What does agricultural drone spraying of 66.7 million hectares mean to the planet?

The United Nations has predicted that the global population will reach 9.7 billion by 2050. As global warming and energy shortage intensifies, humans are facing unprecedented challenges on multiple fronts such as food, energy, and water supply. This has given rise to the pressing need for green and sustainable agricultural practices.   In 2021, DJI pilots have completed agricultural missions covering a total of 66.7 million hectares of farmland. Besides greater machine efficiency, what else have we contributed to the ecosystem and its sustainable development? Greener Practices Reduced carbon emissions by 3.43 million tonnes Climate change, which has triggered a series of environmental issues such as melting glaciers and rising sea levels, is impacting each of our lives. One of the ways of tackling the climate crisis is by reducing carbon emissions. To this end, China has committed to achieving peak emissions by 2030 and carbon neutralization by 2060. DJI Agriculture is echoing these goals by exploring ways to limit carbon emissions. In plant protection operations, replacing traditional machines with drones can reduce carbon emissions by 51.45 kg CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent) per hectare.[1] For 66.7 million hectares, that’s equal to 3.43 million tonnes of CO2e. 3.43 million tonnes carbon emissions is equivalent to Carbon absorbed by 161 million trees in a year Carbon emissions from 1.27 million vehicles Saved water by 29 million tonnes The use of drones in farmland management saves around 435 liter of water per hectare compared to manual operations. For 66.7 million hectares, that’s equal to saving 29 million tonnes of water.29 million tonnes water is equivalent to the water intake of 52.72 million residents in a year[2]   Increased pesticide utilization rate by 10%[3] The application of agricultural drones can increase pesticide utilization rate by at least 10% compared to manual back-carried spraying. At the pesticide usage rate of 1.5 kg per hectare, 1,000 tonnes of pesticide can be saved by spraying 66.7 million hectares using drones. Increased safety in farmland management Pesticide poisoning has been a perennial problem in the industry. The increased use of agricultural drones has made farmland operations safer by protecting personnel from chemical hazards, providing farmers with a healthier, safer work environment. Providing new solutions to environmental protection Regreening mines in Xinjiang Three years ago, several abandoned mines in Fukang City, Changji Prefecture of Xinjiang were found to have caused severe pollution to local environment. In March 2021, DJI’s agricultural partner Tieman plant protection team joined the regreening operations for the mines, where they seeded 666.7 hectares of land using drones and restored its vegetation. This summer, the mines were covered in sweeping green grass and showing vital signs of growth. Seeding success for mudflats in Zhejiang In March 2021, Shanghai Mu Ying Ecological Technology scattered 12 million scirpus mariquete seeds on mudflats near the 10-km Baishawan Seawall in the coastal wetlands of Pinghu City, Jiaxing, Zhejiang, using the DJI T30. In four months, the area developed into a green and picturesque ecological attraction. The successful project provides valuable seeding experiences that are replicable in future wetland protection efforts. Grass seeding on the Tibetan Plateau The ecological environment in Tibet is fragile owing to a combination of factors including its high altitude, cold climate and unique topology and aquatic environment, which have led to serious desertification and land degradation issues. In May 28, 2021, the DJI plant protection team conducted its first drone grass-seeding mission across nine counties in four cities, namely Lhasa, Shigatse, Shannan, and Nyingchi, aiming to improve forestation capabilities in snowy plateaus. The operation covered an area of 44,320 hectares, with around 323.01 tonnes of seeds spread. Digital agriculture for precision farmland management Variable spread lowered fertilizer consumption in rice and wheat fields by 10%   In 2021, Jiangsu Farming onboarded DJI’s digital agricultural solutions in the operation of its farmland of 86,700 hectares. During the pandemic, the company embraced digital production management by deploying drones for autonomous patrols and remote monitoring of crop growth. With the drone’s variable and precise spreading technology, they were also able to reduce fertilizer consumption in their rice and wheat fields by 10%. Precise chemical control and defoliation for cotton crops In May 2021, Chen Gongxu from Shihezi City, Xinjiang adopted DJI’s digital agricultural solutions for his cotton fields of more than 333.3 hectares. He used a multispectral drone to survey cotton growth in different areas and to generate treatment maps for spraying plant promoters in variable amounts. By relying on multispectral data, the drone could also spray defoliants in precise quantities. This not only minimizes the use of defoliants but is also friendlier to the land and the environment, all while ensuring proper defoliation of the crops. As of September 28, Chen’s cotton yield saw an increase of 900 kg to 9,150 kg per hectare and a reduction in chemical usage by 20%. Better Growth, Better Life. [1] 1.Diesel is the main source of fuel for conventional tractors. Based on the IPCC Guidelines, the calorific value per unit for diesel fuel used by agricultural machinery is 42,652 KJ/kg, with a CO2 emission factor per calorific value unit of 74.1 kg/GJ and carbon oxidation factor of 0.98. Therefore, the CO2 emission factor for diesel fuel is 3.10 kg CO2e/kg. In 2016, the median fuel consumption for mechanized plant protection operations in China was 16.8 kg/ha, which translates to carbon emissions of 52.05 kg per hectare. Aerial application drones are mostly powered electrically and their spraying actions are mainly driven by gasoline generators. The calorific value per unit for gasoline is 43,070 KJ/kg, with a CO2 emission factor per calorific value unit of 69.3 kg/GJ and carbon oxidation factor of 0.98. This means the CO2 emission factor for gasoline is 2.93kg CO2e/kg. In plant protection operations, the gasoline consumption per hectare is approx. 0.21 kg/ha, which translates to carbon emissions per hectare of 0.63 kg CO2e. Agricultural drones are more energy efficient than conventional machinery, able to reduce carbon emissions by 51.45 kg CO2e per hectare. [2]A human’s average water intake…

