The benefits of drones in agriculture are many and are one of the technologies driving precision agriculture. Precision agriculture is the science of using technology to improve efficiency, productivity, yields and profitability. According to analysts drones in agriculture Equivalent to $5 billion by the end of 2025.
Drones are powerful tools for farmers and agronomists to assess crop health. Drones can be used to get an overview of the field and collect data much faster and more efficiently than traditional methods. Drones allow farmers to see how healthy their plants are, where they need water and nutrients, and pest activity before it spirals out of control.
Drones help farmers save money by allowing them to quickly identify problems that might otherwise have been missed. The wrong approach can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars worth of lost crops because the problem wasn’t caught early in the field.
Use of drones in agriculture
The use of drones in agriculture forms part of an emerging trend of using advanced technology in agricultural operations to help farmers optimize workflows and use resources more efficiently.
Drones have a wide range of applications in agriculture, but their main use is to obtain highly detailed data using various sensors. This data can be transformed into various types of maps and 3D models of regions. These maps can be used to analyze crop health, detect plant disease and stress, and identify irrigation problems.
Another emerging use for drones is spraying chemicals, spreading mulch, and planting seeds to fight disease and pests.
5 benefits of using drones in agriculture
1) Fast data collection for accurate farm analysis
in a way called drone photogrammetry, drones help farmers and agronomists create highly accurate maps and 3D models of areas.When drone mapping software like that Pix4D field Also drone deployment, the images captured by drones can be stitched together to obtain a topographic map of farmland. Drones can be fitted with different types of cameras, such as RGB, multispectral, and thermal cameras, giving farmers access to data in a variety of formats.
The data in these maps help farmers make the necessary adjustments to keep their land healthy and productive. Drones are easy to deploy, allowing farmers to capture field data at any time. This allows you to identify problems as soon as they arise and put together a plan of action to mitigate the negative impact these problems can have.
2) Save time and money
One of the main benefits of using smart technology in agriculture is the reduction in time it takes to complete many tasks. Drones are much more time efficient than manned aircraft for things like mapping, surveillance and crop spraying. Drones are also used to plant seeds and spray crops with water, fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides. Many of these operations can be performed in intelligent flight modes, so they are semi-automated, saving time in the field and saving farmers money on labor equipment.
3) Improvement of yield
Drones allow farmers to obtain crop data quickly and frequently. This keeps you informed of irrigation issues, plant diseases, soil conditions, and more. All of these must provide optimal conditions for crop growth so that farmers can meet their yield expectations. Through precision agriculture, farmers and agronomists can improve overall yields with data-driven volatility prescriptions. Using remote sensing technology, farmers can easily identify areas of their fields that are not producing healthy crops, figure out what the problem is, and target only those areas for necessary treatments. This can improve the overall quality of your crops, increase yields and save money in the long run.
4) A safer method of spraying crops
Pests and plant diseases are always a problem for farmers, and manual spraying of chemicals is always a health hazard and is very time and labor intensive. Using drones to treat infected plants is much safer and more efficient than using manual labor or land-based machinery. Smart drones are also equipped with autonomous flight modes that allow farmers to plan flight paths only around areas that need treatment, keeping healthy parts of the field free of unwanted chemicals. increase. Not only is this a safer way to treat crops, it also saves farmers money by not wasting treatment on plants they don’t need.
5) Supporting the fight against climate change
By reducing chemical use through data-driven targeted treatments and reducing the need for fossil fuels as drones are powered by intelligent batteries, drones will reduce pollution, help the environment and fight climate change. can help.
Types of drones used in agriculture
There are two types of agricultural drones: fixed-wing and multicopter. Fixed-wing drones are more robust, can withstand harsh weather conditions, and typically have longer flight times than multicopter drones. However, fixed-wing drones are more expensive and, by their design, require large areas to take off and land.
Multicopter drones are much more versatile, easier to fly, and much cheaper than fixed-wing drones. Multicopter drones can not only be used for photogrammetry, but due to their design, they can also be used for precision dispersal of pesticides, fertilizers and even seed sowing.
Below are drones suitable for use in mapping and generating 3D surface areas for agriculture.
DJI Phantom 4 Multispectral
The DJI Phantom 4 Multispectral drone is a powerful tool for farmers and agronomists. Multispectral sensors can be used to gather information on crop health, measure nutrient levels, and detect soil moisture.
The DJI Phantom 4 Multispectral drone helps farmers more accurately assess crop health and monitor plant development. The DJI Phantom 4 Multispectral Drone can capture images in multiple spectral bands, including visible and near-infrared light that are typically filtered by traditional cameras that only collect red, green, and blue wavelengths.
