Drones are becoming an increasingly common sight over Victorian farms and a presentation at the Koroit Agricultural Field Day this week will encourage more farmers to “think outside the box”.
During the field day’s innovation technical presentations and workshops, Webber and Chivell drone manager Rhys Baxter will show how drone monitoring can be used for farm mapping or increasing productivity in both dairy and crop production.
There will also be a display of drones and their support equipment.
Mr Baxter said drones, or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), could save money for farmers and be better for the environment.
“Drones can do a lot for the ag sector,” he said.
“Most farmers are still using traditional methods but drones can be used for mapping, spreading, seeding and spraying, and they’re particularly helpful in a wet environment or in steep, inaccessible terrains.”
Mr Baxter said farmers could save money and help the environment by using drones.
“They create efficiencies, especially with mapping before chemical applications,” he said. “Aerial management and field mapping with drones provides you with precise data on acreages. Forecasting yields is possible with UAVs.”
“They’re also safer that you’re not sending people into hills to access difficult areas.”
The company does a lot of blackberries and weed control in hard-to-reach territories and is constantly expanding its use of drones in agricultural settings.
“The technologies improve every day,” Mr Baxter said.