High-precision Plant Stand Count for Corn, Sunflower and Sugar Beet by a Drone and AI

Plant stand count is an essential task in yield management. It allows growers to estimate the plant population, density, germination rate, and plant health and make timely decisions that finally affect the yield. Common manual methods of plant stand counting have helped growers for decades. They are based on visual inspection and plant calculation on small pre-defined field areas. However, these methods are laborious and far from accurate. Fragmented plant stand count does not provide the complete picture, and problem areas with uneven emergence or weeds might be overlooked. The lack of information on the field eventually leads to a waste of resources and less profitable decisions. New technologies like drones and AI leverage the opportunity to make Agri operations smarter and more efficient. With this innovative approach, growers can now receive accurate data, make timely decisions and sustainably maximise the yield. Surprisingly, this is not as complicated or costly as it might seem. This article covers precise plant stand count using an off-the-shelf drone and Proofminder’s trained AI algorithm for accurate yield assessment and the following insights on the field. You will find practical tips on image collection and recommended approach for corn, sugar beet and sunflower, but the information is also useful for other field crops, vegetables and orchards. If you have a drone or considering buying one to turn a tedious task into an interactive process and get a high-precision result, keep reading. You will find drone requirements, flight tips and common mistakes, and learn how to get a precision stand count report in a few hours with an innovative AI farming platform. Why and when do you need a precise plant stand count? There are situations when a low accuracy report is acceptable, but it is absolutely essential to have a precise one if you aim to: Check the sowing quality, especially if you are producing seeds; Understand zones of varying productivity in the fields; Receive accurate data during R&D projects; Estimate the yield precisely in the early stages; Spot rogues; Make timely decisions, i.e., partially replant the field; Increase the yield potential to meet the production goals. What are benefits of automated plant stand count? On the automatic report generated by Proofminder platform, you can see Plant & row density; Precise plant stand count; Each plant is marked on the field with precise coordinates; Plant distinguished by phenotype, in this case – male and female plants of hybrid corn are marked with a different colour; Zoom-in feature to analyse specific zones, rows or plants. When is the best time for plant stand count using a drone and AI? Estimating the number of plants and their density is crucial for early-season yield management. The accurate information here is a chance to save the yield if something goes wrong and improve the harvest. To gather proper images for further analysis, consider the tips about plants and the weather. The plant should be big enough to be seen from the air, but the leaves are not yet too close to each other to distinguish plants and estimate the density. As an example, for the precise stand count of corn, the plant should have about 3-7 leaves (V3-V7 vegetation stages). The weather should be stable during the footage, thus the lens can adapt to the conditions whether it is sunny or cloudy. Also, it should not be too windy, note that the wind speed may greatly vary depending on the altitude. Which altitude is right for a stand count? Find below! Figure 1 Corn field​ Figure 2 Manual plant stand count of corn​ Capturing images by a drone – instructions and tips The ideal resolution for plant stand count by a drone and intelligent software depends on the plant and the goal. For precise stand calculation of corn, sunflower, sugar beet, and some other field crops and vegetables would be 0.8 cm per pixel or less. What does it imply, and what kind of drone is suitable? The widely available DJI Phantom 4 Pro V.2. can be a good entry-level option for that job, similarly, the DJI Phantom 4 RTK is also a great option if you want a professional drone with high precision positioning. You will need to fly at 18-30 meter altitude to get the indicated resolution. Be aware that some of the Integrated controllers (the Plus versions) limit the flight altitude to 25m above the ground so if you want to count small crops and fly low, you would rather choose the simple controller and instruct the drone from your mobile or tablet.  The ideal speed to capture detailed images would be between 3-5 m/s depending on the altitude and the wind conditions. Using this drone, you can proceed at about 25-30 hectares per day if you have enough batteries; mind you: you can charge them on the site. Proofminder works on novel ways to capture images and foresee the possibility in the near future to capture up to double of this area per day by a Phantom 4 drone.   There are ways to extend the area of image capturing in the near future. Proofminder team foresees this possibility and works to double the area captured per day by a Phantom 4 drone. Figure 3 Shooting images for plant stand count by DJI Phantom 4​ Things to avoid; the Top-10 common mistakes in drone footage: Wrong exposure setting, not properly assessing the weather, resulting in over- or underexposure. Overexposure is more of a problem than underexposure, so if you need to choose between cloud and sunny, and you are not sure, you can safely go for sunny. Too much wind or unstable weather conditions result in blurry images. Not equipped with sufficient memory cards, make sure you have at least a 64 GB card for ~40-50 hectares of land. Not enough batteries and/or chargers to fly continuously during the day. Shooting after rain may require some recalibrations because the plant on the wet soil may not be visible enough, keep this in mind. Not flying with the right amount…

