Some data show that the total population of the earth will surge to 9 billion in 2050, and the demand for agricultural products will also increase by 70%. With the growing environmental problems, agricultural production faces more and more challenges. The powerful data collection and analysis functions of agricultural drones provide a strong technical guarantee for more scientific crop planting and protection.

With the relaxation of UAV control by governments in various countries, more and more companies have increased investment in agricultural UAV research and development, and drone based agriculture are bound to further advance towards a high degree of intelligence and convenient application. At present, the application of drones in agricultural production has achieved initial results, which are mainly reflected in the following six aspects.

1. Plot and soil analysis

Agricultural drones equipped with high-definition cameras and advanced sensors are able to draw accurate three-dimensional maps of land plots and soil analysis, and develop detailed planning for planting, which plays a vital role in the initial stages of agricultural production. At the same time, agricultural drones of this type can also closely monitor the condition of the plot, providing powerful data support for later irrigation and soil nitrogen content management.

2. Aerial sowing

Scientists racked their brains to develop a complete drone seeding system. The system simultaneously infuses the soil with seeds and all the nutrients they need to grow. This technology increases the nutrient absorption rate of seeds by 75%, while reducing the cost of sowing by 85%. It not only ensures the survival rate of seeds, but also relatively reduces the consumption of other resources, which can be said to kill two birds with one stone.

3. Spraying operation

Drone in agriculture spraying equipped with ultrasonic, radar and advanced spraying systems are widely used in plant protection operations, and are also commonly known as plant protection drones. This type of UAV can continuously adjust the flight height according to the geographical terrain, identify and avoid obstacles autonomously, and rely on the advanced spraying system to carry out accurate and uniform spraying operations on crops. This technology greatly reduces the amount of pesticides and reduces the pollution of plant protection operations to water bodies and the environment. Experts estimate that compared with traditional machinery, plant protection drones have up to five times the operational efficiency, which will greatly reduce the consumption of human and material resources.

4. Crop Monitoring

Large plots and inefficient crop monitoring are another major pain point in agricultural production. As global temperatures rise and climate change becomes increasingly erratic, it becomes increasingly difficult to manage and maintain land parcel conditions. In the past, farmers mainly relied on satellite images to assist crop monitoring, but the cost was too high and pre-purchased in advance, and the service efficiency of one piece per day was difficult to provide real-time and accurate crop monitoring information. Agricultural drones equipped with real-time imaging systems have emerged, providing farmers with a reliable and effective guarantee for more accurate monitoring of crop growth conditions and timely and effective prevention and control measures.

5. Agricultural irrigation

Spraying drones agriculture equipped with hyperspectral, multispectral, and thermal sensors can accurately analyze and identify the arid areas of the plot, providing powerful data support for precision irrigation operations. In addition, during the growth of crops, this type of drone can also calculate the vegetation index, and analyze the density and health of crops through the heat emitted by the crops themselves.

6. Crop Health Assessment

Health assessment of crops and timely detection of pests and diseases is one of the necessary guarantees for high-quality agricultural production. By equipped with visible infrared and near-infrared emission equipment, agricultural drones can accurately analyze the amount of green and near-infrared light reflected by crops and draw multi-spectral images to track changes and health conditions of crops. Farmers can make quick and effective control measures based on the corresponding data to keep crops away from pests and diseases, thereby significantly improving the efficiency of agricultural production