About this module
Level 2 made you a mapper and a careful supervisor. Level 3 makes you the professional farmers, cooperatives and cocoa buyers trust with their maps and data.
Who it is for. People who have finished Precision Agriculture Level 2, or who can show the same skills. In Ghana's framework, National Proficiency II leads to National Certificate I, which covers complex work with minimum supervision. This module sits at about that level.
CTVET status. No CTVET precision agriculture programme was found. This module is not a CTVET curriculum. Becoming a remote pilot needs a GCAA licence and medical; this manual explains the route but does not replace licensed training.
Bridge from Level 2: what you already know
- Drone classes, the 30 m rule, spray permissions, and that hiring an uncertified company is an offence
- Consent and registration under the Data Protection Act; a plain-language consent form
- The farm map register; re-walking boundaries under tree cover
- Sentinel-2 images, NDVI and its limits; free Earth Engine is non-commercial only
- Soil tests, GMet bulletins, rain gauges, weekly field logs
- Zones, variable rates and hand yield maps
- Supervising licensed drone providers; the EU deforestation rule dates
At Level 2 you did not fly drones or hold a licence. Level 3 shows how you, or a company you work for, becomes a certified operator. For general bookkeeping and business skills, see the Hub's Money Skills Level 2 and Entrepreneurial Thinking Level 2.
How the module works
Each unit has learning outcomes, performance criteria, the range and the evidence your assessor needs. You are judged Competent or Not Yet Competent. About 70% of the time is practical, following CTVET's Oil Palm programme split of about 30% school and 70% workplace.
Unit 1 · The route to a certified drone operation and mapping flights
A good map starts with a legal, safe, well-planned flight.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 1.1 Explain certification | lists the steps and documents for a GCAA operator certificate |
| 1.2 Plan a mapping flight | writes a flight plan: height, overlap, image detail, airspace, weather, emergencies |
| 1.3 Process images | makes an orthomosaic with free software and checks it |
Range. One mapping job (flown by a licensed pilot). Evidence. Flight plan; processing report; checked orthomosaic.
The law
- No one may fly a drone commercially without an RPAS Operator Certificate (ROC) from GCAA, and no one may run drone training without a training certificate.
- Commercial pilots need a remote pilot licence: minimum age 18 and a current Class III medical.
- Commercial operators need an approved safety management system, an emergency response plan and an approved Operations Manual, and must report incidents promptly.
- A ROC needs at least third-party insurance and is renewed yearly.
- Limits: 400 ft above ground without approval; no flights within 10 km of airports with instrument procedures or 5 km of others; night flying only with authorisation.
The five steps to a ROC
- Pre-application with a description of your operations.
- Formal application with manuals, staff CVs, insurance and drone list.
- Document review by GCAA.
- Demonstration flight watched by at least two inspectors.
- Certificate and operations specifications.
Only a company registered in Ghana can complete this.
Fees
| Item (small and light drones) | Fee |
|---|---|
| Registration | US$20 |
| ROC, initial or renewal | US$110 |
| Pilot licence | US$30 |
| Pilot written and skill test | US$20 |
| Special authorisation | US$60 |
The schedule dates from 2016, revised 2019: confirm current fees at rpas@caa.com.gh.
Planning a mapping flight
Ground sample distance (detail) = height × camera pixel size ÷ focal length
Lower flights give finer detail but take longer. OpenDroneMap recommends 70–80% overlap for 2D maps, nearer 80% over vegetation such as cocoa. OpenDroneMap is free and makes orthophotos, elevation models and 3D models.
Before every flight. Check airspace and the 400 ft limit, wind, visibility and storms; keep 30 m from people and buildings not under your control; brief the emergency plan; log the flight. Only a licensed pilot flies.
Plan and process
- List the documents your company would need for a ROC.
- Write a flight plan for a 20-hectare cocoa block.
- Process a sample photo set in OpenDroneMap and check for gaps and blur.
GCAA questions
Email GCAA (rpas@caa.com.gh) to ask the current ROC fee and training requirements.