This camera is said to provide sharper images of crops. Farmers will be able to use this technology for tasks such as assessing plant stress and detecting insect infestations early, allowing them to adjust their growth processes accordingly.
DJI Phantom 4 RTK
The DJI Phantom 4 RTK is a drone that uses real-time kinematics (RTK) technology. This form of positioning allows for precision agriculture and mapping applications. The drone can fly for up to 30 minutes, has a range of up to 7 kilometers, and captures images at 20MP. It is the perfect drone for mapping and 3D modeling of agricultural land, and can provide centimeter-level accuracy to help you count plants, measure crop height and density, and inspect crop health.
DJI Matrice 300 RTK
The Matrice 300 RTK is suitable for many industries thanks to its multiple payload capacity and RTK system that allows users to capture highly detailed images of accurate maps and 3D models. It features advanced AI capabilities, 6-directional obstacle detection and avoidance, an advanced health management system, an industry-leading 55-minute flight time, and a robust design that allows it to fly in extreme weather conditions. The drone has a very long flight time, is suitable for mapping large farms, and has multiple payload capabilities, including those from third parties, allowing the user to perform orthomosaic, thermal, and multispectral mapping of his maps. You can capture images.
SenseFly eBee AG
One of the leading fixed-wing drones designed specifically for mapping farmland, the eBee AG is very similar to SenseFly’s leading all-around drone, the eBee X. The eBee AG has a flight time of approximately 45 minutes and can cover over 300 acres of land in a single flight. It comes with a dual camera system that compromises RGB and multispectral cameras.The RGB camera can capture high quality images that can be converted into centimeter-level orthomosaic maps thanks to the RTK system. Multispectral cameras capture image data at different wavelengths to highlight crop problems and indicate whether there are pest infestations, disease, or irrigation problems.
SenseFly eBee X
This is Sensefly’s flagship drone and is compatible with a variety of cameras, making it suitable for many industries, including agriculture. Thanks to it, we can provide aerial imagery with survey-grade accuracy. The flight time is 59 minutes, which can be extended to 90 minutes, allowing users to cover approximately 500 hectares of land.
wing tiger one
This is a hybrid drone that combines the best of both fixed-wing and multicopter drones. It is a fixed-wing design, but with vertical take-off and landing capabilities (VTOL) similar to multicopter drones. With a flight time of 55 minutes, this drone can map hundreds of acres with sub-centimeter accuracy, making it one of the best mapping drones on the market.
Below are a few small selections crop spraying drone.
DJI Agulhas T30
The DJI Agras T30 is one of the latest crop spraying drones suitable for all kinds of agricultural spraying needs. Boasting a huge 30 liter tank, it has a robust design and thanks to its IP67 rating it can fly and cover even the most extreme weather conditions. About 40 acres in an hour. It comes with an optimized plunger capable of pumping 8 liters per minute and comes with 16 nozzles with a spray range of 9 meters. The drone has his front and rear FPV cameras for improved visibility and has an advanced spherical radar system for safer flight.
DJI Agulhas T20
This is an agricultural drone designed for crop spraying. It has a capacity of 20L and a maximum flight time of 15 minutes (depending on payload). It can cover 12 hectares in an hour and comes with an optimized spray system and 8 nozzles with a spray width of 7 meters. Drones can also be used for spraying, fertilizing and seeding. Designed to fly in extreme weather conditions, it can fly day or night and features an advanced obstacle avoidance system for safer flight. The drone has his RTK system built-in, and along with his RTK dongle in the remote controller, farmers can set autonomous flight modes with centimeter-level precision, so they only fly and spray where they need to. can do.
DJI Agulhas T16
It is similar to the T20 but has a payload capacity of 16 liters, can cover 10 hectares in an hour and comes with RTK GNSS technology and an advanced obstacle avoidance system.
There are several other crop preservation drones made by DJI, but they are only available through authorized resellers. These drones are the DJI Agras MG-1P and MG-1S, with a payload capacity of 10 liters, an autonomous flight mode, and an obstacle avoidance system.
final thoughts
The agricultural industry uses precision or smart farming methods to find innovative ways to increase yields, reduce costs and improve crop health. Drones are a quick way to easily map a field without the use of manned aircraft or land-based equipment such as rovers or laser scanners, which is time consuming and inefficient. Drones are having a positive impact on agriculture, and this trend is likely to continue as drone technology is increasingly utilized in the agricultural industry.
