In an increasingly unstable farming world, everything from erratic weather conditions, pests and diseases to rising operating costs pose a threat to crops and livestock. Time is of the essence before many of these problems can be addressed and eliminated from spreading or exacerbating.
Many Australian farmers use agricultural drones as a cost-effective and time-effective way to keep an eye on their herds and fields, and olive farmers are no exception.
The agricultural drone market may be relatively unheard of, but seeing its value quadruple since 2012, that could change soon. Experts say the market (worth $673 billion in 2015) will exceed $290 million over the next four years.
Technology once used by the military has found a home in agricultural drones or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), enabling farmers to better plan their planting and crop rotation strategies by providing daily progress reports on their fields and soils , for example: as well as their irrigation, and even all pests.
