Drones have been increasingly used in agribusiness to increase the efficiency and productivity of agricultural activities. Some of the main applications of drones in agribusiness include monitoring crops, applying inputs, guiding cattle, forecasting and promoting sustainability.
According to a projection by Sindag (National Union of Agricultural Aviation Companies), the country has more than 2,000 agricultural drones registered with Sisant (Unmanned Aircraft System), maintained by Anac (National Civil Aviation Agency), a figure that should increase to 93,000 Vant (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) by 2026.
It is estimated, according to the IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics), a production of 288.1 million tons in the grain harvest. The Ipea (Institute for Applied Economic Research) estimates an increase in the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) of 10.9%, projecting a great growth for the sector in 2023. Technologies such as the use of images, artificial intelligence, automation tools and monitoring contribute to the advancement of agribusiness.
In September 2021, Mapa (Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply) regulated the use of drones in agricultural activities, through Ordinance No. 298, which establishes rules for the operation of ARP (Remotely Piloted Aircraft).
According to the CEO of ITARC, Escola de Drones, Felipe Reis, drones can be used to map rural properties, identify pest, fertilizer and invader problems. In addition, they improve the efficiency of input application to fertilize the soil and control pests and diseases in crops. “Agricultural sprayer drones are able to overcome the obstacles of rough terrain,” he points out.
According to Reis, drones in agriculture are essential for improving agricultural practices, increasing the precision and profitability of the crop. In addition, its benefits are diverse, such as the capture of more detailed and accurate images, the monitoring of areas of easy or difficult access, the early identification of problems that affect the crop, such as planting failures.
Also noteworthy, according to the CEO of ITARC, are other advantages, such as more precise spraying of agricultural inputs, which can only be applied in areas that have a deficit or problem; and the supervision of large areas in a short period of time, which facilitates the monitoring of all stages of the crop, from planting to harvesting, allowing the farmer to identify problems in advance. “Thus, he can take measures with greater assertiveness, aiming at the good development of the plants and the productivity of the crop”, emphasizes Reis.
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