UAS in Sustainable Farming
Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
In Person or Zoom Presentation
In-Person
Campus
Daytona Beach
Status
Student
Presentation Description/Abstract
Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) have been used in a variety of different fields to monitor pollutants and aid sustainability efforts. For sustainable farming, UAS can be applied to monitor soil parameters, preventing nutrient runoff, a common issue in rural American communities with high ties to plant agriculture. Multispectral sensors and thermal imaging cameras can be attached to UAS, which measure different electromagnetic wavelengths of the soil to reveal Nitrogen and Phosphorous concentration. This research proposes the application of UAS monitoring for commercial agricultural use for growing corn in rural Kentucky, reducing waste of fertilizers and preventing runoff into local bodies of water, a cause of eutrophication. This research will also conduct a cost-benefit analysis on the implementation of drones in commercial agricultural operations using costs from drone manufacturers, and government data on price for widespread drone education. Some limitations of this proposed UAS application include federal regulations on drone operations, visual line-of-sight requirements, and airspace restrictions. Additionally, weather dependence, limited flight endurance, and the potential disturbance of local wildlife may further constrain their effectiveness in supporting sustainable agriculture. Overall, agricultural UAS operations would provide the opportunity to reduce environmental impacts and improve resource efficiency, but additional research is still necessary to determine the most cost-effective and practical way for implementation.
UAS in Sustainable Farming
Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) have been used in a variety of different fields to monitor pollutants and aid sustainability efforts. For sustainable farming, UAS can be applied to monitor soil parameters, preventing nutrient runoff, a common issue in rural American communities with high ties to plant agriculture. Multispectral sensors and thermal imaging cameras can be attached to UAS, which measure different electromagnetic wavelengths of the soil to reveal Nitrogen and Phosphorous concentration. This research proposes the application of UAS monitoring for commercial agricultural use for growing corn in rural Kentucky, reducing waste of fertilizers and preventing runoff into local bodies of water, a cause of eutrophication. This research will also conduct a cost-benefit analysis on the implementation of drones in commercial agricultural operations using costs from drone manufacturers, and government data on price for widespread drone education. Some limitations of this proposed UAS application include federal regulations on drone operations, visual line-of-sight requirements, and airspace restrictions. Additionally, weather dependence, limited flight endurance, and the potential disturbance of local wildlife may further constrain their effectiveness in supporting sustainable agriculture. Overall, agricultural UAS operations would provide the opportunity to reduce environmental impacts and improve resource efficiency, but additional research is still necessary to determine the most cost-effective and practical way for implementation.