Drone field treatment: what it is, how it happens, pros and cons

Drones for agricultural work are equipped with a tank for solutions and a sprayer. With their help, they treat fields from pests or irrigate plants with fertilizers. By using drones in agriculture, 3 to 6% of the harvest can be saved. Since they move through the air, they do not injure plants, unlike tractors. Drone treatment can be done after rain. There is no need to wait for the soil to dry out. In this way, plants receive nutrients and protection from pests in time.

Useful capabilities of drones in agriculture

Plants are most susceptible to treatment at night. This is when substances penetrate the cuticle of the leaf and stem surface more quickly and deeply. Drones can work around the clock, and at night, to irrigate plants.

However, in addition to processing crops, drones have other useful functions:

• Quadrocopters detect pests in the fields and report the threat. They scare away insects and animals with ultrasound and the noise of rotating blades.
• Drones help farmers monitor plant health. They can take pictures, broadcast video in real time. Drones create thermal and topographic maps of fields
• Quadcopters are equipped with sensors that determine the level of plant health by the lengths of reflected and absorbed light waves. They record soil temperature and moisture.

How fields are treated with drones

The quadrocopter is remotely controlled through an application on a smartphone. The general method of working with an agricultural drone:

• Determine the starting point on the field.
• Install and start the RTK station, which corrects the GPS signal.
• Assemble the quadcopter.
• Check synchronization of the remote control with the drone, with the RTK station.
• The drone system is loaded with a map and flight route. Set the spraying mode of the drug.
• Refuel the drone with the crop treatment agent.
• Launch the drone and track its flight remotely via a mobile application, control it if necessary.
• Return the drone to the starting point, turn it off, re-fuel and replace the battery if necessary.

Pros and cons of using drones in agriculture

Pros:

• Fertilizers and preparations are introduced with a precise calculation, targeting the plants. Spraying occurs from a low height, so the solution is not blown by the wind in the inter-row or on someone else's field in the neighborhood.
• Treatment of plants is fast, as the drone can be refueled in a minute. It quickly flies around the area.
• Mapping, satellite navigation can be used to make the treatment effective.
• Tracking and monitoring of plant health, field conditions.

Cons:

• To use a drone, you need to learn the theory and practice.
• The drone covers a small area in one sortie.
• Not every terrain can be used the drone. It is required to learn in advance about the possibility of using drones.
• Drones are difficult to control in windy conditions.
• Need to ensure uninterrupted internet in the field.
• In an area where there are many large birds, there is a risk of the drone being shot down or broken.

If there are no obstacles to the use of drones, they become indispensable in the care of plants. In agricultural work, it is convenient to use a quadrocopter with removable batteries. While it flies, the spare batteries are charged. Thanks to this, the drone can work continuously.