From June 22 to 26, 2026, practical training sessions focused on open-source Geographic Information Systems (QGIS) and the application of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) in geological practice took place in Sarajevo. The event was held as part of the project “Innovation of Geological Information Systems in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” funded by the Czech Development Agency (CzDA).
The first part of the program, held from June 22 to 24, was dedicated to the QGIS course. Under the guidance of experts from the Czech Geological Survey (Lucie Koucká, Martin Kýhos, and Barbora Kořínková), participants learned about vector and raster analyses, working with Digital Elevation Models (DEMs), georeferencing, and creating final map layouts. The training was attended by a total of 14 professionals: six representatives from the Geological Survey of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FZZG), five from the Geological Survey of the Republic of Srpska (RZZGI), two representatives from the University of Tuzla (UNTZ), and one from the University of Banja Luka (UNBL). The sessions were conducted in English with the assistance of a local language interpreter.
The software training was followed by a workshop focused on mapping using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), led by Lucie Koucká and Martin Kýhos from June 24 to 26. This specialized course was attended by four selected experts (two from FZZG and two from RZZGI). Initial theoretical preparation and flight planning were followed by field photogrammetric data collection using Ground Control Points (GCPs). The flights took place at the Stočna Pijaca training site in Sarajevo and at the Bogatići dam landslide site. The acquired data were subsequently processed into 3D models and high-precision orthophotos using Agisoft Metashape and the open-source solution WebODM.
I would like to thankMartin Kýhos and Barbora Kořínková for their proactive approach and excellent cooperation. Special thanks go to the Geological Survey of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FZZG) for providing the training facilities, and especially to Maida Zejnić and Medina Halilović Nezirović for their help with the local organization of the event.