Introducing Drone Technology for Precise Agricultural Cotton Production

Background Cotton, the most important fiber crop in the world, plays a significant role in the economics of many countries. In the crop year 2020/2021,[1] China, India, and the United States ranked as the top three producers of cotton. China ranked second behind Australia in average yield – 1,879 kg per hectare. High yield is not only due to a high mechanization rate but also precise management by cotton farmers. Cotton farmers make many decisions across the growing season – sowing, reseeding, fertilization, growth regulation, pesticide spraying, defoliant application, etc.   In order to improve crop scouting efficiency, reduce chemical usage, and boost yield, cotton farmers in China’s Xinjiang Province are adopting drone technology in both field scouting and chemical application. The Mission Gongxu Chen is a cotton farmer in Xinjiang, China, who manages 300ha of cotton fields. Formerly, in order to optimize yield, he applied Mepiquat chloride, a chemical used as a growth regulator in cotton, 6-7 times in one growing season to tune the height and canopy of the cotton plants. Before each application, Gongxu walked the field on foot and selected around three sample locations in every ten hectares to take individual height measurements. This year, he used DJI’s P4 Multispectral drone to help with field scouting. In one 25-minute flight, the P4 Multispectral drone captured 45 hectares of imagery. The imagery was post-processed in DJI Terra software to generate RGB mapping and vegetation indices, including NDVI. In less than one day, Gongxu received an NDVI growth map of his 300ha cotton farm, showing the growth variation of the whole field. With this map, Gongxu was able to segment his fields into growth zones and strategically place sampling locations for further inspection. RGB imagery and NDVI map of 45ha cotton fields An NDVI map is also used for precise spraying. Based on the NDVI map, Gongxu modified his regular flat-rate application method to variable rate application (VRA) by generating a Mepiquat chloride prescription map in which only the area with over-growth was assigned a spraying rate while the rest were left as non-spray. This prescription map was then downloaded to the DJI Agras T30 drone for execution. Prescription map of Mepiquat chloride T30 in mission Similarly, in the later growth stage, Gongxu generated a VRA prescription for foliar fertilization to boost the growth of the weaker regions and improve the homogeneity of the field. Improved field homogeneity after VRA, as shown by an NDVI map Conclusion The success of new technology adoption interests cotton farmers in the region. Gongxu plans to expand his business to provide precision agriculture services to neighboring farms, scouting cotton fields using P4 Multispectral and offering variable rate application with Agras drones. In his world, “Investment in drone technology clearly improves yield potential and reduces farming costs. By providing services, more farmers can benefit from innovative precision agriculture solutions.” In order to improve crop scouting efficiency, reduce chemical usage, and boost yield, cotton farmers in China’s Xinjiang Province are adopting drone technology in both field scouting and chemical application.

