By Blake Jackson
Lincoln University of Missouri’s College of Agriculture, Environmental and Human Sciences has recently added a new drone to its research toolkit, significantly expanding its ability to conduct advanced agricultural and environmental studies.
The university acquired a Harris Aerial HX8, a heavy-lift multirotor drone, through funding provided by a USDA-NIFA Evans-Allen research grant. The investment is intended to strengthen Lincoln University’s research capacity in areas such as crop production, natural resource management and environmental monitoring.
According to Xukai Zhang, assistant professor of geospatial science, the drone’s sophisticated imaging and sensing technology allows researchers to more accurately detect crop diseases, evaluate pest management practices in vegetable systems, improve water and nutrient efficiency, and assess forage quality and grazing potential.
Zhang noted that the HX8 also plays an important role in education by serving as a hands-on training platform for undergraduate and graduate students. Through its use, students gain practical experience in unmanned aerial vehicle operations, remote-sensing data collection and geospatial data analysis.
Lincoln University researchers have previously used drones in a range of applications, including agricultural monitoring, forest structure analysis and vegetation classification. UAVs have also supported research projects involving quinoa, pasture systems and broader environmental and natural resource studies.
“These prior projects established a strong foundation in remote-sensing operations, flight planning and data processing, positioning the university to adopt more advanced systems like the HX8 for multi-sensor data integration and AI-driven analysis,” Zhang said.
The HX8 features eight rotors, real-time GPS navigation and a modular payload system that allows sensors to be easily exchanged. It is equipped with both hyperspectral and LiDAR sensors, enabling simultaneous data collection.
“The most exciting aspect of the HX8 is its ability to collect hyperspectral and LiDAR data at the same time, offering new opportunities to study plant physiology with exceptional detail,” Zhang said. “This will enable AI-driven assessments of crop stress, forest health and ecosystem dynamics, strengthening Lincoln University’s applied geospatial science endeavors.”
Photo Credit: gettyimages-seregalsv
Categories: Missouri, Education