Drones May Improve Agricultural Practices, Increase Efficiency

Jan 11, 2017

The use of drones has evolved from a hobby to military use and now to agriculture. Farmers are using drones to inspect their crops, detect diseases and deliver chemicals.

This technology is expected to increase crop yields and save growers time and money. The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International predicts that 80 percent of drones in the commercial sector will be used for agriculture, according to USA Today.

Drones are a part of a practice known as “precision agriculture,” using big data to improve agricultural practices and efficiency. This technology is used alongside unmanned tractors and satellite technology to manage crops on a field-by-field basis. The use of drones already has increased yield confidence and reduced crop damage.

Drones are still in their infancy in terms of working with big-data agriculture. They are expected to collect more diverse and higher levels of data in the future, including tracking individual crops and inch-by-inch resolution of soil health.

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Video: Residue Management

Residue Management conservation practice manages the amount, orientation, and distribution of crop and other plant residue on the soil surface year-round while limiting soil-disturbing activities used to grow and harvest crops in systems where the field surface is tilled prior to planting. This video explores how Ryan McKenzie implemented this conservation practice on his farm in Samson, Alabama.

Practice benefits:

• Increases organic matter

• Improves air quality

• Decreases energy costs

• Reduces erosion

• Improves soil health

The Conservation at Work video series was created to increase producer awareness of common conservation practices and was filmed at various locations throughout the country. Because conservation plans are specific to the unique resource needs on each farm and also soil type, weather conditions, etc., these videos were designed to serve as a general guide to the benefits of soil and water conservation and landowners should contact their local USDA office for individual consultation.