Use of drone technology in precision agriculture has gained popularity in recent years, however there are still legislative barriers preventing widespread adoption, something that Agri-EPI and the Connected Places Catapult explored in a recent webinar.
Currently drones can be used for surveying, mapping, crop monitoring and disease detection. But advances in technology mean autonomous crop pesticide applications could be a reality – if the regulations keep up.
“Precision technology can tackle key agricultural challenges – using variable-rate and precise application can reduce spray use and improve yields,” the ecosystem director at the Connected Places Catapult, Hannah Tew, said.
However, in the UK the Sustainable Use Directive 14 forbids aerial spraying, including through the use of drones – although there is a derogation available through the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
“We’re heading into the fourth agricultural revolution and things are changing rapidly, but chemicals will still be around for a while,” HSE policy officer Bryn Bircher said. “There’s the issue of drift; we know there can be a lot of drift with a boom sprayer, but we don’t know the effect of drift from drones yet.”
Some drones already boast an impressive time saving during spraying, according to Robert Pearson of Auto Spray Solutions.
“A drone with a 20-litre tank can cover 15ha an hour,” he explained.
Jack Wrangham at Drone Ag said it was important to remember that drones were not replacing conventional systems.
“People will only use the drone if it’s better for the job than the conventional way,” he added, pointing out that it wasn’t just spraying that drones could be useful for. “They could be used for mapping, applying solid fertiliser, seeds and slug pellets. Farmers can get field reports in minutes, just from flying a drone across the field – close-up imagery can be used for crop uniformity and accessing the severity of weed patches. This could inform variable-rate applications, so chemicals are only applied where necessary.”
Regulatory challenges aside, the HSE is working alongside the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to establish what can be done to make drone operations safe.
“It’s possible to apply for a permit that will be unique to each business,” Mr Bircher said. “We want to support new tech, and I hope we can do so with the existing legislation.”
