Unmanned Aircraft System (Drone) Usage in Agriculture

Overview 

Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) usage is increasing in the agricultural industry for both the private and commercial sectors. In June 2016, the Federal Aircraft Administration (FAA) responded to this development by publishing new regulations (14 CFR Part 107) and they continue to refine these regulations to reflect the growth in their popularity.   

Uses in Agriculture 

Many commercial agricultural companies and farms started using these systems for land management. One of their most popular features is the ability to capture a bird's-eye view of the landscape. The degree of image capture can vary from a standard camera to advanced models with multispectral cameras, such as the Normalized Difference Vegetative Index (NDVI) and near-infrared (NIR). These sensors allow operators to measure plant health so they can create targeted solutions for specific parts of a field. This technology helps farmers make useful decisions throughout the growing process from using custom variable rate application maps to checking dry down at harvest.

This technology is...