Flying Drones Watch Over Farmers' Fields

Unmanned aerial vehicles or flying drones could take the legwork out of agronomy by identifying crop diseases and observe plant health in fields, say scientists.

Engineers at Harper Adams University have teamed up with Chinese researchers to develop a fleet of ground-based robots and unmanned aerial vehicles that benefit farmers.

Jobs undertaken by robots could include locating and rounding up livestock in remote areas, precision application of fertiliser and the integration of controlled traffic farming.

Simon Blackmore, head of engineering at Harper Adams, said unmanned aerial vehicles or drones fitted with cameras could also be used by agronomists instead of crop walking.

The government-backed project has seen Harper Adams University awarded £36,000 to further collaboration between the two countries.

The partnership will link the research with the Engineering Departments of Harper Adams and China Agricultural University, focusing on developments in precision agriculture.

 
Both universities are researching precision farming technologies.

The project aims to develop the protocols and controls required to operate a mixed fleet of robot agricultural vehicles capable of a diverse range of farming tasks.