DETROIT (Michigan News Source) – Drones are being used in all kinds of applications and now you can add farming to that list. More and more, farmers are looking to drones to help their farming activities and profitability.
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Spraying drones can be used to apply herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, fertilizers, seeds and more. This can happen at a much faster pace than traditional methods. With a smartphone helping with drone operations, farmers can control spray width, droplet size and flow rates of chemicals and also sow seeds evenly, minimizing yield loss.
Yahoo reports that in 10 to 15 years, drones will be as common on farms as tractors. Randy Raper, assistant director of Oklahoma State University AG Research, says, “Drones can do things that a satellite can’t, as impressive as space-based crop surveillance is: Drones (also called unmanned aircraft systems or AES) can put even more precision into precision agriculture. That’s the use of advanced technology in everything from controlling crop pests to gauging fertilizer needs to monitoring moisture.”
With drones sometimes costing around $20K, some farmers are finding it more practical to go in on a drone and share them with each other. Another way to use drones is through a service provider who will fly drones over farms.
Drones are not just being used in the United States either. They’re becoming popular all over the planet including in places like India where their main economy is agriculture and provides the livelihood for about 58% of their population according to the IBEF (India Brand Equity Foundation).
According to GreyViews, a company that uses research technologies to identify investment opportunities, the global agriculture drone market is expected to grow in the from $1.2 billion in 2021 to $3.1 by 2029. They say, “The pressure on the world’s food supply brought on by population growth as well as an increase in venture capital funding for the development of agriculture drones are driving the market’s growth.”
They add that drones are “used to monitor crop development and increase crop yield in order to enhance agricultural operations. Digital photography capabilities of drones offer a more thorough picture of the fields, increasing farm productivity. It makes possible to deal with problems like irrigation, fungus infestations and different types of soil. It’s used to monitor farmers, livestock and other things.”
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Michigan News Source reached out to the Michigan Farm Bureau about what they think about farmers using drones. Theresa Sisung, Michigan Farm Bureau industry relations specialist, said, “Farmers are always looking for new ways to care for their land and grow their crops safely and efficiently. Technology helps farmers pinpoint disease or insect pressure, identify key issues and create an action plan, or even spot apply crop protection products. Autonomous technology — including the use of drones — will continue to expand into more aspects of agriculture, and it’s important that farmers stay up-to-date on advancements that will impact markets and their operations.”
