What are the six main uses of agricultural drones？

Unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones as we commonly know them, have been used in the commercial sector since the 1980s. Nowadays, the practical application of drones is expanding rapidly to various industries. According to a recent PwC assessment, drones are now making a significant contribution in a number of sectors, creating a whopping $127 billion in industry value from the solutions provided by drone technology. The contribution of drones to agricultural production is becoming increasingly prominent. The next six uses for agricultural drones are shared with you!

According to some data, the total population of the earth will surge to 9 billion in 2050, and the demand for agricultural products will increase by 70% in parallel. With environmental issues growing by the day, agricultural production is facing more and more challenges. The powerful data collection and analysis functions of agricultural drones provide a strong technical guarantee for more scientific crop cultivation and protection work. At present, the application of drones in agricultural production has begun to bear fruit, which is mainly reflected in the following six aspects.

• the plot and soil analysis

Equipped with high-definition cameras and advanced sensors, agricultural drones can draw accurate three-dimensional maps of plots and soil analysis, and make detailed planning for sowing, which plays a vital role in the beginning of agricultural production. At the same time, this category of agricultural drones can also closely monitor the condition of the plot, providing powerful data support for later irrigation and soil nitrogen content management.

• aerial seeding

Scientists have racked their brains to develop a perfect system for sowing seeds by drones. This system simultaneously injects seeds into the soil along with all the nutrients they need to grow. This technology increases the uptake of nutrients by seeds by 75 percent and reduces the cost of sowing by 85 percent. Not only does it ensure seed viability, but it also reduces the consumption of other resources, which is a double benefit.

• spraying operation

Agricultural drones equipped with ultrasound, radar and advanced spraying systems are widely used in plant protection operations, and are also commonly known as plant protection drones. This type of drones can constantly adjust the flight height according to the geographical terrain and autonomous identification, avoiding obstacles, relying on advanced spraying system to implement accurate and uniform spraying operations on crops. This technology greatly reduces the amount of pesticides used, and well reduces the pollution of water bodies and the environment from plant protection operations. According to expert estimates, plant protection drones are up to five times more efficient than traditional machinery, which will greatly reduce the consumption of human and material resources.

• crop monitoring

Large plots of land, crop monitoring inefficiency is another major pain point of agricultural production. As global temperature rises and climate change becomes increasingly unpredictable, the management and maintenance of plot conditions become more and more difficult. In the past, farmers mainly relied on satellite images to assist in crop monitoring, but they were too expensive and needed to be purchased in advance, while the daily average service efficiency of one sheet was difficult to provide real-time and accurate crop monitoring information. Agricultural drones equipped with real-time imaging systems came into being, giving farmers more accurate monitoring of crop growth and take timely and effective means of prevention and control to provide a reliable and effective guarantee.

• agricultural irrigation

Agricultural drones equipped with hyperspectral, multispectral and thermal sensors can accurately analyze and identify the dry areas of the plot, providing powerful data support for accurate irrigation operations. In addition, in the process of crop growth, this type of drone can also calculate the vegetation index, and analyze the crop density as well as the health condition through the heat emitted by the crop itself.

• crop health assessment

Crop health assessment and timely detection of pests and diseases is one of the necessary guarantees for quality agricultural production. By carrying visual infrared and near-infrared emitting equipment, agricultural drones can accurately analyze the amount of green and near-infrared light reflected by crops and draw multispectral images to track the changes and health of crops. Farmers can make quick and effective control measures based on the corresponding data to protect crops from pests and diseases, thus significantly improving the efficiency of agricultural production.

Do you know the six major uses of agricultural drones? At present, with the rapid growth of the global population and the increasing demand for agricultural products, highly intelligent agricultural drones will play an increasingly important and indispensable role in future agricultural production.