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Due to its use in military engagements, the word "drone" tends to be associated with acts of war or covert surveillance. However, unmanned aircraft are being used in a number of applications that have nothing to do with national security. The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) recently conducted a study that predicts expanded unmanned aerial vehicle usage in domestic applications. The study indicates these vehicles will produce up to 100,000 new jobs by 2025, many of which will be in the field of agriculture. Read on for a few of the ways drone use is changing farming as we know it.
The Cost Ratio
Higher pesticide costs, homogenous agriculture requirements, and reduced federal funding have left farmers looking for ways to cut costs without sacrificing quality. Unmanned aerial vehicles could represent one of the best ways to do this. The upfront cost of a UAV is surprisingly low, providing farmers with an inexpensive way to cover a lot of ground. In the old days, a farmer would walk his acreage to find problems and address them efficiently. Today's farms are much too large for this kind of personal attention. UAVs can help massive farms keep an eye on growth issues and help address them at a lower cost.
Greater Precision
Though drones still feel like science fiction to most of the population, the truth is that they are relatively simple machines. Their strength lies in automation. With a UAV, a farmer can set up a precise point-and-click camera that allows for sharp overhead images of the crop. Additionally, drones capture and store GPS coordinates, letting farmers combine these with the high-resolution pictures to know exactly where a problem might exist. Satellite imagery is already available to farmers, but it can be cost-prohibitive in many instances. Drone technology reduces the cost and puts more control in the farmer's hands.
Targeting The Issue
Farmers have already found ingenious ways to put drones to work. Plant damage tends to show up in the chlorophyll before it shows in the leaf. Drones with infrared imagery can show chlorophyll anomalies early on, letting the farmer take action before the problem spreads. Unmanned aerial vehicles can also be used to more precisely target areas in need of pesticide application, letting the farmer save time and money when it comes to spraying.
Technological Advancement
As is the case whenever technology makes a huge jump into the private sector, some farmers wonder if all of this automation won't mean the end of their livelihood. Farmers with experience using these UAVs, however, claim that this isn't even close to happening. At the end of the day, the farmer is still making all of the decisions. The drone is no more replacing the need for management than a cash register replaces the need for a cashier. One day soon, the productive farmer could even have a UAV shipping company in their speed dial right next to their pesticide salesman.
By programming a drone to carry out needed tasks, the farmer is able to spend more time developing their crop, handling business decisions, and expanding their field.
Editor's Note: This article was written by Brett Dugan, a shipping and logistics expert working for Craters & Freighters.
Image Credits: image source
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