Precision agriculture is one of the major verticals for the commercial drone industry. In the U.S. alone, over 30% of farmers are using drone technology, with another 30% planning on implementing a drone program within the next year. The Swift agricultural drone solution of China’s leading industrial drone manufacturer MMC demonstrates why. MMC is one of the most innovative developers of drone technology in the world – and with their leading agriculture solution, they’ve included all the features agronomists might be looking for.
Taking aerial images – thermal or not- with drones to map fields is the first step in using drones for precision agriculture. But around the world, as regulations allow, drones are used for much more. Replacing expensive and time/space consuming manned aircraft solutions, drones are used for all kinds of crop spraying applications – saving both money and crops.
Greater Precision
MMC’s Swift agriculture solution doesn’t only replace manned aircraft – it does the job better. The Swift system includes a terrain-following radar module, which allows the drone to follow rugged and uneven terrain closely, maintaining a constant distance from the crop. Hard to do with a manned aircraft, the terrain-following module keeps the distance precisely: within a centimeter. That provides a precise application of fertilizer or pesticide.
Automation
Drones fly in precise patterns, allowing for even crop coverage. With the Swift system, sensors indicate when the reservoir is nearing empty. The drone returns to the operator for re-filling and then resumes the flight pattern exactly where it left off. There’s no waste of time or chemical – offering a further savings for agronomists.
Multiple Spray Systems
The Swift offers multiple interchangeable spray systems. Farmers can choose liquid or pellet sprays, choosing the right application for their field at a particular time. That represents economies for farm managers – one tool performs many jobs. In addition, the Swift system offers a one-of-a-kind fog spraying system; offering better, faster, and more uniform coverage.
Management Platform
Farms of all sizes are using drone technology to improve yields. Larger operations will really benefit from MMC’s Swift Agriculture Management Platform. The platform allows farm managers to track pilots and spraying jobs in real-time, improving efficiencies and providing better tracking for budgeting and predictions.
The Swift Agriculture solution is a turnkey offering – and MMC’s groundbreaking system of rentals, maintenance, training and repair mean that farmers without drone expertise in their operations can take advantage of the technology. With MMC’s drone systems leading the way in other countries to show what drones can do in agriculture, adoption and applications should expand rapidly.
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