Drones Are Playing An Increasingly Important Role In Agriculture

Drone flying over field at sunset

getty

Drones of various types are playing an increasingly prominent role in modern society. This trend has been enabled by a convergence of technical advances in terms of the sophistication and functionality of controls, sensors, data handling, power, flight efficiency, and payload capacity. Drones are now playing a particularly notorious and destructive role in international conflict, but enhanced drone capacities are also allowing them to play a more constructive societal role in the food supply. However, the agricultural use-pattern sometimes involves a “war” of sorts in which the enemies are crop pests like weeds, insects and diseases.

Why The Ag-Drone Market Is “Hot”

There is a now decades-long movement in farming called Precision Agriculture which involves a process of detecting and mapping the significant spatial variation within any given field in terms of yield, stress, pest threat, nutrients etc. This detailed information is then used to direct equipment that is capable of “variable rate” application of inputs or refined implementation of other cultural steps such as seeding. Drones are a perfect fit for this approach to farming and support its economic and sustainability advantages.

Drones for Monitoring and Mapping

Precision planting, spray or fertilization steps are typically guided by a map generated using a small, surveillance-type drone. This is an area of active innovation, an example of which is the AgEagle Aerial Systems (NYSE: UAVS) which has recently rebranded as EagleNXT. CEO Bill Irby affirms the idea that the agricultural drone market is “hot” and that it is projected to hit a global market value of $8 Billion by 2029 . Their system can collect data images for mapping under any ambient lighting conditions and use those in a “series analysis” that tracks key trends. This is based on technologies such as “Calibrated Reflectance Pannels” and a “Down-welling Light Sensor (DLS2).”

They also recently introduced a “multispectral” camera, the RedEdgeP-Green, drone that scans three specific light wavelengths that comprise “noise resistant, data-rich” spectral bands. This data is then used to track key plant color components including chlorophyl, carotenoids and flavonoids and use that to generate a “Plant Senescence Reflection Index” that can guide something called “smartharvesting”. These sensors are also good at detecting a fungal disease called powdery mildew. EagleNXT makes its own brand of drones and software, but this new sensor system can be used on at least 150 drone models made by various other players.

Payload Carrying Drones

There are also drones that can also carry out some of the tasks that traditionally involve tractor-drawn equipment. There is a Texas-based manufacturing company called Hylio that was started by students at the University of Texas in Austin in 2015. They went through a product refinement stage in Central America and have since become one of very few companies that is expanding their manufacturing capabilities in the US for this sort of payload-bearing drone. Hylio is striving to do as much of their manufacturing as possible within the US, but a limiting factor is the intensifying global competition for the lithium needed for batteries.

Hylio offers a range of rotary-blade ag drone models. Its popular ARES model has a payload capacity of 13 gallons and can cover up to 70 acres/hour; their upcoming ATLAS model is projected to carry 30 gallons. . Hylio has sold over 1000 drones and the existing stock of spray drones of all types in the US is in the range of 7-10,000. Their initial sales were mostly to “early adopter” farmers but increasingly the drones are being purchased by the commercial field-operator service providers. There is a lot of demand for these drone services because it can be hard to schedule a spray involving manned-aircraft, and timing can be critical for many of the pests (e.g. an early stage of a disease breakout, insect pest hatch or invasive weed germination).

Customer Experience

Andy Kreikemeier is a service provider in Nebraska who uses Hylio drones for his farmer clients. He is also often called in by the dealerships that do custom ground or air applications for farmers but who need his help during busy parts of the season. He confirms the observation that the propellor “downwash” from the drone actually helps with crop spray coverage and reduces drift. Many of his customers are needing spot weeding of “invasives” or herbicide tolerant “escapes” – both of which are ideal jobs for a drone. Another common target is a mid-season fungal infection for which timing is critical. Sometimes there is a need for spays in pasture settings.

Technologies such as this are often cited as a positive in terms of attracting young people to get involved in farming, but Andy Kreikemeier found that many of the oldest farmers he works with are fascinated by the potential.

Moving Forward

These are exemplary technology offerings that can enable farmers to implement “precision ag” methods. They also help to address agriculture’s challenges in terms of labor supply and generational change.