The ever-evolving landscape of modern agriculture has undergone a profound transformation in the past few decades, thanks to cutting-edge technology that allows today’s growers to optimise every facet of their operations, from field spraying to grow cycles and crop health.
A significant contributor to this transformation is the advent of drones and other unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). These agricultural drones provide farmers with in-depth data analysis, mission planning capabilities, and innovative tools to handle physical tasks.
Whether you’re an independent farmer or a leader in a larger organisation, leveraging drone technology can propel you beyond your harvest goals, yielding more crops with fewer resources. The right UAV and payload can assist in two pivotal ways: efficient crop spraying and meticulous field mapping.
DJI’s Agras line of spraying drones is at the forefront of precision delivery, covering essentials like fertiliser, herbicide, fungicide, pesticide, seeds, and desiccants. Precise application is a constant challenge for growers; too much in one spot incurs extra costs, potentially compromising produce quality, while too little leaves crops susceptible to weeds, malnourishment, or pests, ultimately decreasing yield rates.
Employing the correct farming drones and spraying payloads can achieve even and efficient chemical distribution. The outcome? Enhanced crop quality and higher yields without the labour-intensive manual effort. DJI drones prove versatile, and are suitable for a wide range of crops, from rice and wheat to corn, citrus trees, cotton, and more.
If your crop is on the larger side, then the Agras T30 is the ideal solution, covering up to 40 acres per hour. It has a substantial 40kg capacity, a flow rate of up to 50kg per minute, a spreading width of seven meters, and an hourly spreading capacity of one ton for urea.
Precision agriculture and crop spraying
Drones aren’t just good for smart spraying and seeding but also play a pivotal role in mapping out areas and generating invaluable insights through precision agriculture data gathering, eliminating guesswork from the growing process.
Central to these capabilities is remote sensing technology, which detects ground radiation and tracks everything from physical characteristics to heat generation. Leading agricultural mapping drones take it a step further with multispectral imaging, capturing both visible and invisible light sensors within a specified range.
RGB maps provide a detailed view of your land, aiding in precise crop monitoring over time. Meanwhile, NDVI maps delve deeper by showcasing the amount of infrared light reflected in an area, indicating malnourishment and drought. This advanced data collection allows farmers to identify problematic crops weeks before visible signs emerge, a crucial tool for accurate yield rate predictions.
DJI Agras drones are not just tools; they’re precision instruments designed to revolutionise the spraying game
Precision application: Agras drones come equipped with state-of-the-art spraying systems, ensuring the precise and uniform application of pesticides, herbicides, and fertilisers. This precision minimises over-spraying, reducing chemical wastage and associated costs.
GPS guidance: Leveraging GPS technology, these drones navigate predefined flight paths with unmatched accuracy. Farmers can programme specific routes over their fields, guaranteeing complete coverage and eliminating the risk of missing areas or unnecessary double spraying.
Variable rate application: DJI Agras drones adapt their chemical application rates in real-time based on data and the unique needs of different areas within the field. This feature optimises resource usage, delivering the right amount of chemicals to each part of the crop, thus improving efficiency and reducing costs.
Farmers have the flexibility to customise spray patterns and nozzle configurations to match the requirements of different crops, growth stages, and field conditions. This adaptability allows for tailored solutions that maximise the effectiveness of chemical application. Equipped with sensors and cameras, Agras drones provide real-time feedback to operators. Farmers can monitor the spraying operation on a controller or mobile device, ensuring everything functions correctly and can make any necessary adjustments on the fly.
DJI Agras drones incorporate multiple fail-safe mechanisms, including automatic return-to-home functions in case of low battery or signal loss, reducing the risk of accidents and drone damage. The use of Agras drones significantly diminishes the need for manual labour in crop spraying, saving both time and labour costs. Fewer workers are required, allowing farm labour to be allocated to other essential activities.
DJI Agras drones cover large areas of farmland swiftly, enabling the completion of spraying operations in a fraction of the time compared to traditional methods. This time efficiency is especially valuable during critical periods such as planting and harvest. Data logging and reporting of important data related to the spraying operation, including flight paths, chemical usage, and other relevant information is stored and proves invaluable for record-keeping, regulatory compliance, and optimising future spraying operations.
By minimising chemical wastage and the environmental impact of over-spraying, Agras drones contribute to more sustainable and eco-friendly farming practices. Their precision, adaptability, and advanced technology make them indispensable tools in modern agriculture, helping farmers reduce operational costs while enhancing crop management practices’ effectiveness and sustainability.
Aerial crop monitoring
Switching gears, let’s explore how DJI Agras drones become invaluable tools for crop monitoring, particularly in regions like South Africa, which faces unique agricultural challenges:
Aerial imaging: Fitted with high-resolution cameras, Agras drones capture detailed aerial imagery of farmland, providing a valuable resource for assessing crop health, identifying potential issues, and monitoring overall crop development.
Early pest and disease detection: Grappling with various pests and diseases, South African agriculture benefits from Agras drones’ early detection capabilities. Detailed images captured from above allow farmers to take proactive pest and disease management measures, minimising the impact and reducing crop losses.
