Drone technology, although it’s a fairly recent innovation, is something that has had widespread effects across many aspects of present society. It has become so influential that it has transformed the way we live our lives and the way we transact in business. Several industries have also wholly embraced drone technology in their operations, such as the medical, entertainment, real estate, and even the military. One other industry that seems to have openly embraced such technology is the industry of agriculture.
Ways Drones Have Helped the Industry of Agriculture
With the help of high-tech drones, farmers can make the farming process more streamlined and efficient. There are many processes in which farmers can make use of drones, such as planting, crop monitoring, livestock management, irrigation mapping, crop spraying, and the like. In this article, we’ll talk about the many significant ways in which drones have changed the field of agriculture.
In Soil and Field Analysis
Drones can be used to help gather data regarding the quality of the soil at the start, middle, and conclusion of a crop cycle. Drones can help with obtaining 3D maps of the soil, and this will greatly help you be aware of any issues concerning soil quality, dead zones, and nutrient management. In the long run, the information gathered by drones can help farmers come up with better patterns for the crop cycle processes.
In Seed Planting
Although drone planting is a relatively new concept and not that many farmers use them at present, the practice itself is still starting to take root in some agricultural communities. For instance, there are some companies now that are experimenting with customized systems that enable automatized shooting of seeds contained in pods into a portion of prepared soil. With drones, on-the-ground planting can be minimized. For any farmer, this bodes well considering the time, efforts, resources, and money they will get to save.
In Crop and Spot Spraying
In order to ensure high yields every harvest time, crops require regular spraying and fertilization. In the more technologically challenged past, this was done mostly manually; although in recent decades, there have been farmers that have resorted to using vehicles or even airplanes. In the long run, all these methods can be burdensome and inefficient, not to mention costly. This is where drones come in. They can be equipped with containers filled with fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides and can be flown over the crops for spraying. Ultimately, such a process is safer and more cost-effective.
In Crop Mapping and Surveying
Another advantage that drones present in agriculture is the potential for mapping and surveying. In the past, satellites or planes were used to gather large-scale images of a farm; such tools were not only expensive, but they also lacked precision in obtaining details. These are concerns that drones are able to address. With drones, farmers can now monitor their crops and farms on a large-scale basis without having to be worried about the effectiveness of the tools or their costs. In the end, they would be able to make decisions based on live data and not on vague guesswork or outdated images.
These are just a few of the processes in which drones can be used for the benefit of agriculture. With all that’s been said, one thing’s clear: drone use in agriculture is a practice that is here to stay.
