How are drones revolutionizing agriculture?

Drones are revolutionizing the agricultural industry by providing innovative solutions for crop monitoring, irrigation and resource management.

Many countries around the world allow farmers to use drones to monitor crops .

However, these countries also require farmers using drones in agriculture to be trained in control techniques, and the vehicles must meet safety standards as well as a license to operate in the area.

In France, for example, farmers are licensed to fly drones equipped with sensors over grain fields to measure the color of the crops, from which artificial intelligence will give precise ideas about the fertilization needs of each grain plot.

The collected data is then re-created as a map with a color-coded presentation. This way, farmers know exactly where to fertilize or water.

One of the main benefits of using drones in agriculture is cost reduction. They allow for precise crop monitoring, reducing the labor requirements for field inspections by farmers.

Drones allow farmers to monitor crops accurately in real time, helping farmers optimize resource use, reduce costs and improve productivity (Photo: SP).

Using drones for irrigation also helps to minimize losses related to diseases or pests , improving the economic efficiency of agricultural activities.

They are equipped with multispectral cameras to monitor plant health.

These cameras capture detailed images, revealing important information about crop conditions such as water shortages, nutrient deficiencies and the presence of pests and diseases.

By providing real-time data, drones enable farmers to make quick and accurate decisions that help optimize crop care.

In addition, drones can also map and analyze soil, helping farmers understand the composition and quality of the soil in their fields.

These maps are essential for planning irrigation, fertilization, and crop rotation.

By identifying areas of variation in the field, drones help farmers apply corrective measures to increase crop yields.

Technological innovation

With the advantage of remote-controlled aircraft, they can cover large agricultural areas quickly and effectively, saving farmers significant time.

While traditional monitoring methods can be labor-intensive and time-consuming, drones can complete a comprehensive inspection in minutes.

This allows farmers to focus on other aspects of field management and respond more quickly to challenges and opportunities that arise. Additionally, the speed of data collection and the ability to analyze it immediately allows for faster and more informed decision making.

With the development of artificial intelligence, these drones use AI and machine learning algorithms to plan and execute surveillance missions without human intervention.

They can map fields, monitor plant health, detect abnormalities, and even apply pest treatments automatically.

This significantly reduces the farmer's workload and ensures continuous and accurate monitoring, even in difficult conditions or over large areas.

Advanced sensors integrated into agricultural drones measure key parameters such as temperature, humidity, soil nutrient levels and vegetation indices providing real-time data with exceptional accuracy, allowing for insights into growing conditions.

For example, multispectral and hyperspectral sensors can detect water stress or nutrient deficiencies before they are visible to the naked eye, allowing farmers to intervene preventively and targeted.

This precision not only improves crop health but also optimizes resource usage.