The application of drones in agriculture has been immense and well documented. From the sprawling farms of Texas to the arid areas of Nigeria, drones are transforming agriculture. However, England has taken it to the next level with a hectare of land which is being operated fully by automated machines, from the land preparation to planting and the harvesting.

New Era of Agriculture Is Here

The one-hectare land is in Newport, Shropshire and is set to harvest barley soon, all through cutting-edge technology. It is a project by Hands Free Hectare, a group of researchers from Harper Adams University. This is just one of the many farms all around the world that have gladly welcomed new drone technology and integrated it into their farming practices. This growing trend is known as precision farming and it relies on automated machines to perform human tasks, albeit more efficiently. These machines collect lots of data on soil, detect crop diseases and the impact of the various climatic conditions.

Farmers then use this to pinpoint the problem affecting their crops and tailor their farming methods to suit the crops they have planted giving them better yields.  Precision farming aims to help farmers meet the food demands of a growing population at a time when the climatic conditions have continued to worsen. This market is expected to grow to $4 billion in 2018, with drones being hailed as the most important tools in precision farming.

The Versatility of Farming Drones

The applications of drones are many, from land preparation to monitoring and harvesting. In the Shropshire farm, the drones begin by surveying the plot before planting to ascertain that the conditions are optimum for the crops. They gather data through aerial photos and collecting sample grains directly from plants to tell whether the time for harvest is due. This automated system is not only more efficient but also saves up on the costs.

One of the biggest applications of drones in agriculture is multi-spectral imaging on farms. This application uses sensors to detect wavelengths of light that the human eye is incapable of seeing. It reveals important aspects of farming such as the extent of the spread of a disease or a pest invasion. It can also be used to check on the nutrient deficiencies in the soil, giving farmers a very accurate finding of all aspects of the crops.

Drones Making Farming More Attractive

The use of drones and other such technology in agriculture are leading to a higher crop yield but they have another effect too. Farming is being made ‘cool’ by these technological advances and it’s attracting people whom it previously weren’t interested. People who despised farming before, especially the youth, are now getting into farming at record rates.