Using Drones in Agriculture

For a long time, classical ground methods remained the only options for cultivating soil and crops. Of course, farmers still use them, but they have been supplemented by high-tech unmanned aerial vehicles, which have made it possible to increase the efficiency of cultivating farmland and increase production while maintaining high profitability. All thanks to the automation of many jobs that previously required enormous labor costs, time and other resources. High-tech drones, in fact, have made a scientific and technological revolution in agriculture becoming an integral part of the intensification of production in many countries around the world. Let’s talk in detail about what leverages the agribusiness gets with UAVs.

Contents

1. Agricultural drone market situation
2. Technical capabilities of agricultural drones
3. How do agricultural producers benefit from it?
4. Successful global experience

Agricultural Drone Market Situation

Increasing demand for agricultural drones is a stable global trend. In 2022, 11% of the global drone market accounted for agriculture, and in 2023, growth is expected to be +14.1%, with $14.2 billion worth agricultural drone sales. Europe and North America remain the largest markets with total shares of 36.1% (1.3 billion) and 32.1% (1.2 billion).

Russian agriculture has also actively joined this trend. Today, it is undergoing an active digital transformation reorienting towards high-precision technologies. While a few years ago, unmanned aerial vehicles were used on only 2% of all agricultural lands in the country, in the last three years, this figure has been rapidly increasing. However, in 2023, due to a ban on UAV flights in 60 Russian regions, the positive dynamics of the market took a break, and demand fell by 3-4 times.

Nevertheless, domestic manufacturers of devices, the Ministry of Economic Development, and farmers began to look for opportunities to issue permits for flights of agricultural drones. The result was the introduction of an experimental legal regime in 12 regions in September 2023. It allows the use of drones under a simplified scheme, simply by submitting a flight plan, rather than having it approved as experimental aircraft flights or looking for other loopholes in the law. Big hopes are also set on the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 1016 of June 21, 2023, which comes into force on March 1, 2024 and allows UAV weighing up to 30 kg to be launched at an altitude of less than 150 m above populated areas.

In other words, despite the legal "frictions", farmers’ high interest in the use of UAVs remains, since they provide ample opportunities for optimizing a huge list of work.

Technical Capabilities of Agricultural Drones

1. Sowing. For agricultural crops, this is still a new technology in its initial stage, but in forestry it has been well tested. In just 1 hour you can plant up to 1000 seeds.

2. Placement of Trichogramma. This is one of the ways to control pests in the fields by introducing small insects that parasitize them. One drone can spread Trichogramma onto 2,000 hectares per day.

3. Spraying crops. This approach is especially effective in small fields and when working with individual problem areas. To identify the areas, a drone with a camera or video equipment first flies over the plot. After which a decision is made on the method and quantity of introducing protection products on the identified piece of land. For general treatment, a team of 4–5 drones is used. But even with one device you can process up to 80 hectares of fields per day.

4. Watering. Special drones with an irrigation option and an attached hose with a spray system allow you to automate the application of water or nutrient solutions. This makes the process more even, and the plants receive the optimal amount of moisture for healthy growth and development. A drone can water large agricultural areas, plantations, gardens or areas inaccessible to other equipment in a programmed mode or under remote control.

5. Fertilizer application. For these purposes, unmanned vehicles are used less often than for spraying plant protection products, because the application rates here are much higher. Therefore, drones are only effective when it comes to microfertilizers. For large plots, it is necessary to carry out a preliminary analysis and draw up a map of differentiated application, since a general approach with drones is impractical. But even with such conditional restrictions, productivity when treating with UAVs is up to 50 hectares per day.

6. Fogging. A special fog-generating system is mounted on an agricultural drone. But such a complex is heavyweight, so the overall productivity is not the highest — up to 30 hectares per day per aircraft. On the bright side, this approach improves the quality of crop processing.

7. Data collection. The basis of modern precision farming is working with up-to-date information about fields (areas, topography, soil specifics) in real time. And in this regard, drones are the simplest and most effective way to obtain the necessary information. Modern devices help build digital surface models and electronic maps of land, count the number of seedlings, the presence and species composition of weeds, identify individual problem areas, assess the condition of crops before harvest, determine the best field days and conduct video monitoring.

Of course, the capabilities of agricultural drones are closely linked to the set of installed equipment and software. There are many modifications on the market, but, as a rule, the basic set includes:

• accelerometer responsible for maintaining a horizontal position during flight and preventing deviation;
• pressure sensor fixing device at a specific height;
• ultrasonic sensors or sonars used for low-altitude movement, avoidance of possible obstacles and automatic landing;
• autopilot ensuring flight along a pre-designed route with positioning at specified points and return of an unmanned vehicle to the take-off point.

Drone can be controlled remotely, not only with a remote control, but also with a smartphone or a tablet.

How do Agricultural Producers Benefit from it?

• Reduces time inputs. Operational tests of drones have shown that on average, in 20 minutes of autonomous flight, 4–6 hectares can be treated with plant protection products. In this case, you do not need to prepare a tractor with a sprayer and drive it into the field.
• Saves money. Whenever aircrafts are used, the costs of operating ground-based special equipment and purchasing fuel and lubricants are significantly reduced.
• Automates complex tasks. Ground equipment often cannot access certain hard-to-reach areas, or it is too risky for plantings (for example, in orchards, hilly, mountainous and forested areas). Agricultural drones do not have such limitations due to their high maneuverability and precise control; they easily avoid any obstacles and quickly respond to operator commands.
• Increases the final yield. Precision technologies are the cornerstone for optimizing investments, obtaining a harvest with excellent qualitative and quantitative characteristics and maintaining high profitability. Agronomists have at their disposal all the relevant information to make decisions about carrying out certain work, and an effective tool that increases the success of this work and, accordingly, the chances of a good harvest.

Successful Global Experience

Both major agricultural enterprises and farmers clearly recognize the potential of UAVs. Following the demand, the number of offers is growing. According to GlobalData, from 2015 to 2021, the number of patents related to agricultural drones increased 14 times around the world.

At the forefront of drone technology is Japan, which was one of the first to use micro and small agricultural drones. There, back in 1987, by order of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the first multi-purpose UAV for spraying rice fields was developed. And by the end of 2023, the Japanese market for such devices reached 13.6 billion yen, plus a licensing system for operators and special safe operation rules have been elaborated.

This industry is also actively developing in the United States, where, according to MarketsandMarkets forecasts, the agricultural drone market will grow to $4.8 billion in 2024. North America is expected to have the largest share, driven by the exemption of agricultural drones from some restrictive Federal Aviation Administration regulations.

Among European countries, Poland is worth mentioning. Here, unmanned aerial vehicles are used for a variety of purposes. The first successful experience with this technology was recorded back in the 1990s, and since then it has become an integral part of the country’s agriculture. According to official statistics, drones increase the productivity of the sector by up to 5% and add €2.5 billion in economic value every year.

The world’s practice proves that agricultural drones can increase industry productivity, create additional opportunities for intensifying production, help increase crop productivity and quality, and reduce the negative impact on the environment. At the same time, in many countries, despite the progressive spread of agricultural drones, there are still legal obstacles to their smooth use. Nevertheless, analysts have no doubt that the technology will gain a strong foothold and increase its reach.

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