Drones Can More Efficiently Measure the Health of Corn Plants, Study Finds

Researchers at the University of Missouri have found a mix of drones and AI can help farmers measure the health of their corn more efficiently.

Instead of relying on handheld devices — which are slow and impractical for larger fields —the researchers surveyed corn fields in mid-Missouri using drones equipped with special cameras to capture images and data. By analyzing the images and data using artificial intelligence, the team was able to accurately estimate chlorophyll levels — a key indicator of corn health.

The drone’s special cameras capture different wavelengths of light that plants reflect, such as near-infrared light and red-edge light, which are invisible to the human eye but closely linked to plant health.