How Drone Technology is Transforming Soil Analysis and Crop Monitoring

In India, the issues faced by farmers regarding their income are a topic of discussion. Changing weather patterns, increasing costs, and declining soil fertility have posed new challenges to farmers. At a time when "Digital India" and "Smart Agriculture" are gaining popularity, drones are becoming increasingly common in the agricultural industry.

The use of drones was previously limited to the military and the film industry. However, it is now being rapidly adopted in agriculture, predominantly for checking soil quality and crop monitoring.

A drone is a pilotless aerial device with sensors, cameras and GPS technology. It can take pictures of the fields from above, create videos and analyze the field's condition. A drone can do a complete survey of a large field in just a few minutes, which can take quite a few days for a farmer to do on foot.

The cameras, thermal sensors, and multispectral imaging systems installed in the drone can assess the moisture, temperature, nutritional level and health of the plants in the soil.

The soil fertility in India is continuously declining, primarily due to the indiscriminate use of fertilizers and farming practices rooted in traditional knowledge. It is essential to understand soil health so that the appropriate amount of fertilizer and water can be applied.

• Multispectral sensors: These sensors analyze the soil condition at different wavelengths. With this, it can be determined which nutrients are lacking in the soil.
• Moisture Assessment: Drones are used to assess the moisture present in the soil in several parts of the field. This can avert wastage of water and evade drought conditions.
• Detection of Soil Erosion and Degradation: With drones, one can also detect where erosion is occurring in the field, allowing for its prevention.
• Monitoring Soil Temperature: Temperature is a significant factor for several crops. Drones can quickly provide information about soil temperature, enabling farmers to make informed decisions.

Crop monitoring includes observing the growth, health and condition of the crop, along with any signs of ailment or pest attacks. It plays a vital role in improving agricultural production.

Early Detection of Pests and Diseases

By analyzing high-resolution images taken from drones, it can be determined whether any ailment or pest has affected the crop. With this, farmers can apply pesticides at the right time.

Assessment of Crop Growth

Information about the crop growth speed can be obtained from drones. From this, it can be determined whether the crop needs any added nutrients.

NDVI Index (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index)

This is a technical measurement that indicates the health and vitality of the crop. NDVI can be analyzed through pictures taken from drones.

Yield Estimation

With drone data, it can be assessed how much yield is likely to be from which farm. With this, farmers can plan the sale and storage of their crop.

The nature of agriculture in India is diverse, ranging from drought to flood, from rich soil to saline land. A technology that can work similarly well in all areas will be called a boon.

• Pradhan Mantri Kisan Drone Yojana: Under this scheme, farmers are given a subsidy to buy or rent drones.
• Training at Krishi Vigyan Kendra and FPO: Several KVKs and FPOs are being trained in drone operation to assist local farmers.
• Drone Companies: Now, several private startups and agritech companies are renting drone-based services to farmers and farmers can take advantage of them.

• Time-saving: A drone can monitor acres of land in just a few minutes, which otherwise can take several days. In this way, drones can help farmers save a significant amount of time.
• Reduction in Labour Cost: There is less requirement for workers in crop inspection, spraying, etc. When there is less need for labourers, it automatically reduces the cost associated with labour.
• Precision Farming: Drones help in accurate analysis of how much fertilizer, water and pesticide are required in which field. By doing this, farmers can increase yields even from small amounts of agricultural land.
• Environmentally Friendly: With the help of drones, farmers can use fewer pesticides, which helps in environmental protection. Chemical fertilizers and pesticides, when applied in large amounts to soil and water bodies, can increase the chances of environmental pollution. When an adequate amount of fertilizers and pesticides is sprayed, with the help of drones, it will reduce the chances of environmental pollution
• Preventive Agricultural Management: Preventive action is likely for crop ailments or water management. If preventive measures are taken in a timely manner, farmers can reduce the likelihood of plants being affected by diseases and thus manage their crops more effectively.

Though drones are a groundbreaking technology for the agriculture sector, they also face some challenges:

• High Initial Cost: The cost of drones can be anywhere between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 10 lakh, which is expensive for small farmers.
• Lack of Technical Knowledge: Farmers, especially in rural areas, do not know how to operate drones or read data.
• Limit of Battery and Flight Time: Most drones fly for 20-30 minutes at a time. Therefore, drones can stay in the air for a limited time that may not be sufficient for completing agricultural applications. However, there are many innovations happening in the direction of improving the battery capacity of drones.
• Regulatory Hurdles: Getting permission from DGCA, drone registration and no-fly zones are also hurdles for farmers. But abiding by all the rules of the DGCA is mandatory for commercial drone operations

Despite these challenges, the government and the private sector are finding solutions, including drone-as-a-service models, training programs and loan/subsidy schemes.

It is no hyperbole to say that drone technology is still in its early stages in the agricultural sector, but it has immense potential and is poised to grow stronger in the near future. These are the primary reasons why drones have a promising future in the agricultural sector.

• Integration with AI and IoT:  With ongoing innovations in the field of technology, drones are getting smarter and smarter with artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things (IoT).

• Drone-based Spraying: Spraying of pesticides, fertilizers and biofertilizers will now be done by drones, saving both cost and time.

• Data Analytics: One can also predict farming occurrences by analyzing the data obtained from drones. When occurrences are predicted, one can take the necessary actions as needed.

• Customized Drone Design:  Now, when drones have found their feet in agriculture and are turning out to be powerful tools, there are drones tailor-made for agriculture, keeping in mind India's geography and climate.

With the collaboration of the government, startups, and farmers, drones will reach every farm and then the dream of “Digital India, Samriddh Kisan” will be fulfilled. With drones becoming increasingly common, there is a growing demand for trained drone pilots in India. If you want to become a drone pilot for exploring the world of agriculture, you can enroll at Flapone Aviation. Don’t wait long and come to us; you'll surely be able to live your dream.