The Use of Drones in Agriculture
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Agricultural drones add value by providing access to aerial data that is fast, flexible, and of very high quality. While this is true for all verticals, in agriculture it brings an additional safety feature: there is no one around to get hurt if the drone crashes (unlike, say, construction, where people are likely to be working below).
In addition, perhaps more than any other vertical, operations in agriculture are spread over hundreds or even thousands of square kilometers. Often times there is also very hot, humid, or mountainous terrain involved. This is where agricultural drones bring a uniquely unmatched level of speed, safety and operational efficiency.
In farms, drones help farmers collect data and dispense resources (e.g. seeds, pesticides). This helps save resources (time and money), increase safety, and improve quality. Agricultural drones also enable new and incomparably efficient ways to perform tasks such as spraying fields or locating animals. These are things that humans have done laboriously by hand for thousands of years (in the case of field spraying, before modern agriculture).
And the technology they bring has the power to bring new data and insights to improve outcomes in even more. Among the new and unique outputs that agricultural drones provide for the industry are aerial imagery or 2D maps, NDVI maps/mosaics, or IR maps. In some cases, 3D surveys produced by drones also help to better understand terrain structures, slopes, and anything else that might cause an uneven area. In addition to static images, live video feeds also help farmers monitor and manage land, inventory, labor, and livestock.
To better understand all of these activities, here is a recap of our series about how drones are used in various sub-industries of agriculture:
Check out our infographic for a recap of all these uses, a market forecast, and the top manufacturers of agricultural drones!
#agriculture #innovation #droneapplications #dronetechnology
Founder at TYCOONSTORY
2moZhongshan Samli Drones Co., Ltd. 🚁🌾 The growth of agricultural drones is truly fascinating, and this graphic highlights just how diverse the applications are across different sub-industries—from animal production to forestry! The potential for drones to revolutionize farming and agriculture is massive, especially as we look towards 2030 and beyond. It's exciting to see hardware manufacturers stepping up to meet the increasing demand for precision farming tools. Drones not only improve productivity but also contribute to more sustainable agricultural practices. Looking forward to seeing how this technology continues to evolve and shape the future of farming! #samlidrones
Leader in growth and change, inspiring and guiding clarity, connection, action, and kindness for individuals and organizations.
3moThis provides a lot to think about in regards to current and future agricultural behaviors.
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3moWorking with end users and companies, I had the chance to get much appreciation feedback on drone potentialities. In Europe, there are strict limitations on the use of drones in the agricultural sector, but in other non-European countries are widely used. One point with which I do not completely agree with the article is about security and the use of drones. Drones not operated correctly and according to user manual instructions, pose a threat to human security. The national government regularly releases informative videos and regulations about drones and work safety. Secondly, the articles consider the security aspect only related to the human species. However, security involves also animals and vegetation of the land in which a drone is operating.
Retired at EASA and DGAC. Safety, regulations and drones. Posts are mine. 🇫🇷🇪🇺✈️
3moThank you for sharing this good article. Agriculture is less visible than deliveries by drones but it is an important use for drones. Agriculture feeds us and drones contribute to a better agriculture. Agriculture is becoming more and more digital and drones fit well in that context. I think that drone swarms could also be used