MSU Drone Services
There are existing drone services available at MSU for those who do not wish to invest in the necessary equipment, training and staff. There are also several faculty at MSU using drones in their research that may wish to collaborate.
Remote Sensing & GIS Research and Outreach Services (RS&GIS)
The RS&GIS drone team has been deploying drones and collecting and processing data since 2012. RS&GIS has several certificated remote pilots with hundreds of hours of combined flight time on a variety of platforms. All drone pilots at RS&GIS are also Geographic Information System (GIS) analysts. In addition to drone data collection and processing services, they also offer drone training courses.
| Title | Published Date |
|---|---|
| Updated DoD/DoW §1260H List | July 04, 2026 |
| Federal Restrictions on Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) | March 20, 2025 |
GIS Day 2026, November 18, 2:30-4:00 p.m.
MSU Main Library, Green Room (4-West)
Wednesday, November 18
2:30–4:30 p.m.
Robert Goodwin of RS&GIS (MSU Dept. of Geography, Environment, and Spatial Sciences) will lead a panel discussion on GIS data. Panelists will share their challenges and triumphs regarding geospatial data for a project or projects. This will include data collaboration, privacy, availability or anything around the subject of spatial data. After the panel, we will have a general Q&A.
Following the panel, RS&GIS will present their new Drone Loan Program being launched with funding from the MSU Office of Research and Innovation.
Drone Operators
To navigate the field of unmanned aerial operations successfully, a deliberate sequence of actions is essential, beginning with certification and extending through strategic compliance and planning.
- Obtain your Remote Pilot Certificate
- Purchase a Drone
- Satisfy FAA Remote ID Requirements
- Submit an Operations Plan
General Questions
For general questions please email ORI.Drones@msu.edu or use the contact form below.