Unit 2 · GIS for farm clients with QGIS
A client remembers a clear map. QGIS lets you make one for free.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 2.1 Load and clean data | loads, cleans and edits polygons, satellite layers and orthomosaics |
| 2.2 Analyse | measures area, makes buffers and overlays layers |
| 2.3 Make a client map | produces a labelled map with title, scale, north arrow, legend, date and source |
Range. One cooperative's farm data. Evidence. Cleaned layers; three client maps as PDFs.
Tools and data
- QGIS is free and open source on Windows, Mac and Linux, with tools to draw polygons, process data and lay out maps for printing.
- Sentinel-2 images are free in Copernicus Browser.
- Sentinel-1 radar sees through cloud, day and night, useful in the cloudy south.
- Digital Earth Africa offers free cropland, water and NDVI layers and free courses.
Useful analyses
- Field area in hectares and acres
- Buffers: spray no-go zones around homes and water
- Overlay of farms with forest or water layers
- NDVI of each farm for scouting
Map pack
- Load and clean the Level 2 farm polygons.
- Fix overlaps and gaps; calculate areas.
- Make three client maps: farm boundary, NDVI and a buffer map.
Free course
Complete one free Digital Earth Africa lesson and note what you learned.
Unit 3 · Cocoa traceability and data protection
Europe now asks where each bag of cocoa was grown. Accurate, lawful farm data protects farmers' incomes.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 3.1 Collect plot data | collects and checks plot locations to the buyer's standard |
| 3.2 Screen for forest loss | screens plots with free data and flags them for ground checks |
| 3.3 Protect data | applies the Data Protection Act: registration, consent, security, retention, sharing |
Range. 20 cocoa plots. Evidence. Checked data file; screening notes; data-sharing agreement.
The EU deforestation rules
- The rules apply from 30 December 2026 for large and medium companies and from 30 June 2027 for micro and small ones.
- Products must not come from land deforested after 31 December 2020, and companies must collect the coordinates of each plot.
Exact format. Details such as when a plot needs a full polygon rather than a point, and the precision required, could not be checked in the regulation text. Use the format your buyer gives you in writing.
Ghana's system
- COCOBOD's Cocoa Management System holds farmer data and farm shapefiles; by July 2023 it had measured over 1.2 million farms, and its traceability system runs "from the port to the plot".
- In May 2026 the EU commended Ghana's cocoa traceability; the Forestry Commission's 2020 forest map is key data.
- A World Bank project is rolling out the system in Essam, Adabokrom and Asamankese.
- The Cocoa Marketing Company says origins without traceability become a risk and calls for debate on data ownership.
Global Forest Watch is now Global Nature Watch. A satellite flag is a reason to visit, never a verdict.
Data protection
The Data Protection Act requires:
- consent before processing;
- security safeguards, binding on anyone who processes data for you;
- reporting breaches to the Commission and the people affected;
- not keeping data longer than needed;
- registration renewed every two years; selling personal data is an offence.
All data controllers and processors must register with the Data Protection Commission. Fees depend on size.
Traceability pack
- Collect or clean 20 plot polygons with consent.
- Check for overlaps, gaps and impossible areas.
- Screen them against forest data and list any to visit.
- Draft a data-sharing agreement with a cooperative.
DPC
Find the steps to register with the Data Protection Commission.
Unit 4 · Advice products, field crews and quality control
Data only pays when it becomes advice a farmer can act on.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 4.1 Make advice products | makes a zone prescription map and a season report |
| 4.2 Schedule irrigation | schedules irrigation from weather data |
| 4.3 Lead a crew | briefs a mapping crew, checks a sample of its work and signs off |
Range. One farm; one crew. Evidence. Prescription map; season report; crew QC log.
Products
- Prescription maps: different rates for each zone, applied by hand or by a licensed spray-drone partner.
- Irrigation: crop water use = crop coefficient × reference evaporation. Combine with GMet forecasts.
- Pesticide application by others must be licensed by the Environmental Protection Authority.