Yield prediction: Accurate yield prediction becomes crucial for planning harvesting and marketing strategies. Agras drones collect data that, when processed with advanced analytics, helps farmers estimate crop yields, aiding storage, transportation, and sales decisions.
Drought monitoring: In regions prone to drought, like South Africa, Agras drones are vital in monitoring soil moisture levels, assessing irrigation system effectiveness, and identifying areas at risk due to water shortages.
Soil analysis: Understanding soil conditions is fundamental to successful crop management. Equipped with sensors, Agras drones analyse soil properties such as pH levels and nutrient content, guiding farmers in making informed decisions about fertilisation and soil amendments.
Weed identification and management: A silent competitor for nutrients and water, weeds are efficiently managed with Agras drones. They help identify weed-infested areas, allowing farmers to control them more effectively reducing herbicide use and costs.
Irrigation management: Proper irrigation is critical for crop health and productivity. Agras drones monitor the effectiveness of irrigation systems by capturing imagery that reveals areas of over- or under-irrigation, leading to more efficient water use and cost savings.
Remote sensing: Covering large agricultural areas quickly, Agras drones provide comprehensive and up-to-date information without the need for time-consuming field visits, a particularly advantageous feature in expansive farming landscapes.
Data integration: The data collected by Agras drones seamlessly integrates into farm management software and systems. This integration facilitates better decision-making, comprehensive farm management, and streamlined operations.
Environmental sustainability: In alignment with the global shift towards sustainable agriculture, Agras drones assist farmers in reducing the environmental impact of their operations by enabling precision farming techniques, minimising chemical use, and conserving resources.
DJI Agras drones are vital assets for crop monitoring in regions like South Africa, offering farmers invaluable data and insights to optimise agricultural practices. These drones address pests, diseases, drought, and resource management challenges while promoting sustainability and cost-effective farming in diverse and dynamic agricultural environments.
Time Saving
Time, the heartbeat of agriculture, becomes a valuable resource that DJI Agras drones help farmers save in various ways:
Rapid field scouting: Drones cover large areas swiftly, providing farmers with up-to-date information without the need for time-consuming field visits.
Efficient data analysis: Advanced software processes drone-captured data such as plant health indices, in a fraction of the time it would take manually. Timely interventions based on drone data can prevent or minimise crop losses, ensuring continuous productivity and income.
Increased safety
DJI Agras drones improve safety in several ways such as reducing exposure to chemicals by automating spraying operations. In this way, farmers and workers minimise their exposure to potentially harmful pesticides and fertilisers. To avoid risky situations, farmers are now able to use drones such as the DJI Agri range to access hard-to-reach or hazardous areas, eliminating the need for workers to navigate dangerous terrain.
DJI Agras drones are not just fancy gadgets; they’re powerful tools that significantly reduce operational costs in agriculture while improving productivity and sustainability. Embracing this technology allows farmers to benefit from precision spraying, aerial crop monitoring, time saving, and increased safety. The long-term savings and improved crop yields make DJI Agras drones a smart choice for modern farmers looking to thrive in today’s competitive agricultural landscape. As technology continues to advance, it’s clear that DJI Agras drones will play an essential role in the future of agriculture.
Meet the DJI Agras T30
This is the farming sidekick that’s taking aerial spraying to a whole new level with its 30-litre spraying tank. This drone isn’t just a gadget; it’s like having a farming superhero in your fields, especially when giving extra love to those fruit trees. It’s not just about being cool; it’s about making your farming life much easier with some smart tech.
Picture this: a 30-litre spraying tank that’s not just for show – it’s a powerhouse that cranks up the efficiency of aerial spraying. And here’s the secret sauce – a transforming body that makes spraying more effective than ever, especially for those tricky fruit trees. Think about the yield boost and the fertiliser savings, all thanks to DJI’s digital agriculture solutions.
The T30 isn’t scared of obstacles or unpredictable weather. It’s got a spherical radar system that sees it all – obstacles, surroundings, and whatever else comes its way. Dust and light interference is a thing of the past. Plus, automatic obstacle avoidance and adaptive flight functions are on the case to ensure safe, smooth operations.
The T30 doesn’t just fly blindly. Dual FPV cameras give you clear front and rear views, letting you check the flight status without doing any mid-flight acrobatics. And for those nighttime operations, a bright searchlight doubles the drone’s night vision capabilities – because who says farming stops when the sun goes down?
The control module is fully enclosed for extra toughness. Critical components have not one, not two, but three layers of protection, and it’s rated IP67 for dust and corrosion resistance. This model is built for the long haul, handling pesticides, fertilisers, and whatever else you throw at it.
It folds by 80%, and the quick-snap locking mechanism, redundancies, and in-app alerts ensure you’re on the safe side during transport. Plus, it’s not just a flying machine; it’s got brains. The intelligent route mode plans the best route for each operation, showing you the liquid payload amount and estimated time until refill in real time. It’s like having a co-pilot that knows the fields better than you do. The remote controller supports stable image transmission up to 5km away, delivering visuals on a bright 5.5-inch screen, even in the glaring sun. And guess what? One remote can handle multiple