ADVANTAGES

WHAT IS INTELLIGENT AGRICULTURE?

Smart farming is a farm management concept that focuses on equipping the agricultural sector with the necessary infrastructure to utilise advanced technology. This includes, but is not limited to, the use of the cloud and the Internet of Things (IoT) to monitor, track, automate, analyse and optimise operations.
In this area, this means the use of drones in agriculture to constantly monitor crops from the air in order to detect problems that would not be evident in human monitoring at ground level. For example, the state of irrigation is much more difficult to determine if a person cannot work the entire area in one day. But, with simple time-lapse drone photography, it is easier to find which sections are being overlooked.

WHAT ARE AGRICULTURAL DRONES

An agricultural drone is a type of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that aids agricultural operations by monitoring crop growth and increasing production. In essence, an agricultural drone is no different from drones used in photography or construction. It is only the application that changes as each UAV will be modified to meet agricultural needs.

AERIAL SURVEY OR MAPPING

More information on surveying with agricultural drones

Drone activity normally begins with the process of mapping and surveying. It is a fairly simple task with a relatively simple objective. The farming drone equipped with flight planning software will allow the user to draw around the field that is to be covered. This software then creates a fully automated flight path and takes photos (depending on the make and model).

The drone uses its on-board sensors and integrated camera and records the images with the corresponding GPS data. This will then create a model of the area that the farmer can use for planning purposes.

AIR IRRORATION or CROPDUSTING

More information on spraying with agricultural drones

Aerial spraying drones are UAVs carrying tanks that spray crops with fertilisers or pesticides. Unlike a traditional tractor, drones can spray crops more precisely. Since they can be programmed to spray an even amount of liquid in all necessary sections, there is no risk of overspraying crops.

AERIAL SEEDING

More information on aerial sowing

Aerial seeding is one of the functions of drones in which they fly over specific terrain equipped with an intelligent dispersal mechanism for specific plant species in designated areas. If the survey is done correctly, the drone will have data on the hardness of the soil and adjust the pressure to shoot the seed pods so that the soil is penetrated effectively. Depending on the make and model of the drone, you can efficiently sow acres of soil in a matter of hours. This minimises the need to hire additional labour. In addition, you can keep your farmers safer by deploying drones in areas that are difficult to access...

AERIAL IRRIGATION

More information on overhead irrigation

One of the greatest advantages of using a drone for irrigation is its ability to monitor water requirements. Using infrared technology, an aerial vehicle such as this will be able to determine water uptake levels. This means that the user will have access to data on which areas receive too little, the right amount or too much water. Built-in sensors will also trigger notifications so that the user will know when the water levels in the drone's tank are low.

More advanced drones will come with sensors on the ground, so soil moisture, temperature, humidity and other vital information will be updated for farmer reference.

PRODUCTIVITY

Perhaps one of the most remarkable advantages of using drones in agriculture is their ability to meet the needs of an ever-growing population. Some agricultural tasks that will require hundreds of workers can be carried out by a single drone in a matter of hours. And because drones are equipped with software designed to ensure operational uniformity, the quality of crop production is guaranteed in every section of farmland. This means the lowest resources with the highest yield for each drone owner.

ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE

Agricultural activities are strongly influenced by climate change. Different extreme conditions are affecting productivity and putting a strain on humans working the land. This has led agricultural producers to look for new ways to increase production and improve efficiency that do not exist in traditional agriculture. With the use of agricultural drones, true sustainability can be achieved.

REDUCED POLLUTION

Agricultural run-off from pesticides and fertilisers is mainly caused by a farmer's inability to calculate chemical uptake. This leads them to overcompensate and use more than the recommended amount for good measure. This practice will be stopped with the use of drones. Drones process data that allow them to administer chemicals precisely. This will eventually reduce the amount used and eliminate the possibility of overspraying.

What does the future hold for agricultural drones?

The size of agricultural drones in the European market is expected to grow from $6.01 billion to $15.04 billion by 2022, based on a report by Frost & Sullivan. In Italy alone, there are more than 1,200 drone operators constantly developing services in the form of technologies to support a wider ecosystem. Currently, Italy is a growing hub for Beyond Visual Line Of Sight (BVLOS) testing.
BVLOS or Beyond Visual Line of Sight tests refer to drone data acquisition performed over large areas, which the drone will be out of the pilot's line of sight most of the time. This is slowly becoming the standard in agriculture because although manned aircraft inspections are still widely used and are relatively efficient, drones can get the job done faster, cheaper and without the need to jeopardise human safety.
Drone technology is constantly evolving to meet agricultural needs. There are now UAVs capable of providing real-time data to operators. This makes the economic benefits of drones more attainable. From lowering production costs to maximising agricultural coverage, there is really no reason why the switch should not be made.
Drones were created to help people overcome obstacles in agriculture. This makes them an integral part of the human population's ability to thrive through sustainable food production. The future is here, and it is in the form of these agricultural drones. Success is within reach for those who are willing to adapt to it.
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