URBANA, Ill. — The next wave of drone technology will give farmers the ability to look “under the canopy” at plant development while coordinating with ground robots to perform routine crop maintenance tasks, according to University of Illinois extension educator Dennis Bowman and Girish Chowdhary, assistant professor at its Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering.

 

During a recent podcast and Twitter chat, Chowdhary, an expert in field robotics and unmanned aerial systems (UAS), explained how ground robots and drones can work together to tackle field chores such as weeding, fertilizing and plant sampling.

“The real game changer will be when drones start working with autonomous ground equipment – small robots that can go under the canopy,” said Chowdhary. “Drones are really useful when the canopy closes because you can’t walk in that canopy.

“Unfortunately, a lot of the time, by the time (problems are) visible in the canopy it is often too late. Ground robots are small enough to drive between the rows and  to under the canopy.”

The burgeoning technology will provide farmers with a unique perspective on plant development and “more quickly and accurately find problems and causes,” said Chowdhary, who has worked in unmanned aerial system (UAS) technology since 2003 and joined the U of I staff in 2016. UAS and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology is also becoming more affordable as more competition enters the marketplace, and will soon offer greater endurance – or flight time between charges – as technology continues to advance.

“On-board processing will also improve, enabling drones to do more processing without having to go to the cloud,” he predicted.

Bowman noted drone technology is already allowing farmers to visualize crop nitrogen deficiencies, weed problems and drainage impacts, while providing historical seasonal perspectives on field performance through repeated flights.

“Early in the season you can see fields easily and cover a lot of acres on the ground. This time of year, when the corn is over your head and the soybeans are waisthigh, it gets hard to get out and see what’s going on across the entire field,” he said.

Emerging drone technology provides a “bigger picture” of what is going on in, and under, developing crop fields, added Bowman, before offering a primer for producers who are considering their first UAS or drone purchase. He explained there are two basic types of drones to consider: multi-rotor helicopter-type drones. or larger, fixed-wing UAVs that resemble small airplanes.

Each type of drone offers its own advantages. Multi-rotor UAVs require more energy to stay airborne, resulting in less battery time, but also tend to be smaller and better suited for close-in work and below-the-canopy viewing.

Fixed-wing drones carry bigger payloads, including batteries, cameras and sensors, and are currently better suited for most field applications, according to Bowman.

Unequipped, lower-end drones suitable for agriculture begin at around $500 per unit, but a farmer usually spends about $1,500 for a typical sensor-loaded model that performs well, he said. Survey-grade drones can cost as much as $40,000-$50,000 per unit.

Bowman also offered an update on the latest Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations affecting commercial drone operators (yes, most farmers will fall under that category). Commercial users must register with the FAA and obtain a “remote pilot in command” operator’s permit, or license, by passing a brief written exam.

The basic laws of commercial operation of drones require UAVs to not exceed 50 pounds in weight, and restrict flights to 400 feet in vertical height. Drones cannot be flown at night or during times of low cloud cover. The FAA has issued “Good Neighbor Policies” for drone operators, which he recommends for any user.

On the subject of below-the-canopy drones and ground robots, Chowdhary noted the technology would not only be of great interest to grain farmers, but also to seed breeders.

“Breeders can use ground robots and drones in tandem to improve the breeding process, leading to better seed and better productivity,” he pointed out.

You can hear the entire chat between Bowman and Chowdhary regarding drone and robotic technology in Agriculture, as well as changes to FAA regulations for drone operators, online at http://go.illinois.edu/drones