Skip to main content

Dual-Purpose-Use (Security and Agriculture) Drone Training Centre

Ongoing
Dual-Purpose-Use (Security and Agriculture) Drone Training Centre

Summary

The Drone Training Center for Precision Agriculture is an ongoing project aimed at promoting the use of modern technologies in Armenia’s agricultural sector by establishing a specialized training center at the Smart Agriculture Center of the Armenian National Agrarian University (ANAU) in Syunik Province. The initiative is implemented by “My Step” Foundation and co-implemented by ANAU, with financial support from the Izmirlian Foundation. The project responds to persistent challenges in Armenian agriculture related to productivity, efficiency and sustainability, including the limited use of precision farming technologies and insufficient technical knowledge among farmers.

Why this matters

Agriculture remains a vital sector in Armenia, but many farmers still have limited access to modern technologies that can improve efficiency, productivity, and sustainability. Drone technology can help farmers make better decisions, optimize the use of resources, and strengthen resilience, yet awareness and technical skills remain limited in many communities. By creating a dedicated training center in Syunik, this project aims to close that gap while also strengthening local technical education and expanding opportunities for young people.

What the project will do

The project will establish the infrastructure for a specialized drone training center and support the development of training programmes focused on both agriculture and security applications. It will provide hands-on training for high school students and farmers, build awareness of the benefits of drone use, and support coordination among the university, agricultural businesses, and the Ministry of Defence. Through this dual-use approach, the project aims to expand practical learning, encourage the adoption of precision agriculture, and create new pathways for service and employment.

Objectives

  • Establish a drone training centre operational after project completion.
  • Enhance the technical capacity of students and farmers in drone operation.
  • Strengthen collaboration between the education, agriculture, and security sectors.

Outcomes

  • Drone training centre established.
  • Students and farmers trained in drone operation.
  • Enhanced collaboration between education, agriculture and security sectors

Related projects

Armenian as a Viable Language in the Technological World
Innovative ArmeniaOngoing

Armenian as a Viable and Vibrant Language in the High-Tech World

Through the project “Armenian as a Viable Language in the Technological World,” launched in September 2025 in partnership with the Ministry, the Foundation advances the inclusion of Armenian in digital and technological environments. In the medium term, the project enhances the automated processing of Armenian-language content. In the long term, it promotes the language’s digital viability and competitiveness, while fostering an institutional ecosystem for language technologies. The initiative contributes to Armenia’s broader digital transformation strategy, including the development of national standards and tools for language processing, the creation of a specialized electronic dictionary and thesaurus, and the advancement of human capital in digital humanities.

Pathway Forward: Protecting Children from Online Risks and Harms
Flagship
Innovative ArmeniaOngoing

Pathway Forward: Building a Safer Digital Environment for Children

As children and adolescents spend an increasing part of their lives online, child protection systems must evolve to address risks that extend beyond the physical world. Pathway Forward: Protecting Children from Online Risks and Harms was developed to help Armenia respond to this emerging challenge through a comprehensive and coordinated approach. Co-funded by the Izmirlian Charitable Foundation and UNICEF and implemented by UNICEF Armenia in cooperation with the Government of Armenia and other stakeholders, the initiative works across policy, education, awareness and response systems to create a safer digital environment for children and young people. The project supports the strengthening of Armenia’s legal and policy framework for child online safety, while also helping children, parents, caregivers and educators better understand digital risks and adopt safer online practices. It promotes responsible use of digital platforms in schools and communities and strengthens access to trusted hotline and helpline services where children and families can seek guidance, report concerns and receive support. Complementing these efforts, the Izmirlian Foundation has financed the Armenian translation of Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation, making an important international contribution to the debate on childhood, smartphones and social media accessible to Armenian parents, educators, policymakers and the wider public. The initiative is intended to encourage informed discussion on the impact of the digital environment on children and to strengthen awareness of the shared responsibility of families, schools, government and society in promoting healthier digital habits.

Expanding Access to AI Education
Innovative ArmeniaOngoing

Expanding Access to AI Education

The Expanding Access to AI Education project aims to provide selected high-school students from priority and vulnerable groups with access to high-quality education in advanced mathematics, Python programming and artificial intelligence. Implemented within FAST’s Generation AI High School Project, the initiative combines classroom instruction with project-based learning, hands-on AI applications, career guidance and exposure to the technology sector.