions.

Project participants gain practical skills in mechatronics, computer vision, and software development, which expands local capacity for workforce training. For farmers in Northern Cyprus, this could mean reduced use of chemical pesticides and more precise crop treatment if field trials are successful. All stages of testing are planned to be documented and proposed as a reference model for other educational institutions and local agricultural organizations.