Cooperative Upgrade! DJI Agriculture Signs a Smart Agriculture Partnership Agreement with Syngenta Japan

Recently, DJI Agriculture signed an agreement with the well-known agricultural company Syngenta Japan. The two companies will conduct a series of cooperative projects in Japan, focusing on smart agriculture technology R&D and other areas. Japanese agriculture is facing serious challenges, including a shortage of labor caused by a decline in fertility and an aging population. In order to address these issues, the Japanese government’s Council for Promotion of Regulatory Reform relaxed many restrictions on pesticide spraying by multi-rotor agricultural drones. At the same time, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is expanding the types of pesticides that can be sprayed from multi-rotor agricultural drones.   In 2016, DJI Agriculture officially entered the Japanese market, becoming the first foreign company to be certified by the Japan Agriculture and Fisheries Association. Currently, DJI accounts for nearly 60% of the Japanese market for multi-rotor agricultural drones and has already trained 2,500 drone operators (as of March 2019). In the Japanese agricultural field, the use of multi-rotor agricultural drones is rapidly spreading, and relevant government departments are mandating higher requirements for the safety performance of agricultural aircraft. In order to better achieve safety and reliability in the agricultural drone and pesticide fields, DJI Agriculture will work with Syngenta Japan to develop safe spraying technical standards and education courses for multi-rotor agricultural drones in Japan. They will also conduct tests on drone-based aerial application and R&D on smart agriculture technologies.   Syngenta Japan president Minoru Matoba expressed his high expectations for DJI agricultural drones: “In addition to agricultural applications, agricultural drones can be used to care for non-editable plants, such as for golf course maintenance. Through our bilateral cooperation, we will use the effective spray technology and remote sensing technology provided by agricultural drones to promote the development of smart agriculture in Japan. ”   In addition to creating courses and developing new technologies, DJI Agriculture and Syngenta Japan will work together to develop new markets and create all-new business models. Director Wu Tao of DJI’s Japan branch said, “The effective spray performance of agricultural drones required the cooperation of pesticide companies. By combining Syngenta’s agricultural technology and DJI’s drone technology, we hope to improve the safety, reliability, and sustainability of agriculture drone solutions in Japan and throughout the world.  ”   Going forward, DJI Agriculture and Syngenta Japan will work together to promote the combined application of agricultural drones and smart agriculture in Japan.

How Far Can DJI Agricultural Drones Fly?

