Tech-farming is having its way into agriculture.
Recorded in small Central American nation, El Salvador, fields and large farms, mainly sugar cane are now being handled by drones. Large unmanned hexacopters fitted with 20-litre tanks for carrying fertilizer or pesticides follow pre-mapped routes and spray crops accordingly.
This isn't a case of new tech replacing old farm equipment - some of these fields are being sprayed for the very first time.
This isn't a case of new tech replacing old farm equipment - some of these fields are being sprayed for the very first time.
In a country where access to fields is often difficult for tractors and even planes, drones are showing great potential. On using drones to practice tech-farming and spraying large farms, yields will improve.
At the moment, most of the work with farmers in El Salvador is trial-based, but Hylio is covering a lot of ground. In one morning a single spray team can service 40 hectares - roughly the same area as 40 international rugby pitches.
Drones are touted as useful flying farmhands because they can, in theory, improve the precision with which fertilizers, pesticides or fungicides are applied. This is due to their ability to spray specific volumes on GPS-defined routes through a field.
One South African farmer recently claimed that using drones reduced the pesticide use on her farm by 30%. This improved efficiency could go some way to allaying fears about the environmental damage that overuse of pesticides and fertilizers can cause, such as reduced biodiversity and the poisoning of aquatic life when chemicals run off into rivers after rain.
At the moment, most of the work with farmers in El Salvador is trial-based, but Hylio is covering a lot of ground. In one morning a single spray team can service 40 hectares - roughly the same area as 40 international rugby pitches.
Drones are touted as useful flying farmhands because they can, in theory, improve the precision with which fertilizers, pesticides or fungicides are applied. This is due to their ability to spray specific volumes on GPS-defined routes through a field.
One South African farmer recently claimed that using drones reduced the pesticide use on her farm by 30%. This improved efficiency could go some way to allaying fears about the environmental damage that overuse of pesticides and fertilizers can cause, such as reduced biodiversity and the poisoning of aquatic life when chemicals run off into rivers after rain.
For developing countries in highly competitive global agriculture markets, drones are clearly tempting. The Philippines recently announced that 5,000 hectares of vegetable farms would be used to test crop-spraying drones, for instance.
In the future, will farming be fully automated?
This development have been tasted in India, a similar pilot project on cotton farms was revealed by state authorities in May.
There are many tech companies that claim their drone-based farming systems can increase farmers' yields - among them US-based PrecisionHawk and Airinov in France.
In Airinov's case, multi spectral cameras are used to analyze nitrogen absorption at particular stages of a crop's development, charted on what's known as the Zadoks growth scale.
This helps farmers work out the best time to add fertilizer and where it is needed most, reducing wastage of this expensive resource.
Multispectral sensors can record non-visible wavelengths, such as infrared radiation and ultraviolet light, as well as visible light, enabling them to identify nutrient deficiencies, pest damage, and water deficiency.
Drones may be automated but they still require humans to pilot, programme and service them, which raises the cost. But in developing countries where labour is cheaper, drones seem more commercially appealing.
In the future, will farming be fully automated?
This development have been tasted in India, a similar pilot project on cotton farms was revealed by state authorities in May.
There are many tech companies that claim their drone-based farming systems can increase farmers' yields - among them US-based PrecisionHawk and Airinov in France.
In Airinov's case, multi spectral cameras are used to analyze nitrogen absorption at particular stages of a crop's development, charted on what's known as the Zadoks growth scale.
This helps farmers work out the best time to add fertilizer and where it is needed most, reducing wastage of this expensive resource.
Multispectral sensors can record non-visible wavelengths, such as infrared radiation and ultraviolet light, as well as visible light, enabling them to identify nutrient deficiencies, pest damage, and water deficiency.
Drones may be automated but they still require humans to pilot, programme and service them, which raises the cost. But in developing countries where labour is cheaper, drones seem more commercially appealing.
Tags: Tech, Agriculture, Tech-farming, Drones
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