Drone technology has transformed the agricultural landscape, offering unparalleled efficiency and precision in crop monitoring and management. However, as with any innovative tool, there are common pitfalls that can undermine the success of drone surveys in agriculture. In this article, we delve into the top mistakes frequently encountered in drone surveys for agriculture, offering insights and strategies to navigate these challenges effectively.
Whether you’re a seasoned agronomist or a novice drone operator, understanding and avoiding these pitfalls is crucial for maximizing the value of drone technology in agricultural applications.
- Incorrect exposure settings due to inadequate assessment of weather conditions often result in over- or underexposure. Overexposure poses a greater challenge than underexposure, so when uncertain, opting for sunny conditions is generally safer than cloudy ones.
- Optimal weather conditions are rare, with shadows and weather fluctuations posing challenges. Windy or unstable weather conditions can lead to blurry images, while sudden battery drainage in cold temperatures (below approximately 10° Celsius) requires time for the drone to acclimate. Battery heaters and proper storage are recommended to mitigate these issues. Additionally, planning for alternative mission days can help navigate unpredictable weather patterns.
- Insufficient memory card capacity is a common oversight. Ensuring the availability of at least a 64 GB card for every 40-50 hectares of terrain, along with the use of fast SD cards, is essential to minimizing copy time during data transfer.
- Inadequate front/side overlaps during a flight can hinder the stitching of images, affecting the creation of orthomosaics. A minimum overlap of 75% is typically recommended for optimal results.
- Surveying after rainfall may require recalibration due to reduced visibility of vegetation on wet soil.
For 5 more common mistakes to avoid when flying drones over your farm fields, continue reading at GlobalAgTechInititative.com.