Drones may start being used to locate and penalize farmers that let their soil run off their fields. A complaint was made by a group who stated that the Environment Agency is only able to check soil on 0.5% of farms annually.  The report stated that drones can be used to spot bad farming practices, which could cost billions of dollars every year and clog rivers thereby contributing to floods.

The Angling Trust, Rivers Trust, and WWF put forth this proposal and they were supported by the RSPB (Wildlife Charity). Their introductory briefing had previously been seen by Michael Gove, the Environment Secretary.  The groups stated that bad farming practices were the main reason for the deterioration of the health of rivers in the UK, and was also a major contributory factor to floods. They believe that if the country invests in preventing soil loss, it would reap the benefits many times over.

Because the Environment Agency implementation of soil protection is under-funded, bad farming practices are common in remote areas that are difficult to spot.  The problem is especially serious in the West Country where many farm owners grow maize on steep fields. The crops are extensively spaced and the uncovered soil is subject to running off during heavy rains.

Another problem that needs the attention of the agency is the overstocking of livestock. The situation can also create a deposit which could block water from entering into the soil, also causing flooding.  In Herefordshire, a test drone was used for surveillance to prevent soil loss. The drone focused on maize and potatoes because these crops are prone to draining the soil thereby causing it to likely run off.

During the test, the Environment Agency moved its restricted budget to drones. The drone was able to identify land fields most susceptible to soil loss during heavy rain.  Usually, the agency would only respond to severe cases of soil loss, but drones allow them to view more areas faster and more efficiently.

What the agency really needs is support from the treasury. The investments run into millions of pounds but the reward is expected to be in the billions. These potential returns will benefit the water companies, local councils and society as a whole.  The proposal will also allow diverse farming practices in various locations. It will enable farmers in different parts of the country to be incentivized and revert their lands to woodlands or pastures.

Farmers that are guilty of allowing their soil to run off their fields can be advised and assisted on ways to resolve these issues. But if they continue to disobey the regulations, they will be prosecuted or possibly lose farm grants. This is just another way that drones are helping protect the environment and we can expect more drone technology like this to increase.

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