Drones in Agriculture- Scouting, Mapping, and Plant Health

Drone use is increasing rapidly in almost every sector of the economy, but it is exploding in agriculture. Drones will be used for everything from scouting to security on large and small-scale farms in the coming years. Drone data collected on farms is frequently used to better inform agronomic decisions as part of a system known as 'precision agriculture.'

Drones For Agriculture

In this article, we will look at some of the areas where drone technologies are already being used on farms, as well as some new agricultural drone technologies that are being investigated, as well as some of the steps and challenges to widespread drone use in agriculture.

1. Scouting Plant Health

Monitoring plant health is one of the applications for drone imagery that has already been widely adopted. Drones equipped with Specialized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) imaging equipment use detailed color information to indicate plant health. This enables farmers to monitor crops as they grow, allowing any problems to be addressed quickly enough to save the plants.

Drones equipped with 'standard' cameras are also used to monitor crop health. Many farmers already use satellite imagery to monitor crop growth, density, and coloration, but accessing satellite data is expensive and, in many cases, ineffective.

2. Keeping an Eye on Field Conditions

Drones can provide precise field mapping, including elevation data, allowing growers to detect any irregularities in the field. Knowing the elevation of the field helps determine drainage patterns and wet/dry spots, allowing for more efficient watering techniques.

3. Planting & Seeding

Right now, automated drone seeders are mostly used in the forestry industry, but the potential for wider use is on the horizon. Drone planting allows for the replanting of difficult-to-reach areas without endangering workers.

4. Drone Sprayers

Drone sprayers can reach otherwise inaccessible areas, such as steep tea fields at high elevations. Drone sprayers eliminate the need for workers to navigate fields while carrying backpack sprayers, which can be hazardous to their health. Drone sprayers deliver extremely fine spray applications that can be targeted to specific areas to maximize efficiency and reduce chemical costs.

5. Security

Instead of employing more security personnel, security drones can be used to monitor fencing and perimeters of more valuable crops such as cannabis. Drone cameras are also being used in novel ways to protect farm animals, such as tracking down missing or injured herd animals in remote grazing areas. Monitoring remote areas that used to take hours of walking can now be done in a matter of minutes.

6. Pollination Through Drone

Some of the more recent agricultural drone applications are still in the testing and development stages. Pollinating drone technology is one of the most publicized (and frequently fictionalized) applications. The next step is to develop autonomous pollinating drones that can work and monitor crop health without constant operator supervision.

7. Drone Artificial Intelligence

Improving artificial intelligence (AI) in drones is critical to making them more useful to small farmers in developing countries. Drone monitoring programmes, as they currently stand, have a difficult time distinguishing areas with increased crop diversity, less well-known produce, and grains that look similar throughout their growth stages, making them less effective in monitoring crop growth and health.

8. Drone Irrigation

New Australian research is also opening up new possibilities for the use of drones in agriculture. As climate change has a greater impact on drought conditions, developing more efficient irrigation solutions is critical. Drones can capture very accurate soil health information, including moisture levels, using microwave sensing without the plants getting in the way. This means that water can be distributed most efficiently in a field to conserve resources.