Agriculture

In a planet where at any point of time there is enough food to sustain for 60 days of nourishment, the process of monitoring the growth and harvest of large scale corporate farmlands is a new area of UAV services. AltBird has the resources to conduct the following activities-
  • Large scale mapping of corporate farmland and their borders
  • Crop health monitoring
  • Yield estimation studies
  • Disease and Pestilence Assessment (tracking locust and blight attacks)
The data from such operations helps in substantially reducing physical labour costs while also allowing for holistic and accurate prediction of yields, farm input performance and potential revenues.

Agri Solution

Agricultural drones help to achieve and improve what’s known as precision agriculture. This approach to farming management is based on observing, measuring, and taking action based on real-time crop and livestock data. It erases the need for guesswork in modern farming and instead gives farmers the ability to maximize their yields and run more efficient organizations, all while enhancing crop production. In recent years the cost of agriculture drones has rapidly declined, which has not only led to the explosion of drone use cases in agriculture but has made it a no-brainer investment for modern farmers. Driven by growing population levels and changing climate patterns, the need for efficient agriculture is only going to become more important. There are multiple uses for agricultural drones like scouting land and crops, checking for weeds and spot treating plants, monitoring overall crop health, managing livestock and monitoring for health issues and many more. Drones are equipped with technology like advanced delivery systems, propulsion systems, infrared cameras, GPS and navigation systems, programmable controllers, and automated flight planning. Plus, with custom-made data processing software any collected information can instantly be put to use towards better management decisions. Drones are transforming how agriculture and farming are done. By implementing drone technology, farms and agriculture businesses can improve crop yields, save time, and make land management decisions that’ll improve long-term success. Farmer’s today have a variety of complex factors that influence the success of their farms. From water access to changing climate, wind, soil quality, the presence of weeds and insects, variable growing seasons, and more. As a result, farmers can turn to high-level drone technology to help remedy these problems and provide fast and efficient solutions. Agricultural drones allow farmers to obtain access to a wealth of data they can use to make better management decisions, improve crop yields, and increase overall profitability. Farmer’s today have a variety of complex factors that influence the success of their farms. From water access to changing climate, wind, soil quality, the presence of weeds and insects, variable growing seasons, and more. As a result, farmers can turn to high-level drone technology to help remedy these problems and provide fast and efficient solutions. Agricultural drones allow farmers to obtain access to a wealth of data they can use to make better management decisions, improve crop yields, and increase overall profitability. Drones can be used to collect data related to crop yields, livestock health, soil quality, nutrient measurements, weather and rainfall results, and more. This data can then be used to get a more accurate map of any existing issues, as well as create solutions based upon extremely reliable data. The agriculture industry is no stranger to embracing changing technological trends to streamline business. The use of drones in agriculture is the next technological wave that’ll help agricultural businesses meet the changing and growing demands of the future. The use of drones in agriculture is here to stay! Drone technology can help to accomplish once time-consuming and difficult tasks, all while reducing costs across the board. You can expect the current uses of drones in agriculture to continue to evolve as the industry matures and new technology is introduced.

Common Usage

1. Soil and Field Analysis.

At the beginning, middle, and end of a crop cycle drones can be used to help obtain useful data surrounding the quality of the existing soil. By obtaining 3D maps of existing soil, you’ll be able to see if there are any issues surrounding soil quality, nutrient management, or soil dead zones. This information can help farmers determine the most effective patterns for planting, managing crops, soil, and more. Ongoing monitoring can help to better utilize water resources, and more effectively manage crop nutrient levels.

2. Seed Planting.

Drone planting is a relatively newer technology and not as widely used, but some companies are experimenting with drone planting. Essentially, manufacturers are experimenting with custom systems that have the ability to shoot seed pods into prepared soil. This technology helps to minimize the need for on-the-ground planting, which can be costly, time-intensive, and strenuous work. This same drone technology can be adapted and applied to a wide range of farm types, reducing overall planting times and labor costs across the board.

3. Crop Spraying and Spot Spraying.

Crops require consistent fertilization and spraying in order to maintain high yields. Traditionally this was done manually, with vehicles, or even via airplane. These methods are not only inefficient, and burdensome, but they can be very costly as well. With approval from the DGCA, Drones can be equipped with large reservoirs, which can be filled with fertilizers, herbicides, or pesticides. Using drones for crop spraying is much safer and cost-effective. Drones can even be operated completely autonomously and programmed to run on specific schedules and routes. For example, if there’s a fungus breakout in a certain section of the crops, drones can be used to spot treat the issue. With the speed at which drones can operate, you can diagnose and treat potential crop issues before they become a widespread issue across the entire farm. Spot spraying of crops used to be incredibly difficult. If you had an issue with weeds or a certain crop, the entire acreage would have to be sprayed. This is a huge waste of time and resources, as someone will have to walk the entire acreage, plus there are the overall costs of pesticides and the associated environmental cost of chemical usage. With spot spraying afforded by drones, this same task can be accomplished in less time, with fewer monetary resources, and a reduced environmental cost.

4. Crop Mapping and Surveying.

One of the biggest advantages of using drone technology is the ease and effectiveness of large-scale crop and acreage monitoring. In the past, satellite or plane imagery was used to help get a large scale view of the farm, while helping to spot potential issues. However, these images were not only expensive but lacked the precision that drones can provide. Today, you can not only obtain real-time footage but also time-based animation which can illuminate crop progression in real-time. With drone mapping and surveying, technology decisions can now be made based on real-time data, not outdated imagery, or best-practice guesswork. With near infrared (NIR) drone sensors you can actually determine plant health based upon light absorption, giving you a birds-eye view of the overall farm health. With agriculture drones you’ll be able to collect information like:
  • The overall crop and plant health
  • Land distribution based on crop type
  • Current crop life cycle
  • Detailed GPS maps of current crop area
The end result is simple, drones can help to maximize land and resource usage, and help farmers better determine crop planting locations.

5. Irrigation Monitoring and Management.

miles of irrigation, issues are bound to arise. Drones that are equipped with thermal cameras can help to spot irrigation issues, or areas that are receiving too little or excessive moisture. With this information, crops can be better laid out to maximize drainage, adhere to natural land runoff, and avoid water pooling, which can damage sensitive crops. Water and irrigation issues are not only costly but can ruin crop yields as well. With drone surveying, these issues can be spotted before they become troublesome.

6.Real-Time Livestock Monitoring.

Some drones are equipped with thermal imaging cameras that enable a single pilot to manage and monitor livestock. This allows farmers to keep track of livestock a much greater frequency, and with less time and staff investment. The drone operator can quickly check in on herd to see if there are any injured or missing livestock, as well as see livestock who are giving birth. Drones are used to keep an eye on the herd at all times, a once costly and time-intensive task. Plus, thermal imaging may also help to keep an eye out for any livestock predators (in relevant areas like the terai and close to forests) which can be a huge a

Application Areas

  • Surveys, Inspection, Environmental Impact Assessment
  • Mapping, Remote Sensing and Photogrammetry
  • Aerial Spraying / Crop Dusting
  • Crop Monitoring / Multipurpose Monitoring Applications
  • Multipurpose Sensor- based Monitoring Applications and Spectrometry
  • Identification of Erosion and Reservoir / Watershed Level Monitoring
  • Other Rural Planning Applications

Drone Platform Payloads

  • Imaging < 1kg
  • Video 1 kg to 5 kg
  • Spraying > 10 kg

Target Market / End Users

  • Farmers Produce Organizations
  • Contract Farming
  • Horticulture
  • Self Help Groups
  • Food
  • Farmer Cooperatives
  • Crop Insurance Companies
  • Government

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