Drones are one of the biggest inventions in the entire human history. Their use in every industry is opening new doors for a better future. Drones have brought a revolution to the agriculture industry. As per some reports, the agriculture drone industry is going to be at 4.8 billion USD in 2024 from 1.2 billion USD in 2019.
Drones are primarily used to gather information about the fields to help the farmers make better decisions regarding plantation, harvesting, treatments, and more. Drones contribute greatly to taking the agriculture industry to new levels. Here is the list of areas where drone technology is making a difference:
1. Scouting and monitoring the crops
Drones equipped with cameras can scout multiple fields and collect data on crops as they grow. They are also used to monitor the health of the plants. When the collected data is observed by the farmers, they can easily detect any problem with the crops and remove the issue early in the beginning.
2. Monitoring condition of fields
Not just plants, the drones can also be used to observe the condition of the field itself. With 100% accurate mapping by drones, you can easily detect the smallest of irregularities in the field and take immediate action. They can be used to get all the information like nitrogen level in the soil, drainage patterns, wet or dry spots in the field, and more.
3. Planting and seeding
Drones have multiple uses and the most revolutionary use of them is planting seeds. Drones are now automated with seeds that they shoot on the ground in a calculated manner. These seeding drones are mostly used in foresting industry now. But they showcase immense possibilities for the future of the agriculture industry. Only one or two operators are needed for 10 drones that can easily plant 400,000 trees per day.
4. Treating plants
Drones have been in use for applying spray treatments on plants for years mainly in south-east Asia. South Korea uses drones for nearly 30% of its agricultural spray treatments. You can not only spray larger grounds with drones but save your workers from health hazards that come from manual spraying of the chemicals.
5. Offers more security
Drones are now being used to make agricultural lands more secure these days. They are deployed to watch over the fencing and perimeters that protect expensive crops. Drone cameras are also used to protect or locate missing farm animals. They are more efficient and effective than human security personnel.
6. Pollination
Drones have so many possibilities and with the latest technological inventions, researchers are finding new uses for them. The most talked-about drone technology today is pollination drones. Researchers in Japan and Netherlands are creating small drones that can be used to pollinate plants without causing any harm.
7. AI drone
Machine learning is also being integrated with drone technology. Merging artificial intelligence with drones can make them more accurate and effective when it comes to fields with dense plantations, similar-looking crops, and increased crop diversity. A drone with an AI system can easily be trained to monitor crop growth and health in the harshest of times as well.
8. Drone irrigation
Researchers in Australia have come up with effective irrigation solutions for agriculture with drones. They can detect the exact moisture level in the soil using microwave sensing without damaging the plants. That way, farmers can give the plants the right amount of water using drones.
Drones continue to transform the global agriculture industry in various ways. Right now only a small number of farmers use drones for agriculture but there is still a long way to go before using drones becomes common practice among farmers of all scales around the world.
