UAV use forAgriculturein the UAE

Peter DawsonSenior Technical LecturerInstitute of Applied TechnologyAbu Dhabi

Topics Covered

• Farming in the UAE

• Reasons to use UAV’s

• How we see the health of crops

• What do we use

• Overflight results

• UAV applications in agriculture

Farming in the UAE

• Approximately 24,000 farms

• Two-thirds of Emirates water consumption

• 200,00 acres of land cultivated

Reasons to use UAV’s

• Global environmental concerns

• Cost savings

• Timely data

Methods

• Traditional

– Labor intensive

Methods

• Satellite

– 5m resolution possible

Methods

• Unmanned Aircraft

– 1cm resolution possible

Differences

“UAV technology allows us to view the landscape from an elevated perspective”

It gives us information that may not just be difficult to determine from ground level but, may well be impossible.

How do we see the health?

• NVDI–Normalized Difference Vegetation

Index

NDVI

What do we use?

• A digital camera

Accuracy of Data

• Accuracy depends on

– Image resolution

–GPS quality and accuracy

–Camera position and time

–Ground control points

–Flight Planning

Post Production

• Raw Data

• Computing power or “Cloud”

• Finally – the end product

–Actual data we can use

Overflight Results

Pivot irrigated potatoes and carrots

South Australia, Australia2014

Flight Plan

Distance: 29 kmAltitude: 400 ft (123m)Coverage: 390 acresTime in air: 31 minutes

Color Infrared Orthomosaic

Colorized NDVI Map (carrots)

Low High

Mechanical Issue

Platform Choice

• What is your budget

• What is the size of the project or farm

• What is the accuracy requirements

• Environmental considerations

• Take-off and landing area

UAV Applications

• Crop management

UAV Applications

• Livestock management

Food Stores

No reaction from cattle

Rumen bulges indicate fed condition

UAV Applications

• Water sources

Toxic Algae

UAV Applications

• Fence lines and facilities

UAV Applications

• Biomass

Higher Rice Biomass

Less Rice Biomass

Low/no Rice Biomass

Higher Rice BiomassLow/no Rice Biomass

UAV Applications

• Weed spraying and pest control

Types of UAV’s

• Fixed Wing

• Multi

• Hybrid

Questions &Answers