Timely and relevant information focused on utilization of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) and other Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) in agriculture and farming operations.
Financial research firms estimate that the use of UAV technology in agriculture will account for a huge share of the UAV/UAS market in the coming years. Recently the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released a document of proposed rules regarding use of UAVs commercially. The guideline apply to UAS under 55 pounds in weight. First of all, the operator of the system must meet some guidelines. The operator must be over 17 years of age, pass a knowledge test and obtain a operator certificate. This will cost about $150. As far as the flight goes, the maximum altitude to which the UAV can ascend to is 500 feet. Also, the UAS must travel at a speed no more than 100 mph. Finally, the vehicle must remain in the visual line of sight of the operator. This is a big one. The operator (person in control of the UAV) must have his or her eyes on the system at all times. No flying over hills and on the other side of treelines where they UAS cannot be seen by the person in control. In my opinion that will be somewhat of a hurdle to full-bore adoption of UAV technology into the agricultural area. Farms are expansive and may often be criss-crossed by fence rows and treelines. Maybe as technology improves and time passes, the line-of-sight restriction will be relaxed or removed. Only time will tell.
These proposed rules are progress for sure. It should serve to gradually bring this exciting technology into the field of agriculture in safe manner. It will be interesting to see how UAS technology will be incorporated into agriculture in the next few years.
A more detailed analysis can be found at this link.
The FAA is still having a tough time coming up with rules and regulations for commercial (and agricultural) use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Recent news is that one entity has been given some degree of approval for commercial use of a UAV for crop scouting.
Current regulations would allow for a tethered (tied to the ground) device as long as it doesn't exceed a height of 150'. Under this height, it could operate autonomously, and even continuously if desired. There may be a market out there for such a device for agricultural use.
What would be an application in the UAV/UAS world that would revolutionize agriculture? There are lots of answers I'm sure, depending on who you ask.
One area that seems, to me, to be a significant area of application is that of spraying herbicides and pesticides. With a UAV it would be possible for precise application that could be done in a variety of conditions. No more waiting on the ground to dry out so that you can run a spray rig over it. No more calling the local aerial applicator and getting on their waiting list.
Let's look at a real-world example. Suppose you have problem with herbicide-resistant weeds, specifically Pigweed (Amaranthus palmeri). Right after a period of rain, the seeds that have been scattered by the wind are apt to really take hold and sprout quickly. You catch the problem patches in many of your fields because you are able to make a quick round of flights with a UAV, spotting invasive patches of these destructive weeds in their infancy. If you can get a herbicide on them early they can be more easily killed. If you wait more than a few days, likely they will be tough to get rid of, time to get the hoe out. So your options are to get out your sprayer or call the aerial folks to get the problem fields sprayed immediately. Option one is a no-go, the fields are still too wet to travel on. So you call the aerial service and get on their waiting list. May end up being a few days before they get to you, plus you will probably get a little more broader spray coverage than you really need. By the time the herbicide gets there, it may be too late. Too bad you don't have a UAV capable of spraying herbicide. If you had one you could make note of the GPS coordinates of the problem areas, take the UAV to the field, fill it up with some herbicide and water and then let it take care of business. The weeds could be eliminated a matter of hours after sprouting.
Currently the application of herbicides or pesticides via UAV or even remote-controlled systems is not permitted. As technology develops and safety features improve, expect to see UAV systems spraying herbicides in a field near you.
I dug up a couple of videos of these sorts of applications.
Here is one showing a small multicopter doing some lighter spray work. Ideal for small farms, wineries, orchards and vegetable farms.
Here is a much more "industrial" unit. This copter is capable of much larger payloads and coverage of larger acreages. It appears that this sprayer is still remote-controlled, but autonomous control would be easily attainable.
Look for UAV applications such as crop spraying to materialize in the U.S. within the next decade if not earlier. Safety is key. More precise application, less chemicals, improved coverage and quicker response times are clear advantages!
As an agricultural engineer I'm always interested in new movements, especially related to equipment, in agriculture. Over the last few months and years there have been a drive underway to adapt a military technology, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), for use in the private sector. There is lots of potential to use this technology to make our lives easier and more efficient. One obvious application would be in agriculture. UAVs are suited to cover large expanses of land in a rapid manner, gathering information along the way. Agriculture has become more and more about information, especially with the advent of Precision Agriculture and all of it's trappings. Up until now, aerial images have been gathered by either using satellite images or aircraft. Both require a good amount of investment in time and resources. UAVs have the potential to become the standard vehicle by which to take aerial images. These images can also be used to evaluate plant stress, count cattle, track predators or monitor assets. Use of this technology in agriculture is in it's infancy and will continue to mature, grow and develop in the coming months and years.
My hope is that I can provide you with information and insight from the eyes an agricultural engineer who has worked on a farm and has interest in seeing UAV technology be a useful tool for farmers and producers.