Latin America, located in the southern part of the Western Hemisphere, is the farthest region from China. With superior production conditions and rich agricultural resources, it is considered the “granary of the world” for the 21st century. As a natural extension of the Maritime Silk Road, China has developed closer relations with Latin American countries under the Belt and Road initiative, and broad agricultural cooperation between the two regions looks promising: Brazilian coffee, avocados from Mexico, Cuban sugar, and many other Latin American agricultural products are now common in Chinese homes. However, many people do not realize that cutting-edge Chinese aerial application technology is starting to see widespread application in Latin American agriculture, quietly influencing the development of agricultural science and technology in the region.   In 2016, DJI Agriculture officially entered the Latin American market. To date, agricultural drones from DJI agriculture are already used on over 2.6 million acres of Latin American farmland. They are used for the cultivation of coffee, sugarcane, melons, corn, and other crops all over South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Intelligence Raises the Quality of Specialty Coffee Located in the eastern part of South America, Brazil is the world’s largest coffee producer, accounting for a third of global coffee production. Its terrain of rolling hills and pleasant climate make the coffee from Minas Gerais in southern Brazil famous throughout the world.   In recent years, insects and plant diseases, such as coffee rust, have affected coffee production, increasing the demand for pesticide spraying on coffee plantations. However, specialty coffee plantations are often located on steep slopes, making manual pest control and other traditional methods difficult.   In 2018, DJI Agriculture’s Agras MG-1P agricultural drones began to be used on Brazilian coffee plantations, bringing the power of technological innovation to the centuries-old coffee industry. When attacked by coffee rust, the drones flew into action, bringing new life to the old plantations. Precision Prevents Contamination While Protecting Crops In contrast to the difficult terrain of Brazilian coffee plantations, banana plantations in Ecuador face the problem of environmental contamination due to traditional crop protection methods.   Ecuador is the world’s largest exporter of bananas. As banana trees grow to about 5 meters in height, manual spraying is of limited effectiveness. Therefore, plantations often used fixed-wing aircraft.   However, as most banana plantations are near rivers or residential areas, it is hard for fixed-wing aircraft to spray pesticides without the risk of contaminating the local area, resulting in a great deal of environmental contamination to rivers and other bodies of water.   In order to address the problem of river pollution, the Ecuadorian government called for the use of drones for more precise aerial application. Currently, DJI Agriculture’s Agras MG-1P RTK agricultural drones are used with local single-rotor aircraft, providing a precise solution for banana plantations and effectively reducing river pollution. Sugar Means Job for Low-income Countries El Salvador, located in the north of Central America, is one of the smallest countries in the world. Its domestic economy is dominated by agriculture, particularly sugarcane and cotton. Due to the country’s weak industrial economy, incomes in El Salvador are generally low, and there is little investment in agricultural technology.   As China develops increasingly close economic and trade relations with El Salvador, it has begun to export agricultural technology to the country. In 2019, agricultural drones from DJI technology officially began operating in El Salvador.   Currently, DJI is working with partners in El Salvador to establish specialized agricultural service companies in order to train drone operators. This will stimulate the prosperous growth of the crop protection industry for sugarcane and other local crops. Hard Work Is Necessary for Precision Agriculture In addition to using efficient equipment to serve resource-rich Latin American countries, DJI Agriculture continuously promotes local talent development and technical training in order to lay a foundation for high-quality services.   Currently, DJI Agriculture has already established a complete aftersales and user training system in Latin America. This system trains users in everything from theoretical knowledge to drone operation to complete workflows. By adapting measures to local conditions, DJI is able to tailor its high-quality aerial application solutions to the needs of Latin American farmers.   In September 2019 alone, DJI Agriculture held dozens of in-person training sessions in Mexico, Peru, Honduras, and other countries, attracting an increasing number of young professionals.   The Belt and Road initiative represents a major development opportunity for Latin America and also provides a platform through which China can export agricultural technology to the region. Advocating the principle of mutually beneficial partnerships, DJI Agriculture wishes to use its aerial application technology to promote and improve the application of agricultural technology in Latin America. This will create new opportunities for the development of Latin American agriculture and promote the healthy development of Sino-Latin American cooperation in agriculture.   In the past, our ancestors sailed across the sea along the Maritime Silk Road. In the future, DJI Agriculture will again take to the seas with a new blueprint for the development of precision agriculture in Latin America.

Agricultural Drone Industry Insight Report (2021)

