18 per cent of UK agricultural businesses have utilised drone technology and they are being used to survey fields, distribute pesticides and some farms have even started to use them in place of a sheepdog.
The agricultural robotics and drone market is expected to be worth $10bn (£7.54bn) by 2022.
Since the early 1990s, Japan has been using unmanned helicopters to spray rice fields and autonomous drones have also been providing detailed aerial photographs and video. This can be of benefit to farmers for collecting data, reviewing crops as well as in agricultural land sales.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has recently relaxed drone use regulations surrounding UK drone usage for commercial trials, in response to requests from Amazon to trial its Prime Air delivery service.
Lower regulatory barriers for drones could see the market increase to $485m (£365.52m) in agriculture by 2026, according to an IDTechEx research report.
Read article in full: FG Insight
Agriculture is expected to be the largest market for the use of unmanned aircraft systems so we are talking about billions and billions in potential cost savings and efficiency to farmers and environmental benefits.
Posted by: Jaiban | Sep 13, 2016 at 07:31 PM
I have been considering branching in to the Drone Technology world for some time now, it has an appreciable use for landscape photography and in general I think the application of drones use has a very far reaching benefit for all businesses, we are only just starting to scratch the surface in its use. However, with most new technologies as they find there way in to the public domain the legislation and regulation is quick to follow. I worry that the true benefit drones can bring to any business will be neutered for the sake of Health & Safety directives.
Posted by: Geoff | May 10, 2017 at 12:15 PM