Ready for launch: SkyKelpie’s Luke Chaplain ready to muster at evoke^AG. 2025

Luke Chaplain is a fourth-generation north Queensland grazier on a mission to empower livestock producers to modernise mustering. And save time, money, and lives in the process. 

We caught up with Luke in mid-2024 following his world-first live remote drone muster – and now he’s set to do it again at evoke^AG. 2025.

evoke^AG. delegates will get a birds’ eye view of a remote muster from the comfort of their chair on day two of the evoke^AG. 2025 program in ‘Meet SkyKelpie: Mustering reimagined.’ 

Humans of Agriculture host Oli Le Lievre will join Luke in a conversation about how his pioneering innovation is transforming a crucial part of livestock management to enhance efficiency and safety in the paddock. 

Luke founded SkyKelpie in 2022 with support from Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) and evoke^AG. 2025 partner, Department of Primary Industries (Queensland), formerly known as the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (QDAF). 

Luke is now recognised as one of the leading experts in drone mustering and aerial stockmanship. 

1. What’s got you excited for evoke^AG. 2025?

Broadly, I’m excited to showcase the innovation Queensland has fostered. This is my third year in a row working with the evoke^AG. team and it gets bigger and better every year.  

Other than generally being excited the event is coming to Queensland, I’m looking forward to attending, ‘The great fallacy: The future is female,’ on day 2 of the program.  

Personally, SkyKelpie has a lineup of exciting launches planned for evoke^AG. 2025:  

• SkyKelpie Aerial Stockmanship Masterclass 

The first online course of its kind, designed to empower livestock handlers with essential skills for drone mustering and stockmanship. It covers a range of topics such as technology, flying techniques, stockmanship fundamentals, herd psychology, regulations, and more. 

• SkyKelpie Simulator 

A cutting-edge virtual training environment where participants can master drone mustering and aerial stockmanship skills in an immersive setting. 

• SkyKelpie Scholarship 

The inaugural SkyKelpie Scholarship, valued at $5,000, offers the recipient a drone or Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) accredited license, access to the SkyKelpie Aerial Stockmanship Masterclass, the SkyKelpie Simulator, and 12 months of mentorship with the SkyKelpie team, AND a ticket to evoke^AG. 2025! Applications close on 9 January 2025 at 5pm. For more information and how to apply, head here.  

Each year this scholarship will be awarded in partnership with a different organisation, and SkyKelpie is thrilled to partner with Ability Agriculture for this first year. 

2. What do you hope delegates will take away from your session?

Often when I showcase cutting edge technology, delegates will think of other applications and use cases I hadn’t thought of – and it doesn’t get better than that.  

3. What should be the key objectives to bolster agrifood tech innovation in the next 12 months?

Adoption. The more we consult and engage with primary producers who have the best understanding of where the problems lie, the better our solutions will be. 

Luke will continue the conversation, and the mustering action, at evoke^AG. 2025 in ‘Meet SkyKelpie: Mustering reimagined.’ Find the full program here.