I. Industry background (I) From “plant protection drones” to “agricultural drones” As early as 1987, Japan developed the world’s first plant protection drone, selling them in limited quantities the following year. Of the nearly 5 million hectares of arable land in Japan today, over 20% uses plant protection drones to control pests and weeds. Drones have become an important plant protection technology measure in Japan. China’s plant protection drones began to develop in 2007, and in 2010, the 3CD-10 single-rotor gasoline-powered plant protection drone produced by Wuxi Hanhe Aviation was exhibited for the first time at the National Agricultural Machinery Expo. This was the first drone of its kind sold in China, opening the first step of commercializing plant protection drones in the country. In 2012, DJI applied the world’s superior drone technology to agriculture and founded DJI Agriculture in 2015 with the release of the MG-. In 2015, XAG released its plant protection drones and established XAG Agricultural Services. Today, several drone companies are dedicated to providing users with agricultural solutions based on drone technology to drive innovation and progress in global agriculture. With the rapid development of plant protection drones, smarter products have been created to serve a wider range of needs and applications. In addition to spraying pesticides, plant protection can also spread fertilizer, seeds, and feed. As a result, the term “plant protection drone” is gradually being replaced by the broader term “agricultural drone.” Figure 1: Agricultural drones make up the future farm 2021 was a year of rapid development of agricultural drones worldwide, which is a quantitative leap compared to 2020 in terms of the total number of drones and operating areas. Drones are particularly suitable for scenarios where it is difficult to get down to the ground with manual and ground machinery, such as paddy fields, tall straw crops, and mountainous terrain. In Southeast Asia, where rice is a staple crop, drones are gaining recognition from more and more farmers. Operations have grown rapidly, as agricultural drones are suitable for sowing rice fields and controlling pests throughout the crop growth cycle. The application of agricultural drones in flat farmland such as wheat and rice is quickly gaining popularity, and with the continuous improvement of technology, the application has been expanded in complex scenarios such as hilly mountain orchards. Figure 2: Global holdings of DJI agricultural drones In Europe, many vineyards have steep mountainous terrain where ground machinery is not available, so most work is done by hand, with high labor and time costs. In Hallau, in the canton of Schaffhausen in northern Switzerland, the preservation of traditional farming practices also poses a challenge for efficient management of local vineyards. To ensure yields, vineyard managers spray pesticides every season. Previously, this work was mainly done manually by hired workers in an inefficient, physically demanding process. The growing season typically required 8-10 sprays, each of which took more than 10 days, and if not sprayed in a timely manner, grape mold could affect a season’s wine production and harvest, but also vineyard income for years to come. Figure 3: Agricultural drone spraying operation in the mountains of Switzerland Hallau is located in the mountainous northern region, whose terrain was challenging for ground-based vehicles. On some steep slopes, a vehicle can easily tip over, threatening the driver’s safety. The invocation of drone management to maintain the original ecology of the vineyard to the maximum extent is a new attempt to integrate the traditional culture of the local vineyard with modern technology. This was also the first time that Chinese intelligent agricultural equipment entered the local agricultural production in Switzerland. Figure 4: Agricultural drones operating in Swiss mountain vineyards (II) Key concerns for industry development​ 1. Regulation and policy Agricultural drones, as the name implies, are drones used in agriculture. Their purpose places them in the category of agricultural equipment, which is managed by the agricultural department; when it sprays pesticides, it has potential environmental risks, which are managed by the environmental protection department. At the same time, their operational attributes belong to the aircraft category and is managed by the civil aviation authority. This characteristic of agricultural drones, which is managed by multiple authorities, leads to the fact that laws and policies play an important role in the development of the industry. The management of agricultural drones as agricultural equipment is a common method all over the world, while each country’s management methods differ by some degree. Some countries adopt compulsory certification, some apply for simple written materials, while others use administrative authorization. Nevertheless, it represents the Ministry of Agriculture’s management and approval of agricultural drones. As a kind of aircraft, an agricultural drone is managed by civil aviation authorities of various countries in its operation. There are three common ways of management. The first is to exempt agricultural drones with low-risk operations in the existing legal system, such as the United States. The second is to require drones above 25 kg to carry out a Safe Operation Risk Analysis (SORA). This assessment focuses on operational risk and analyzes and approves the operational risk of individual cases, which is widely used in European countries. The third is to simplify the airworthiness rules of traditional aircraft and generate a simplified version of airworthiness requirements that apply to agricultural drones, such as Brazil, Mexico, and other countries. Agricultural drones are mainly used for pesticide spraying, so the management of pesticides has become the third policy direction to pay attention to. In Japan, for example, the management agency of pesticide preparations for drones is the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Aviation Association. Japan has 382 pesticide formulation registered for agricultural drones.[1] Pesticides registered in Japan for agricultural drones include fungicides, insecticide mixtures, herbicides, and plant growth regulators, and registered crops are mainly rice, wheat, soybeans and so on. Herbicides are only registered in rice fields, and the pesticide forms registered in rice fields are mainly granules and film oil. The application method is to use drones to spread particles and…