Crew quality control
- Written job brief for each crew member
- Re-walk 5–10% of plots and compare
- Error log with the crew member's ID
- Keep raw and cleaned files separate
- Sign off only when errors are fixed
Field safety. Snakes, heat and cutlasses under cocoa; enter farms only with consent; lone workers check in by phone.
Advice and QC
- Make a prescription map and one-page season report for a farm.
- Write an irrigation schedule for two weeks.
- Lead a crew for a day and run the QC checklist.
Farmer feedback
Ask a farmer whether your report was clear. What would they change?
Unit 5 · Establish your farm-data business
A drone operation must be a registered company. A data business must be registered with the Data Protection Commission.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 5.1 Choose a legal form | chooses a legal form that allows the services planned |
| 5.2 Meet tax and licence duties | lists tax, VAT, GCAA, DPC and Assembly duties |
| 5.3 Employ fairly | applies SSNIT, PAYE and Labour Act basics |
Range. Own business plan. Evidence. Registration checklist with costs; payroll sheet.
Choose a legal form
| Type | ORC fee (2026) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Business name (sole proprietor) | GH¢130; GH¢70 renewal | Fine for mapping on foot and data work |
| Partnership | GH¢270; GH¢100 renewal | 2–20 partners |
| Company limited by shares | GH¢585 + capital duty | Needed to hold a drone operator certificate; 2 directors and a secretary |
| Company limited by guarantee | GH¢490 | For non-profit work |
Companies file annual returns with financial statements.
A good path: start as a business name doing mapping on foot, QGIS and data work, partner with an existing certified drone operator, then form a company and apply for your own ROC.
Tax, licences and insurance
- Your Ghana Card number is your tax number.
- Sole traders may use the Modified Taxation Scheme; companies pay 25%.
- Services you buy from others may have tax withheld at 7.5%.
- VAT is 20% in total from 2026; the goods threshold is GH¢750,000. Mapping and drone work are services, and for services there is no turnover threshold; ask GRA when you must register.
- GCAA ROC and drone registration (Unit 1); DPC registration (Unit 3); Assembly permit.
- Third-party liability insurance for drones, only from insurers licensed by the National Insurance Commission.
Employing staff
- Pay at least GH¢21.77 a day.
- SSNIT: worker 5.5% plus employer 13%, paid by the 14th; register workers on hiring.
- PAYE: the first GH¢588 a month is tax-free; pay by the 15th.
- Written contract for six months or more; 15 working days' paid leave.
Accessibility
Ghana's Disability Act bans job discrimination. QGIS, data cleaning and reporting suit people with limited mobility; give farmers results by voice note in local languages.
Register
- Choose your legal form now and in three years. Explain why.
- Make a checklist of every registration and licence with costs.
- Work out one month's payroll for two field staff.
Partner
Find a certified drone operator who might subcontract ground and data work to you.
Unit 6 · Bookkeeping and accounting for a data service
A service business sells time. Track every job's hours, costs and payment.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 6.1 Keep daily books | keeps cash, MoMo/bank, invoice and job records |
| 6.2 Produce statements | prepares a monthly profit and loss and balance sheet |
| 6.3 Control cash | reconciles MoMo and bank, and forecasts cash |
Range. One month of real or example jobs. Evidence. Books; statements; reconciliation; forecast.
The records
| Record | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Invoice book | Each job billed, paid or owed |
| Job cards | Hours, transport and data costs per job |
| Cash book and MoMo book | Every cedi in and out |
| Asset register | Laptops, GPS units, drones and their depreciation |
| Debtors list | Who owes you and how long |
Keep records for at least 6 years.
Assets = liabilities + owner's equity. Depreciation = (cost − end value) ÷ years of use.
Worked example (all figures are examples)
Abena's mapping service, June
- Abena puts in GH¢10,000.
- Buys a laptop and two GPS units for GH¢7,200 (3 years, no end value).
- Maps 300 cocoa plots for a cooperative at GH¢25 a plot = GH¢7,500; the cooperative pays GH¢4,500 and owes the rest.
- Makes QGIS map packs for two farms: GH¢1,500 cash.
- Pays field staff GH¢2,400, transport GH¢900, data bundles GH¢300.
