KT said Tuesday it will open the KT Giga Island Drone Education Center to help regional residents learn how to use drones on the island of Imjado in South Jeolla Province.

The program includes learning the basic principles of drones and piloting them. It will also lend agricultural drones to people who finish the course.

Farmers, who account for about 80 percent of the local population, have been finding it difficult to apply pesticides due to a labor shortage in the area.

The price of a drone is reportedly about 10 to 25 percent of an unmanned helicopter, and its annual operation expenditure is around 10 percent.

The education center also plans to offer classes for nonfarmers and students.

KT corporate sustainability manager Lee Sun-joo commented, “We are happy to provide the critical information technology for local residents. (The education center employees) will do their best to support the farmers in utilizing drones for farming.”

By Ahn Sang-yool (koolsangon@heraldcorp.com)