Dane County UW-Extension has collaborated with UW-Madison CALS to offer an awesome program for youth in Grades 5+, their families and adult volunteers – 4-H Drone Demo Day at the Arlington Research Station on Saturday, October 17, 2026! This will be a free, hands-on event exploring how drones, robots, artificial intelligence, and engineering are transforming modern agriculture. Experience live drone demonstrations, see cutting-edge farm technology in action, learn from UW-Madison experts, and enjoy fun activities like pumpkin painting, veggie art, and station exploration.
Registration is limited to 30 youth participants. An adult must accompany youth. Adults do not need to register.
Programming information:
9:30-10:15 am – Farming with AI: Robots, Drones & More! – Drone Demo and Presentation with Zhou Zhang & Zezhong Tian, UW-Madison CALS Department of Biological Systems Engineering
See how drones collect information about crops, plants, and fields—and discover how this technology is changing agriculture. Discover how artificial intelligence is helping farmers solve problems, make decisions, and work smarter. See real-world examples of AI being used with crops, animals, robots, drones, and food—and learn what the future of farming might look like.
10:15-11:00 am – Smart Machines: Engineering the Future of Farming – Technology and Robot Demo with Jeff Nelson, UW-Madison CALS Department of Biological Systems Engineering
Discover how engineers use electronics, sensors, machinery, and technology to make farming more efficient and precise. See how tractors, machines, and precision-agriculture tools work—and explore how engineers are designing the next generation of equipment used on farms.
11:00-11:45- From Sky to Soil! – Drone presentation and Demo with Bryce Himmelbrg, UW Madison CALS Department of Plant & Agroecosystems
See how large spray drones are programmed and flown to help farmers care for their crops. Learn how drones can apply products to fields with precision, reach areas that are difficult to access with traditional equipment, and help farmers manage crops more efficiently.
12:00-12:45 -Stay for crafts, snacks and more!
· Snacks & drinks will be provided!
· Paint a pumpkin!
· Explore the Arlington Research Station!
· Veggie art lab!
Date: Saturday, October 17, 2026
Time: 9:15am Check In, 9:30am-12:00 pm Programming with snacks and optional fun from 12:00-12:45pm
Location: Arlington Research Station, N633 Hopkins Rd, Arlington, WI 53911
Cost: Free!
Parking information: There is free parking onsite
What to bring: water bottle, lunch if you’d like to eat on site *snacks will be provided at Noon
What to wear: Dress for the weather as we will be outside. Wear shoes that can get dirty, a hat, bug spray/sunscreen.
For questions or last minute cancellations, please contact Kara (UW CALS) at kara.henderlight@wisc.edu or 865-310-4240