Have you ever wondered how drones are used to make those incredibly sharp maps so detailed that you can see individual leaves? Or how researchers are using drones to make discoveries in fields as diverse as agriculture and marine ecology? If so, then DroneCamp might be the right place for you. This annual, week-long intensive short course in using drones for research and mapping is returning to Monterey on Aug. 3-6, 2026.
It's hard to believe this is already DroneCamp's 10th anniversary. Launched in 2017 by UC ANR's Informatics and GIS Statewide Program (IGIS), DroneCamp has grown into a mature, nationally known, intercampus collaboration involving multiple UC and CSU campuses, and beyond. In the past 10 years, we have trained more than 1,200 people, kept up with never-ending innovations in hardware and software, and learned about applications of drones we never could have imagined.
DroneCamp thru the years
Davis
UC San Diego
CSU Monterey Bay + Fort Ord Natural Reserve
Online
Online + Fort Ord Natural Reserve
CSU Monterey Bay
CSU Monterey Bay
CSU Monterey Bay
CSU Monterey Bay
New for 2026
From the very beginning, DroneCamp has always focused on comprehensive instruction on everything you need to know to get started with drones, including:
- equipment
- safety
- regulations
- manual flight practice
- autonomous flight planning
- photogrammetry & GIS
- applications in research, mapping, and education
- career pathways
- industry demos
The agenda has evolved to keep up with changes in technology, software and research applications. In 2026, in particular, we have updated the training to address widespread changes in the 2026 drone industry landscape, including new regulations at the federal level and constraints in the supply chain that have dramatically reduced the equipment options for many organizations, with more restrictions scheduled to come into effect.
To help organizations adapt to these changes, as well as take advantage of an expanding range of drone applications, DroneCamp 2026 will include new sessions on:
- demos of American-made drones that meet the new federal restrictions
- open source flight planning software
- assembling kit drones
- additional flight training sessions
- specialized topics including high precision mapping, working with thermal data, FPV flying, and using drones on boats
- invited research talks
It Takes a Village
As cool as drones are, the key to DroneCamp's longevity and success has always been the people, not the hardware. As the program has grown to meet the demands for comprehensive drone training, the core instructional team has also grown to include instructors from CSU Monterey Bay, UC ANR, UC Santa Cruz, UC Merced, UCLA, West Valley College and beyond. In 2019, the collaboration found a home at CSU Monterey Bay, which has near-perfect facilities for such a logistically complex program and has been a phenomenal host ever since. In 2021, the all-volunteer Planning Committee received some support through a Research Innovation Grant from UCOP.
This year's program includes a whopping 22 instructors and presenters with a broad range of experience and expertise. DroneCamp alumni have also grown over the years, including many who have gone on to use drones for their work and careers - including several current DroneCamp instructors!
Our philosophy has always been to build a big tent. If like us, you are fascinated by this amazing technology, perhaps the next member of the community should be YOU! A limited number of scholarships are available to UC ANR employees from IGIS, but apply soon.