Setting the Stage for UAV/UAS Applications in Agriculture

Ted BatkinBatkin Agricultural ServiceVisalia, CA

Current Status of UAV/UAS Systems in Agriculture

• Primarily Used for Crop Surveys• Some applications in the Midwest states• Emerging Technology for Precision Ag• Philosophical Disconnect between Ag and the

UAV/UAS worlds.• Technical Barriers for Remote Sensing

Target Definitions Identifying Agricultural Needs

2

Technical Challenges

• How do new companies define the needs of the consumer (grower)

• How do producers communicate their needs to the technical industries in a language they will all understand.

• What sensors are necessary to meet the challenges of the agricultural community.

• Who will provide the funding for research and development to close the technical gaps.

3

Barriers to Market Entry

• Technical products that will meet the industries needs.

• Political barriers to the use of unmanned systems.

• Regulatory barriers to market entry.• Need for public/private partnerships for funding

R & D of product development.

4

Reality of Agricultural Applications

• Applications must have a relationship to real problems facing growers.

• Applications can not just be the figment of the designers vision of farming.

• Time must be spent in conversation with growers and grower groups to assure applicable solutions.

5

What are some of the issues facing agriculture:

• Plant disease early detection.• Tree health status of orchards and groves.• Insect population detection.• Water stress management solutions.• Long term water availability analysis.• Soil analysis and variability across a plot of land.

6

Example: Huanglongbing (HLB) aka Citrus Greening

• Worldwide disease – very persistent and will cause massive tree losses in commercial and backyard situations

• Current treatment strategy is “Early Detection – Rapid Response”

• One example of detection is a VOC sensor platform that actually “sniffs” the tree.

7

Huanglongbing–HLB Citrus Greening

Healthy Tree

HLB - Affects on Young Trees• Trees stunted

• May never bear fruit

• Attractive to psyllids - large source of inoculum

Photos courtesy Fernando Tersi, Cambuhy Farms, Brasil

Considerations for Solutions

• Must know the target and how to clearly identify the symptoms.

• Must have the correct tools for detection and identification.

• Must know the environment for the search platform.

• Must select the proper platform that will succeed in the target environment.

11

Opportunities

• Building communication pathways for inter disciplinary forums and discussions.

• Education of public officials of the positive benefits to UAV/UAS programs.

• Overhaul of the current regulatory system to allow private enterprise entry into the UAV/UAS marketplace.

• Development of public funding mechanisms for R & D that encourage or force partnerships.

12

Conclusions

• The opportunities need to be addressed at all levels.

• Most important for agriculture, understand your target market and know your clients needs.

• Develop systems that meet those needs and will generate a revenue stream to support the programs.

13

Thank you

We need new tools for the tool

box !