What is an Agricultural Drone?

Agricultural drones are special types of drones used in performing various agricultural activities. The use of agricultural drones has grown over time due to emerging modern farming methods that have proved economical and efficient when using drones. 

The results of using drones in farming have become clearer and drone companies are coming up with even more sophisticated gadgets. This has also led drone accessory companies to invest more in making reliable agricultural drone batteries. 

Also referred to as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), agricultural drones are useful in the monitoring of large pieces of land. This is necessary due to factors such as land elevation and slope that may otherwise be too expensive without drones.

Benefits of Agricultural Drones

Agricultural drones are a good example when it comes to the issue of smart farming with less worry about the present limitations which are minimal or none. With agricultural drones, farmers can focus on precision farming for maximum yield as opposed to traditional farming methods. The use of drones in agriculture saves on labor, financial expenses, and other resources. The main benefits of using agricultural drones include: 

Photo Technology

By using aerial technology, agricultural drones are able to access inaccessible areas with ease. An agricultural drone surveys the farm and takes very high-quality photos that can be used for planning or even converted into 3D maps. This happens without having to disturb crops, the surrounding environment, or even the farmers. 

With this, farmers are then able to plan better on the planting patterns, and soil analysis and get updated on the development of their crops. By using agricultural drones, the farmers are also able to address challenges such as

• Pests and diseases 
• Unwanted visitors
• Weather 
• Crop yield
• Other factors

Monitoring and Data

Agricultural drones provide farmers with real-time coverage and photos enabling them to monitor pesticides and inspect irrigation equipment and fertilizers. Agricultural drones also help farmers in gathering environmental and plant information. This helps farmers in making informed and instant decisions regarding output, crop management as well as general crop health. 

The advanced agricultural drone technology will allow farmers to survey their crops precisely. This high-quality data about their crops helps in predicting the amount of yield in the coming seasons. By doing this, farmers can maximize their output and limit their expenses in planning for expansion every year. 

Fertilizer and Pesticide distribution

To maintain a high crop yield, plants require constant spraying and fertilization. While crop dusters tend to be expensive and risky for those on the ground and pilots, drones do not pose any risk and their cost is just a fraction of that of crop dusters. 

Another benefit of agricultural drones is the risk of crashing associated with planes. Planes flying at low altitudes with high speed can be a risk to those on the ground while performing crop dust. This is not the case with agricultural drones, they are safe and easy to operate. 

Drones are a good replacement for traditional crop dusters. This is because they can be equipped with huge reservoirs for herbicides, fertilizers, and pesticides. Using drones this way is not only faster and safer but also very cost-effective. 

Drones can not only disseminate fertilizers and pesticides. They also make it easy to conduct precise measurements of the health of the plant. This allows for controlled spraying of plants. This ultimately results in the reduction of volumes of chemicals used thus lowering the overall effect on the environment. 

Irrigation

Agricultural drones have sensors that can identify the specific parts of the field that may be receiving too much or little water. The agricultural drone will also conduct precise measurements of the plant health, crop density, and heat thus allowing for any adjustments that can be performed as the plants develop. 

Right from the beginning, you will be able to ensure maximum drainage, avoid water pooling as well as mitigate any unnecessary damage to the crops. 

Planting

With advanced technology, already some companies are in the early stages of experimenting with drone planting. This is a system that allows the agricultural drone in shooting pods with nutrients and seeds into the soil. This allows the farmer to start the process of growing without any need for labour or machinery. This becomes an efficient way of farming and brings down the cost of planting. 

These benefits ultimately bring efficiency to the whole farming process. This allows farmers to find out problems and solve them early enough even before they start. 

Preventing Agricultural Drone battery over-discharge

Proper Use: The drone battery is smooth before it starts discharging. Once the drone battery goes below 3.6V on every cell, the battery starts dropping at a faster rate. You should make proper use of the alarm device. Immediate the battery alarm beeps, the drone should be landed the soonest as possible. 

Safe storage: When storing the agricultural drone battery for some time, the battery should be stored between 10-25 degrees. You should not store it in a humid environment or at high temperatures. It should be kept at room temperature. 

The mixing of Agricultural Drone Batteries

This refers to the mixing of the old and new batteries with different battery levels. The main problem with this is that the drone battery performance will decrease. The battery endurance will become less, over-discharged battery and reduced service life of the drone battery. 

To ensure this does not happen when mixing agricultural drone batteries;

• Use drone batteries with the same number of cells
• Check the level of the battery before the flight and ensure they are of the same level
• The set of batteries used should be powered directly to reduce any mix-ups

Conclusion

It is no doubt that there are endless opportunities for agricultural drones. The increasing food shortages exposed by the recent pandemic can be averted by increasing food production using technological methods like the use of drones. 

If you are planning on an agricultural project using drones, we would like to be your partner in providing agricultural drones and drone accessories. With SPP batteries, you can be guaranteed quality with long warranty periods. Get in touch with us today and we will be happy to assist you.