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…

From Nurse to Agras Drone Pilot in Just One Month, Tais’s Successful Career Transition

At the break of dawn in the City of Taquarintinga in Brazil, Taís Ribero and her team start their work in a sugarcane field. The operation lasts for a rigorous 8 hours, concluding around 1 pm, marking the end of a typical day on the job. Taís is an agricultural drone pilot in Taquarintinga, Brazil. Before starting the drone business, she has been a nurse for 10 years. In order to move to the rural area in Taquarintinga with her family, she had to give up her original occupation as a nurse because of the remote location. With her open-mindedness to the new technology and a determination to master the operation techniques quickly, it took her only one month to become a professional drone pilot. Currently Taís operates a DJI Agras T40 and she’s the owner of an agricultural service company called Via Drone, which provides service in St. Paulo and Minas Gerais States of Brazil since November, 2022, when she joined the Agras drone industry. “We want Taís to work again,” said Felipe Sala, a farmer and agronomist engineer with expertise in drone surveying. With Felipe’s guidance, Taís quickly became proficient in operating drones and even started her own service company. As of February 2023, Taís has flown 1115 successful missions, totaling 133 hours of flight time and treating 2242 hectares of land. Agriculture drones have revolutionized farming in rural areas of Brazil by overcoming the limitations of traditional manual and machinery-based methods. Unlike tractors, drones can easily navigate through the fields, adjusting their height to fly close to the ground or high above fields. This has significantly improved the accuracy and efficiency of spraying applications, making it a game changer for farmers. “I believe the drones represent the future trend of agriculture,” according to Taís, who believes that drones can improve yield, save water, and work more efficiently than traditional machinery. Taís trust the power of this technology and sees a bright future for it in the market. Taís’s customers are often surprised to know that a woman is operating such a large drone. However, women are an emerging and strong group in the agriculture industry, and there is a growing demand for their services. Women tend to be more detail-oriented and careful when operating drones, making them a valuable group in the agricultural field. Taís encourages other females to pursue this career, as she finds it both cool and fulfilling. She takes pride in the compliments she receives from clients for the excellent service provided by her team. “Everyone who has a strong will can certainly do it,” said Taís. Taís’s inspiring career transition showcases the endless possibilities in the agriculture industry. With determination and a willingness to learn, Taís has proven that anyone can make a successful switch to this exciting field. Her story is a testament to the growing demand for skilled professionals in the agriculture industry, and the potential for career growth and fulfillment.

Empowering Working Moms: Agricultural Drones Offer Flexibility for Balancing Career and Family

Agricultural drones might provide new ideas for working mothers to balance family and career, the flexible working hours and diverse working locations of Agras drone business provide opportunities for working mothers to achieve a better work-life balance. Dr. María Maestro is the head of the drone division of ACRE Surveying Solutions and mother of two girls. Growing up with her grandfather who worked as a forest manager, María developed a love for nature, leading her to pursue a career in environment management. When conducting environmental research during her academic career, she found that multispectral images contain rich information and started to dive into the surveying drone industry. In 2016, María was introduced to agricultural drones through a multispectral drone project, ultimately leading her to join ACRE as technical support and sales for the drone department. Obtained the agricultural drone pilot certificate within half a year, she began to carry out sales and flight demonstration work. Involving Kids in the World of Agras Drones: A Quality Bonding Experience As an extraordinary scientific researcher who traveled to different continents around the globe and conducted a number of projects about climate change and environment protection, María has demonstrated a mastery of exceptional skills in her research field. During her six-year Ph.D. journey in Scotland, she also embraced the beautiful new identity of motherhood with love and devotion. Like mothers from all over the world, María faces the challenge of balancing career and family. It was a very difficult time when the baby was newly born, as she had to simultaneously work on her PhD studies, work projects, and caring for the newborn baby. “The house was always messy. The most important thing I’ve learned in this hectic phase of life is to set priorities and I really appreciate the help from my husband and other family members during the specific time.” With her two daughters growing up, María and her family have adapted to a new routine where everyone works together in shifts. Maria spends two days a week taking care of the children while seamlessly integrating them into her work. She loves bringing her children to the office and involving them in her work every week. “Engaging children in my work with agricultural drones allows me to provide them with quality companionship.” María added. Bring kids into the nature allows María to share the happiness she gained from nature in childhood to her daughters in a totally new way. María and her family enjoy spending their weekend taking drone photos in the fields. While it may not be a common practice to bring children along for agricultural drone demos, María envisions it as a joyous scene. Of course, she is also mindful of prioritizing safety education for her children throughout the process. Image of María and her family with a DJI Agras T10 in a chickpea field. Mom Pilots: Inspiring the Next Generation One morning, María woke up her oldest daughter, Claudia, who told her, ‘Mama, you work with drones now. You are changing the world by spraying the fields. When I grow up and have my own job, drones will be part of my day-to-day life.’” María’s example has left a deep impression on the 5-year-old, who reflects on the impact of agricultural drones. María herself also believes that this will be a trend in the future. “When I was 18, I would take the driver’s license test. When my daughters are 18 years old, I believe they will not only take the driver’s license test, but also obtain an agricultural drone pilot certificate.” When talking about career expectations to her children, María has no particular expectations when it comes to her children’s future career choices. She avoids putting pressure on them or offering unsolicited advice. Instead, she allows her children to explore their interests by involving them in her work. Through this, the children gain a deeper understanding of the agricultural drone industry, while also enjoying quality time with María. Nowadays, there are more and more working moms in the agricultural drone Industry, because there’s a growing number of remarkable female professionals who are also working moms are recognizing the infinite possibilities in the agriculture drone industry. Meanwhile, the mothers are passing down the passion and commitment to agriculture to the next generation.