- Abena takes GH¢1,000 (drawings).
Work out: (1) cash at the end of June; (2) net profit; (3) the balance sheet; (4) profit per plot mapped.
Reconciliation and forecast
Match MoMo and bank books to statements each month. Cooperatives often pay after buying season, so forecast when cash arrives.
Software and the calendar
Use a spreadsheet, or a free plan such as Zoho Books or Wave.
| When | What |
|---|---|
| 14th | SSNIT |
| 15th | PAYE and withholding tax |
| Last working day | VAT (if registered) |
| Within 4 months of year-end | Annual income tax return |
| Yearly | ROC renewal; DPC every two years |
Month-end close
- Keep all books and job cards for one month.
- Reconcile MoMo and bank.
- Prepare a profit and loss and a balance sheet.
- Work out profit per job type.
Price check
Is your price per plot above your cost per plot? By how much?
Unit 7 · Grow and sustain the business
Trust is your product: accurate maps, safe flights and data handled with care.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 7.1 Find finance | identifies finance and support |
| 7.2 Lead quality and ethics | leads staff and keeps quality and data ethics |
| 7.3 Plan and pitch | presents a one-page plan with a 12-month cash forecast |
Range. Own business plan. Evidence. Business plan; cash forecast; pitch.
Finance and support
- The Ghana Enterprises Agency has Business Advisory Centres in Takoradi and nearby districts.
- The 2026 Budget funds enterprise support and a National Coders Programme.
- The Bank of Ghana policy rate was 14%.
Location settings that give good returns
- Western and Western North cocoa districts, where traceability is needed
- Near cooperatives and licensed buying companies
- Away from airport no-fly zones for flying work
- Reliable internet and power for processing
Business ideas and ingenuity
- Cocoa plot mapping and data cleaning for cooperatives and buyers
- Quality audits of other teams' polygons
- Orthomosaic mapping for plantations
- Season reports and irrigation schedules by SMS
- Ground and data partner to certified drone operators
Market yourself
- A sample traceability pack and client map.
- Your DPC registration and, later, your ROC and insurance.
- Talks at cooperative meetings.
Ethics
Never sell farmers' data. Share it only under written agreement and consent. Never label a farmer as deforesting without a ground check.
Capstone
Present to a panel: a one-page business plan and a 12-month cash forecast.
Pitch
- Write a one-page plan.
- Build a 12-month cash forecast.
- Pitch to a panel for ten minutes.
Advisory centre
Book a meeting at a GEA Business Advisory Centre.
Glossary
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| EUDR | EU rules against deforestation in supply chains |
| GSD | Ground sample distance: the size of one image pixel on the ground |
| Orthomosaic | A map stitched from many drone photos |
| QGIS | Free mapping software |
| ROC | RPAS Operator Certificate from GCAA |
| Shapefile | A common file type for map shapes |
Logbook
- Unit 1: ROC document list; flight plan; processing report
- Unit 2: cleaned layers; client maps
- Unit 3: traceability pack; data-sharing agreement
- Unit 4: prescription map; season report; QC log
- Unit 5: registration checklist; payroll
- Unit 6: books; statements; reconciliation
- Unit 7: business plan; pitch
- Every homework, dated
Self-check quiz
- Who may hold a GCAA operator certificate?
- What does a remote pilot need?
- Name the five steps to a ROC.
- Write the GSD formula.
- What overlap suits mapping cocoa?
- Why use Sentinel-1 in the rainy season?
- After what date must cocoa land not have been deforested?
- What do you do when a satellite flags a plot?
- Name four duties under the Data Protection Act.
- Why form a company for a drone business?
- Write the accounting equation.
- How do you find profit per plot?
Further reading and sources
Best next reads: your Level 2 manual; GCAA Part 28; QGIS and OpenDroneMap documentation; the Hub's Money Skills Level 2 and Entrepreneurial Thinking Level 2.
What this module does not cover: remote pilot flight training, spray-drone operation and advanced remote sensing science.
Every source used in this manual is listed, with links, in the Teacher Copy.