You're facing a massive weed problem in your farm. How can you use drones to detect it?

Firstly, drones can swiftly survey extensive areas, minimizing labor and fuel expenses. Secondly, they furnish real-time data, enabling prompt intervention to curb weed proliferation. Thirdly, drones facilitate targeted and accurate herbicide application, thereby lessening environmental harm.

A primary advantage of drone weed detection is the ability to access rough or boggy terrain, that can't be efficiently accessed on the ground. EG, immediately after heavy rain, weeds can be identified & treated long before the ground has dried out enough for vehicle access.

Weed detection using drones isn't one-way traffic, meaning it could be achieved through different means depending on crop type, weed specificity & characteristics, scale of cultivation and the farming systems employed. Understanding these factors will help in selecting the best drone-sensor integration, flight parameters and operation, and software or analytics tools/platforms to employ in detecting weeds Computer vision/Machine learning has also proven benefitial and they are growing in adoption in helping farmers quickly detect weeds in real-time or post-processing of drone data providing them a high throughput process that allows them to detect and take proactive measures to control weeds before they cause economic crop damage.

To employ drones for weed detection, several steps should be followed. Firstly, select an appropriate drone and sensor tailored to your specific crop and weed variety, seeking guidance from online resources or specialists. Next, plan your flight mission meticulously, determining parameters like altitude, speed, overlap, and targeted area, with the assistance of software tools like DroneDeploy or Pix4D.

Improved machine recognition of specific weeds at every stage of the plant lifecycle, and reliably accurately amongst similar-looking plants - is the one aspect that needs to greatly improve. EG, in sugarcane crops, ideally drones could recognise canegrass, a problematic weed, but it's not currently possible. It will hopefully be feasible in future but will require considerable funding to ensure sufficient accuracy. Current software is great for fallow areas where it's simply a matter of mapping every green plant growing & spraying them - but ground spraying machines can do that too.

For optimal results in drone weed detection, adhere to certain guidelines. Initially, schedule drone flights during peak sunlight to minimize shadows and glare, preserving image clarity. Next, select periods of minimal wind to prevent disturbances that may compromise image sharpness. Prioritize sensor calibration before and after each flight to maintain measurement precision.

Timing and scale are the key challenges when utilizing drones for weed detection in agriculture. (1) **Timing** - Ideally, detecting weeds should happen before the emergence of the crop seeds. Attempting to identify weeds after crop establishment using drones, even with advanced hyperspectral imaging technology, often proves ineffective. (2) **Scale** - While drones can be effective in managing weed pressure in small-scale research plots for seed and chemical trials, their utility diminishes in large-scale commercial operations. Factors such as battery life, operational range, and image resolution (unless equipped with medium-format cameras) limit drones' effectiveness for comprehensive weed detection across vast agricultural fields.

@jason said it very well- timing and scale I would add to that the timeliness of the data . From collection to production of a data product, the data has to get in the hands of the decision maker in time for him or her to evaluate , plan and treat . If it takes to long to turn into actionable Data , it’s not valuable .

While drone weed detection holds promise, there are notable challenges to consider. Firstly, adherence to legal and ethical regulations surrounding drone usage is paramount, necessitating licenses, permits, and insurance. Secondly, investment in specialized equipment and software is required, entailing significant cost and complexity.

Australia already has an established crop dusting industry that serves large cropping areas cost-effectively. But this is blanket spraying; the real benefit of drones is the ability to accurately spot-spray. Ground robots are also a better option on large areas of easily accessible cropping country. There is a lot involved in running a spray drone & many farmers would be much better off engaging a quality contractor to do the mapping & spraying, instead of spending all the time & money setting up a DIY operation that they may only need to use a few times each year.

Sensors mounted on a tractor or irrigation pivot can operate lower and longer than drone solutions. Mix in some RTK planting data and you know what to expect where. So far weed detection from drones has not #takenoff

The future of drone weed detection holds immense promise, poised to transform weed management and crop yield optimization. As advancements in technology continue and accessibility improves, the scope of applications and advantages will broaden. With drones, you can anticipate targeted herbicide application, minimizing chemical usage and expenses.

Tractors also gather ground data; so interoperability is essential - IE all the data from different sources can be collated and acted upon. It would make sense for national governments to invest heavily in advancing weed assessment/recognition software as weeds cost most countries billions of dollars (private & public funding), annually. In Australia the current estimated cost is $8 billion, annually, and that amount is increasing. So spending some millions on getting software to a reliable standard is a no brainer, in terms of ROI.

Reliable software detection of imported/feral plant species (at every stage of growth) on private & public land will revolutionise land management, globally. It's the single greatest tech-related advancement that could be done to assist land management, globally (for the benefit of all - socially, economically & environmentally).

qu'est-ce qui permet de définir "des mauvaises herbes" ? je comprends bien : ce sont les herbes qui ne sont pas souhaitées dans une culture ... cependant elles existent, la nature les a créées . est-ce que l'etre humain a réellement les compétences pour déterminer ce qui est "bon" ou "mauvais" dans la nature ? Dans ce cas il devrait s'interroger déjà sur lui même : l’être humain est il bon ou mauvais pour la nature, dont il est un élément ?

J'ai zéro compétence en drone, en revanche, en mauvaises herbes qu'il me faut ?ter à la main, oui. Tout ?a pour éviter les pesticides. Alors, l'article est bien fait, il manque "juste" le prix du dr?ne et celui de la formation en pilotage. Je connais un jeune qui a fait le parcours complet, avant de lacher l'affaire. Son drone allait se perdre dans les champs alentours. Ahaha, au moins, ?a nous faisait marcher pour aller le récupérer. Pas certaine que les agriculteurs nous aient beaucoup appréciés.