Shaping the Future of Agriculture Industry with Drones

Technology has made things easier, more effective, and efficient. It's time for our farmers to start using equipment that will allow them to produce more with less labour.

Drones may appear to be a craze that has already peaked, but expect to hear less about who owns one and more about what they're used for. Drones are now being employed for military purposes, photography, and other purposes, as we have seen in the headlines. However, the debate over practical and real-world applications is still in its early stages. Since the 1980s, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been used commercially. Today, the practical application of drones is growing by the day.

In India, thinking about drones in farming seems a little far-fetched. However, today's farmers must deal with a plethora of issues. Water, climate change, glyphosate-resistant weeds, soil quality, and other financial concerns that are influencing agricultural productivity, efficiency, and quality have become serious issues.

Agriculture producers in India should prioritise technology. It may be a viable alternative for increasing productivity and ensuring the farming industry's long-term viability. Drones are the answer to this agricultural issue. Here's how they can assist:

Soil Analysis:

Drone-assisted soil sample and field analysis aid in mapping the land and offering a better perspective for crop selection and seed planting pattern. The degree of irrigation and nitrogen levels in the soil can be evaluated via soil analysis.

Planting:

A new business has developed such drones, which plant seeds with 75% accuracy and reduce planting expenses by 85%. These new drones drop a pod of seeds and plant fertilisers into the soil. They make planting simple.

Crop Spraying & Monitoring:

Drones can scan the ground and spray the right amount of liquid in real time thanks to features such as distance measuring equipment, ultrasonic echoing, and laser enabling. This will boost efficiency by saving time and lowering operating costs such as labour, chemical and fertiliser costs, and so on.

Crop monitoring is a difficult task for the agricultural industry. Drones aid in real-time monitoring of weather conditions and field views. This allows for improved crop management and eliminates inefficiencies in production for farmers.

Irrigation:

For irrigation, this technology is equipped with hyperspectral, multispectral, and thermal sensors that can detect dry areas of the field as well as the heat signature of the crops.

Health assessment:

Drones can carry equipment that detect green light reflected from the plant's surface using infrared light. With this information, a farmer can now maintain track of the plant's changes and health in real time. A farmer can use this to take preventative measures to protect his crops.

Final Thoughts:

With the use of drones, Indian farmers can now more efficiently use inputs such as pesticides, seeds, fertilisers, and water. This has the potential to change farming by lowering the entire cost of farm production, ensuring high quality and yield crops, and allowing farmers to take pest control measures on time. Because of their effectiveness in increasing agricultural productivity and revenues, the agriculture industry is rapidly acknowledging the use and benefits of drones. With all of the advancements in drone technology, we can say that the future of drones in this area is only getting started.