Drones could change how we cultivate, grow food

Drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and their integration with other technologies and management tools are stimulating a new agricultural revolution with opportunities not only for farmers and others involved with agricultural production, but educators, food processors, markets, and consumers. The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, the trade group that represents producers and users of drones and other robotic equipment, predicts that 80 percent of the commercial market for drones will eventually be for agricultural uses. Once the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) establishes guidelines for commercial use, the drone industry expects more than 100,000 jobs to be created and nearly half a billion in tax revenue to be generated collectively by 2025 - much of it from agriculture. Drones – which can be bought for $700 up to $20,000 and beyond – are equipped with infrared cameras, sensors, and other technology controlled by a pilot on the ground. The hovering aircraft can collect data that identifies insect problems, water issues, assesses crop yields, and even tracks down cattle that have wandered off. Growers can use UAVs to tailor the use of pesticides, herbicides, fertilizer, and other applications based on how much is needed at a specific point in a field – a process known as precision agriculture. This can save the grower money from unnecessarily overusing resources while at the same time reducing the amount of runoff that could flow into nearby rivers and streams. Furthermore, the aircraft can assist farmers to help with better planting and crop rotation strategies, and provide a higher degree of all-around knowledge of how crops progress day-to-day in different parts of a field. “The business is showing a rapid, steady, and significant interest from all around the world, not just in California,” said Ashutosh Natraj, co-founder of Vine Rangers in Santa Ynez, Calif. His company is a precision agriculture startup using drones and ground robots to gather data on vineyard crops...more