The world of agriculture could see a significant shift in the next decade. Using aircraft to spray crops has been a method available to farmers for a long time, and now that task could become easier. Drone technology has evolved, and some farmers in South Africa are finding it useful for their crops. Could the rest of the world find this technology beneficial?
Crop-spraying drones are taking the difficult and laborious parts of farming and making them more manageable. These drones can hover over a field of crops and spray fertilizer, seeds, pesticides, or whatever farmers need to do. People have been using aerial technology for their crops for about a century. Crop Scouting With Drones
In 1922, the United States conducted the first crop dusting flights in Dayton, Ohio, using U.S. Army technology. Historians consider Abraham Karev to be the father of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) because of his drone invention in the 1970s.
By the 1980s, companies like Yamaha were making drones for agricultural use. Since then, the technology has evolved further, and farmers are starting to reap the benefits.
These drones can positively change farming’s future. Some of the benefits of crop-spraying drones include:
Drone technology for agriculture is starting to expand to other parts of the globe. Crop-dusting drones are becoming the next big thing in agriculture to make farming easier. Here are some countries taking advantage of this UAV technology:
The future of farming looks to be in the hands of crop-spraying drones. All six continents with people produce food and all 8 billion people on Earth need that food to survive. Farmers are finding more efficient ways to produce crops as the population grows. One beneficial way is by using UAV technology.
With crop-spraying drones, farmers can target their crops better with fertilizer and pesticides, save money, and reduce their carbon footprint. These technologies have become popular in South Africa, and countries on other continents are beginning to utilize them, too.
Drone Irrigation Agriculture Jane is an agriculture and environmental journalist and the founder and editor-in-chief of Environment.co, where she covers sustainability and eco-friendly living.