How does an agricultural survey drone work?

The drone follows a carefully pre-programmed flight path, criss-crossing over the target area with precision. Flying at altitudes between 50 and 110 metres and speeds of up to 15mph, it captures thousands of high-resolution images as it goes.

Equipped with one standard RGB camera and four specialised wavelength cameras, the drone collects detailed multispectral data. This combination reveals insights invisible to the naked eye, providing farmers with a comprehensive view of their fields for optimising crop health and productivity.

The drone's cameras capture different wavelengths of light, each offering unique insights into the surveyed area. These wavelengths can be analysed individually or combined to uncover specific features critical for precision farming.

Blue Band (450–495 nm):

Water Detection: Penetrates water effectively, identifying water bodies.
Vegetation Indices: Combines with other bands to calculate metrics like NDVI.
Soil vs Vegetation: Differentiates between soil and plant coverage.

Green Band (495–570 nm):

Plant Health: Healthy vegetation reflects green light, revealing plant vigour.
Canopy Cover: Helps measure plant biomass and canopy density.
Stress Indicators: Detects changes caused by disease, pests, or nutrient deficiencies.

Red Band (620–750 nm):

Chlorophyll Levels: Strong absorption highlights chlorophyll content in plants.
Growth Stages: Tracks crop development through growth cycles.
Vegetation Indices: Key for NDVI when paired with NIR data.

Near-Infrared (NIR) Band (750–950 nm):

Biomass Estimation: Reflectance reveals vegetation density and health.
Water Content: Assesses plant hydration by measuring absorption.
Crop Differentiation: Identifies crop types and varieties based on reflectance properties.

RGB Imaging:

Produces standard imagery for mapping terrain and enabling AI-based object counting. These thousands of images are stitched into a high-resolution orthomosaic. Depending on the service required, they undergo advanced analysis to deliver actionable insights. From assessing plant health to generating detailed prescription maps for herbicide and fertiliser application, the results enable precision farming from the ground or air.