Farming Drones ; What are Drones Used for in Agriculture?

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), aka drones, are becoming more prevalent across industries with applications in agriculture, cattle raising, and farming. Once known mainly for surveillance or media purposes, the same function and scope now extend to benefit and optimize business performance in the agricultural industry.

The proven benefits of this technology is leading to predictions that the agricultural drone industry is expected to grow from a 1.2 billion USD in 2019 to $4.8 billion in 2024 according to Future Farming.

Labor-intensive and time-consuming best describe how farming was once practiced. Industrialisation paved the way to introduce improvements through machinery, tools, irrigation, etc. The introduction of drones brings next level optimisations that help farmers and ranchers increase the profitability of their business by cutting costs, improving productivity and the quality of their crops and cattle.

All drones need to be registered when flown in the US. To find out more about licenses and drone registration check out Commercial Use of Drones ; What License Do I Need to Fly a Drone Commercially?

What are Drones Used for in Agriculture?

The most frequent use of drones in  agricultural business is crops; plants and seeds sprawled across acres of land that depend on a myriad of factors for growth and density.

Monitoring crop growth and analytics with traditional methods over a wide area is time consuming and costly. It’s even more challenging to analyze soil, elevation, and pests with the manual, labour intensive way of working.

Drones with cameras assist farmers to enrich their crops by identifying the weeds, pests and possible causes of nutrient deficiencies while making improvements .

Drone uses in agriculture:

• The use of drones makes monitoring vast farm areas easier and more hardworking. Monitoring includes an in-depth evaluation of slope, soil, pest, and crop nutrition—to make sure that every area receives optimal nutrition and care.

• Drones can help gather real-time data on crop health and status and help farmers make informed or immediate decisions for improvement or changes.

• With precision farming, drones can streamline the pesticide or fertilizer spraying method. Through an unconventional and less exhausting practice, farmers can expect the job done faster and more efficiently. This also yields savings on water and pesticides.

• Imaging is a core strength of drones that they can easily deliver with their high-resolution camera. Ground mapping is performed with quick accuracy—and that includes measuring weather impact or elevation statistics. Viewing of overall crops, determining health status, and identifying areas lacking water or proper irrigation are addressed and remedied. High-tech cameras can zoom in on areas that need further inspection.

• Advanced drone camera technologies detect crop health through their leaf colors, pest population, or areas that need troubleshooting. Natural disasters are inevitable and can cause damage over wider areas, so drones are especially useful in helping assess devastated portions—improving visibility and reaction time for farmers who traditionally would have surveyed the damage on foot.

Drones for Cattle Farming

Cattle farming involves cattle grazing, herding, raising, and feeding over a large expanse of land often averaging over 400 acres. The rancher typically manually manages the land and keeps count of the animals. Inclement weather or missing cows can add to the stress and labor involved in the day-to-day operations.

Drones for cattle farming help eliminate the time and exhaustive labor spent on foot or travel. Monitoring the area, mapping the farm (including terrain, water supply, and elevation), and tracking lost animals are just some of the useful applications.

GPS locations and livestock identification also add to the accuracy and close monitoring of the valued cattle. Security is another area not to be missed in case of predators, trespassers, or just a broken fence. There are a lot of elements, animals, and borders to secure, and the drone offers a major help in maintaining the safety and fortification of the ranch.

Drones can survey the area, identify the greener pasture, and assess crop health and water sources—which are equally important when raising livestock. Accurate monitoring coupled with smart analytics can help every rancher make improved decisions and troubleshoot situations on the fly. 

What is the Best Drone for Farming?

Drones for farming offer the same benefits as most drones but focus on agriculture and cattle application. Some of the qualities to look for in a drone are:

• Flight time. Since farming drones are used to cover expansive areas and monitor crop growth and situation, these need to be equipped with a longer flight time—so that they can reach more portions once deployed.
• Camera. Wide and high-resolution cameras offer clear snapshots and better inspection of the grounds. Multispectral cameras can show more information on crops, and farmers looking into a detailed analysis of their farm can opt for more high-tech lenses. 
• Speed and durability. The drone has to travel fast and reach higher heights to obtain an optimal aerial view. Durability is another factor since it should withstand strong winds, small flying debris, and rain. Farm conditions aren’t always bright sunny, so an excellent farming drone should be able to endure changing weather conditions, harsh elements, and the occasional debris.
• Capacity. An innovative use case for drones includes spraying and planting, so drones should manage the appropriate load to accomplish these functions.
• Range. Drones are usually wireless and require to be within range of their pilot. This may be a consideration if the farm is large or the farmer is accessing the drone from a remote area.

Here are some brands to consider for farming use:

Agras T16 by DJI

A powerhouse for features fit for farming, this drone combines durability, performance, and an efficient “spraying” functionality. It comes equipped with a wide-angle camera and a radar to make night flying equally productive. Swap out the battery and spray tank to get even more mileage for the drone. More on the Agras T16 here.

eBee Ag by senseFly

Here’s a smart drone that delivers accurate and actionable reports in minutes. Its dual-purpose Duet M camera can capture and monitor multispectral data, so you cover everything from the sky to the crops—up to the weeds and pests. Get insights on your plant’s health to get better productivity and ROI.

Quantix Mapper by Draganfly

A vertical take-off makes this quite the sight, but its high-powered cameras provide multispectral images and centimeter-level accuracy in real-time. Mapping is what it’s best for, but the drone can be used for 3D modeling, assessing crop growth stages, analyzing crop health, and surveying the area for environmental or flood management.

Drone Camera for Agricultural Use

The aerial view is just one of the many visual features of a farming drone. While giving a snapshot of the terrain is needed, it comes with many layers from multispectral imaging and sensors. This allows farmers to:

• Monitor crop health, growth, density, and color. The big picture allows monitoring of the count and possible problem areas.
• Map and assess the field condition, the elevation, and the soil. Irregularities are reported and addressed.
• Find problem areas such as pests and weeds. Damages from weather conditions or machines can also be detected.
• View the irrigation system, and determine if there are areas that require optimal water support.
• Provide adequate security and surveillance in hard-to-reach areas.
• Strategically estimate yield and crop output, and effectively manage the farm’s business.

With their multi-faceted use and advanced benefits for farmers and ranchers, drones are becoming value-adding tools in the agriculture and cattle businesses. Their technology and AI help improve the business ROI as farmers are empowered to make faster and smarter decisions.

Most labor-intensive work has been optimized by the drone’s precision farming resulting to speed and cost saves. Lastly, the peace of mind knowing (and seeing) that the crops and cattle are safe, well accounted for, and in tip-top condition is all worth investing in this new innovative farmhand.