ABSTRACT
We investigated soil profile intensely in order to prescribe suitable procedures and amendments. Land preparation, seeding, interculture, application of soil amendments, fertilizer inputs, and harvesting have involved adoption of series of different ground vehicles. During recent years, GPS-guided robotic ground vehicles have been invading the agrarian regions. We have mended soils intensely using such ground vehicles. However, we have not mended or managed the agricultural sky to the same extent. Farmers have overlooked most aspects of agrarian sky. Aerial vehicles are the only recent introduction into agrarian sky.
The aim of this chapter is to show that man-made aerial vehicles are gaining acceptance in agrarian regions. They are termed Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs or drones). There are several agronomic procedures that utilize aerospace above crops. For example, foliar supply of irrigation water and fertilizers via sprinklers. More recently there are tethered aerostats with turbines lofted above the farms to produce wind energy.
The primary aim of this chapter is to enlist the different kinds of UAVs that have invaded the agrarian sky. They are capable of utilizing the vantage points above crops and provide useful digital data. Such digital data can then be utilized to conduct various agronomic procedures more accurately than previous years. There are indeed several types of UAVs (drones) being adopted by farmers. Yet there is no single drone called agricultural drone. They are multipurpose aerial vehicles suitable for variety of tasks. Recently, certain farms are adopting “sprayer drones” with ability to get aerial imagery, digital data, store plant protection chemicals/fertilizer solution, and spray 308the crops. There are sprayer drones capable of rapid transit and application of chemicals. These are perhaps the best candidates to be called “Agricultural Drones.” There are multicopters, fixed-winged aircrafts like drones, autonomous single roto helicopters, and copters with facility for detection of pollutants in the atmosphere. They are provided with probes for gaseous contaminants etc.
There are several other types of aerial vehicles that take to aerospace above crops. They are semiautonomous and robotic parafoils, microlights, aerostats, balloons, and even kites have been utilized to sample study the agricultural sky. These aerial robots are capable of obtaining digital imagery, surveillance, and even spray chemicals. Autonomous aerial vehicles (UAVs) could be lightweight (<5 kg), medium (50–200 kg), heavy 1–2 t). Fixed-winged lightweight versions are popular with farmers. They are small and swift. There are fixed-winged drones with fuselage fused with wings, single rotor helicopters, multicopters, vertical take-off and lift (VTOL) hybrid drones, etc. These have been discussed in greater detail.
Aerial spray above crop canopy affects the tranquil and chemicals composition of agrarian sky. Foliar sprays are conducted using either ground vehicles or aerial vehicles. Aerial sprays using center-pivot is popular in developed countries. Small UAVs with fluid tanks and spray vars getting common in the in North America and Far-eastern nations. (e.g., RMAX; Hercules; AGRAS MG-5B). Foliar sprays, that is, chemigation could alter chemical composition of atmosphere crops, although for a short duration until the original conditions are regained.
There are several satellites transiting the space above agrarian regions. They are helpful in offering data, monitoring cropping zones, aerospace above agroecosystems, and provide GPS data that offers greater accuracy.
Farm power generation using aerial vehicles like tethered aerostats is gaining acceptance. It could be a multipurpose vehicle if utilized for general surveillance farm activity, obtaining digital data of crop’s status, disease/pest attack if any and to scare birds using tapped sounds of predatory birds.
We should note that we intensely researched, invented, devised, and utilized vehicles, implements and amendments to improve agricultural soil. We have to perhaps bestow greater interest to study the “agricultural sky” by adopting aerial vehicles, mend agrarian sky to reduce disease/pest attacks, supply inputs, and reap better harvests.
These aerial robots that take to sky are man-made. They could revolu- tionize farm activities. They can potentially reduce farm drudgery by rapidly obtaining data and conducting agronomic procedures like spraying farm chemicals.
