It’s a bird, it’s a plane...no, it’s a drone

The use of drones in agriculture can ultimately assist or replace what is now used to monitor crops, through satellite, by manned planes or physically walking through the fields. Drones, or Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), are unmanned aircraft that have been used by the military for many years to assist with surveillance and intelligence. Although unmanned, they are piloted by trained crews at bases who analyze the information that is seen on the drone’s cameras and then take action accordingly. Drones are also used by law enforcement and other government agencies to seek information, and patrol and monitor areas, such as those with wildfires or those areas along the U.S. border. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), through their Unmanned Aerial Systems Working Group (UASWG), are currently examining the use of drones for agricultural purposes. The group is looking into the use of drones and agriculture, along with other industries the department regulates. “We started the group last year and they are still looking into the use and viability of drones,” said Erin Gillespie, press secretary for the department. Drones make a lot of sense for the agricultural industry as they can perform a lot of labor intensive tasks in faster time, such as reviewing insect problems, assessing moisture, inspecting watering issues, checking out crop yields or tracking farm animals, such as cattle or sheep who may have strayed. Also, applications like pesticides and fertilizers can be monitored and, ultimately, be reduced, due to the precision-agriculture that drones can allow. Landscapes could also be mapped making it easier to plan and plot. Furthermore, farmland can range great distances and drones can cover these areas in a faster amount of time. Since the areas are not heavily populated, there are less privacy issues than there would be in heavily populated areas...more