4-H

Drone Technology Aiding Farmers

Deborah K. Cochard
April 13, 2021

Drones or UAVs (Unmanned Ariel Vehicles) are handy technologies to help in various ways. Farmers can use drones to see their plant stand count. New research is coming out that will help determine the cost and benefit of replanting. Drones can also help scout and assess planting patterns to make sure that seeders and fertilizers are all working properly with all of their sprayers working well. Drones can be useful throughout the growing season to see plant health. Some drone software can help to determine plant health with the different colors.

Drones can be used in other ways. Some drones are used to look at watersheds and learn how flooding and drainage places are doing. Drones can help determine where waterways need to be worked on or checked on for management.

Drones can also be used for invasive plant management. Invasive plants usually get and stay green longer than native plants, so drone imagery can be used to see where invasive plants are in a forest system. Then plans for eradication can be easily made by looking at the drone maps.

Drones are sometimes used for seeding hard to reach valleys and hills in areas that it is tough for machinery to get into. Purdue Extension Hancock County has a drone that we use to help farmers learn the technology and to take photos of areas that have invasive species growing. Let us know if you have any questions about this cool technology!