Agricultural students are learning drone technology to enhance farming practices

With the advantage of a new DGI T20 drone being available on site, students are able to see its capabilities and get an insight to how they assist spraying and precision applications. 

Technology is constantly advancing and it’s important to keep students up to date with how the industry is utilising these developments.

Rhys James, lecturer in agriculture at Coleg Sir Gâr’s Gelli Aur agricultural campus said: “The advantages of drone spraying include many advantages that affect practical and safety applications and it can be cheaper than traditional methods.

“This includes efficiency and speed, where they can target specific areas of land that need treatment using fertilisers, pesticides and herbicides and minimising chemical runoff.” 

“Other advantages of drones are that traditional tractors and sprayers can compact soil, reducing its fertility but with drones flying above the crops, targeting specific areas, this reduces the exposure of chemicals to farmers and the environment. 

“Drones can also target terrain that is difficult to access and many of them are equipped with sensors and cameras, allowing for real-time data collection on crop health, pest infestations and water distribution.”