The applications of drones are expanding with each passing minute and agriculture is no exception. The technology of unmanned aircrafts can be used for collecting valuable information in the agriculture sector, which can be used to avoid damage caused by pest infestation.
The factor that makes drones the best option for this purpose is the cost effectiveness of these unmanned devices. The cheaper cost as compared to airplanes and helicopters makes UAVs the optimum choice for carrying out valuable research which can help in the enhancement of production.
It has been predicted that the agriculture sector will be responsible for nearly 80 percent of the commercial market for drones. This is because drones can be that defining piece of technology which enables farmers to make better decisions regarding the management of their farms.
According to Dr. Ernest Earon, president of PrecisionHawk, drones can do for agriculture what cell phones did for telecommunication. The Lancaster drone developed by Dr. Earon has AI, which enables it to create its flight path in accordance with its surroundings. The drone automatically collects the required information and returns to land if it detects that the conditions are not feasible.
The reason it is difficult for farmers to collect data about their farms is the large area over which farms are spread. Drones can collect information regarding a very large area within a very small amount of time. For example, the Lancaster drone can collect data for 120 hectares within a very short time period of 40 minutes.
The drone collects data such as chlorophyll levels or whether the plants are receiving excessive moisture. The drone features multi-spectral sensors which can help farmers detect diseases in plants before they become physically visible. This may allow farmers to be proactive in their approach towards farm management, resulting in higher efficiency in production.
More farmers and others in the agri industry have seen further applications for drones like monitoring anmials in remote areas and even aerial photography of large farm machinery items to showcase when selling.