and minimising potential environmental impacts . Highlights of the major applications of drones in agriculture are as follows :
Aerial Field Mapping
Field Mapping methodology using drones has revolutionised the agriculture industry by providing precise , high-resolution imagery data that enhances agricultural management and decisionmaking processes . Drones can provide detailed 3D maps for soil analysis , helping operators in the agricultural sector make informed decisions about efficient irrigation and strategic soil management .
Drones equipped with advanced sensors , including RGB cameras , multispectral cameras or LiDAR sensors , can capture rich data to provide managers with multiple data outputs such as 3D Models , Orthomosaic images , Multispectral data , Digital Terrain Models and more , enabling them to create accurate maps of their fields , monitor their plantation sites — including the borders — for land utilisation ( via soil analysis ), land terrain setup and water stressed areas .
Thermal cameras on drones can also identify areas of the agricultural site that need more water , helping plantation operators optimise their irrigation systems . The status of a plantation can be obtained more quickly and easily . The use of drones for aerial mapping reduces the need for manual field inspections , saving time and labour costs while increasing the accuracy of data collection .
The integration of Real-Time Kinematics ( RTK ) modules in drones ensures centimetre-level accuracy in terms of geospatial information , which is essential for precision agriculture .
Overall , the strategic application of drones in aerial field mapping can create detailed
maps of agricultural sites , including topography , crop distribution and variations , enabling great improvements in efficient resource management , boosting crop yields , and improving precision farming techniques resulting in a positive outcome in sustainable agricultural practices worldwide .
Crop Monitoring Specialised agricultural drones equipped with multispectral , thermal and visual cameras can effectively monitor crop health and assess plant growth and development while also helping to identify issues like potential crop diseases and pest infestations . Multispectral and thermal imaging is a transformative technology in agriculture — it provides critical insights into crop health and soil conditions . Multispectral sensors normally provide five wavelengths data : Red , Green , Blue , Red Edge and Near-Infrared . Drones equipped with multispectral and thermal cameras can capture data in these wavelengths which can then be used to calculate vegetation indices to estimate crop health since crops perform photosynthesis differently under different health conditions . The data is used to generate vegetation indices such as the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index ( NDVI ) which greatly helps agricultural operators and managers to quickly assess their crop health and detect diseases , allowing rapid decisionmaking in the optimisation of their irrigation , fertiliser and pesticide application practices . Multispectral , thermal and visual imaging allow for the early detection of crop stress , enabling timely interventions that can prevent probable yield losses .
Another useful application of drones is in estimating crop yields by analysing plant height ,
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