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Application of drone technology in agriculture
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Saturday, 13 August, 2022, 13 : 00 PM [IST]
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Bhavesh Chavhan, Vijay Kele & Pooja Bhagat
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Agriculture is one of the most crucial elements for the sustainability of human civilization. It has been forecast that agricultural consumption would increase by 69% from 2010 to 2050 due to increase in population. The current technological trends in agricultural practices are not suitable for small land holdings that are a norm in developing countries.
As such, meeting future food demands seems like an uphill task for such countries. To stay sustainable, maximize productivity and optimize land spaces, the concepts of advanced farming techniques need to be explored and integrated into agriculture. One such concept is drones with data-gathering equipment for agriculture which is now known as precision agriculture.
India’s economy is mainly based on agriculture. For the majority of rural households, agriculture continues to be their primary source of income. The agricultural products that make up a sizable share of India’s exports also significantly impact the country’s economy. Agriculture is still far behind in technological development, despite the industry’s growing importance. The leading causes of this situation have been crop loss brought on by unfavourable weather and unchecked pest problems. Additionally, Indian farmers still rely on the monsoon rains for irrigation and employ traditional techniques for other aspects of farming. Due of this, despite farmers’ tireless efforts, the quality and quantity of agricultural produce are occasionally impaired.
• How drones can be used?
In precision agriculture, drones have a range of uses from soil and crop field analysis to planting and pesticide spraying. Drones can be used with different imaging technologies like hyper spectral, multispectral, thermal that can provide the farmers with time and site-specific information regarding crop health, fungal infections, and growth bottlenecks. Drones can also identify drier regions in a field and measures can then be taken to irrigate such regions with better techniques. Precision agriculture provides farmers with such concrete information that enables them to take informed decisions and utilize their resources more efficiently.
• Application of Drones in Agriculture and Farming
1. Soil and Field Analysis
Drones are great tools to access insightful data for the quality of the soil at the beginning or end of a crop cycle. AI drones equipped with LiDAR can be used to create 3D maps of the soil to be able to understand any issues with the quality of the soil including the nutrients or any dead zone.
2. Seed Planting
Seed planting using drone technology is a relatively new technology as compared to other drones applications in agriculture. However, startup companies have been testing the technology for faster and more effective seed plantations.
3. Irrigation Monitoring
Today, drones equipped with thermal imaging systems are effectively used to monitor the entire irrigation network efficiently and spot any issues in real-time. With access to real-time information through drones, farmers are in a better position to maximize the drainage and prepare contingency plans to cope with issues.
4. Monitor growth
Drones can deliver precise information on every stage of crop growth and can alert farmers to any differences before they turn into a disaster. Additionally, multispectral imaging can accurately reveal minute distinctions between healthy and ill crops that the naked eye can overlook. For instance, stressed crops will reflect less near-infrared light compared to healthy crops. The human eye may not always be able to see this distinction. But in the early stages, drones can supply this information.
5. Geofencing
Drones equipped with infrared cameras can quickly identify people or animals. Therefore, drones can protect the fields from external animal damage, especially at night.
• Benefits of agri-drones
1. Security- Drones are flown by trained drone pilots. Therefore, there is no possibility of misuse.
2. High efficiency- Drones operate instantly and can do tasks twice as quickly as humans.
3. Water conservation-Agricultural drones use ultra-low volume spraying technology in place of conventional spraying techniques, saving more water as a result.
• Limitations of Agri drones
1. Connectivity issue- Online availability is frequently non-existent in rural places. In such cases, a farmer must make an investment in internet connectivity, which can turn into an on-going expense.
2. Weather dependent- The right weather is crucial for drone operations. Drone flight is not advised while it is raining or windy outside.
3. Knowledge and Skill- Utilising new technology is a welcome shift, but doing so regularly calls for the appropriate skill set and knowledge. The typical farmer could find it difficult to comprehend how a drone works. He must either gain the knowledge or continue to rely on an expert.
(The authors belong to ICAR-NDRI, Karnal. They can be reached at bhaveshchavhan90@gmail.com)
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