Although unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), also called drones, were originally developed for military purposes, they are now widely used in a number of industries. With an agricultural drone market of $1.3 billion, agriculture is now the second largest industry in terms of drone adoption after construction.
The future of agriculture drone software development looks promising: by 2026, analysts say the agricultural drone market will reach $6.52 billion and grow at a CAGR of 31.4%. Demand continues to increase as the cost of drones falls and drone software in agriculture becomes more sophisticated.
In this article, we'll look at the main benefits of using drones in agriculture, as well as their most spectacular uses. Read on to find out more!
Why use agriculture drone software development?
So what can drones do for agriculture? The answer to this question lies in increasing overall efficiency, but drones have much more than that. Because drones are becoming an integral part of smart (or "proper") farming, drones help farmers overcome various challenges, and various ways to achieve profits.
Most of these benefits come from eliminating all guesswork and reducing uncertainty. Agricultural success usually depends on many factors over which the farmer has little or no control: weather and soil conditions, temperature, rainfall, etc. Availability of accurate information in the near future.
This is where the use of drone technology can really change the game. With access to a wide range of data, farmers can increase yields, save time, reduce costs, and act with unmatched accuracy and precision.
The world as we know it today is fast-paced: changes, changes, and transformations happen almost in the blink of an eye. Adaptation is critical, and with population growth and global changes in weather conditions, farmers need to use next-generation technologies to address emerging challenges.
Drone technology
This is how drone technology works
To better understand the use of drones in agriculture, let's take a closer look at drone technology. Typically, drone designs include propulsion and navigation systems, GPS, sensors and cameras, programmable controls, and automated flight equipment.
Agricultural unmanned aerial vehicle technology is engineered to capture more accurate information than aircraft and satellites can gather. Drone-based agritech software processes the collected data and makes it available in an easy-to-read format.
In general, the agricultural drone data collection process consists of four logical steps:
- Flight parameter display: decipher and assess area to monitor and upload GPS information to drone navigation system.
- Autonomous flight: The UAV drone executes the flight pattern according to the predefined parameters and collects the necessary data.
- Upload data: The drone sends the recorded data for processing and analysis.
- Output information: after processing, the data is sent to farmers in an easy-to-read format. This report contains in-depth information that will incorporate better farm management solutions.
Why Should You Invest in Agriculture Software Development?
Agricultural drone best practices
The use of drones for precision agriculture is increasingly important because it can provide up-to-date information quickly and efficiently. The development of drone software and its overall availability are also reasons for the increasing use of drones. Now let's examine how drones can be used in agriculture in particular.
Soil condition assessment
Smart farming is based on data that allows farmers to take action based on accurate information about soil conditions. Obtain this data, which is used for physical field visits and manual collection of indicators. Equipped with intelligent agricultural sensors, drones can collect and transmit this data - faster and more precisely, of course.
Plant future crops
Soil is prepared for planting and drones shoot seeds instead of using outdated planting techniques. The use of drones for seeding is relatively new, but several companies are experimenting with this approach.
For example, DroneSeed is a startup that uses drone technology to grow crops - and more. Drones can also spray fields with water, fertilizer or herbicide, reducing the cost, manual labor and time required for this process.
Infection and pest control
Agricultural drones can not only inform farmers about soil conditions using thermal, multispectral and hyperspectral technologies, but can also detect field areas caused by weeds, infections and pests. Based on this data, farmers can determine the exact amount of chemicals needed to fight infection and not only help reduce costs, but also contribute to better field health.
Last thought
Agriculture drone software development has the potential to change modern agriculture in many ways. However, to fully benefit from this, farmers must go through a careful process of preparation – from evaluating business goals to deciding on the right stack of hardware and software features for drones.
In general, the development of agricultural drone technology is a complex task that requires a partnership with a trusted third-party drone hardware and software solution provider.
