Drone use in agriculture increasing in Japan

TOKYO: The number of drones used in agriculture is increasing in Japan, with some farmers starting to utilise the aerial vehicles for visual inspections of crops and other new purposes, Japan’s Jiji Press reported.

Drones ‘are effective in promoting data-based agriculture and reducing agricultural work’ at a time when many aged farmers are struggling to find successors, says an official at the agriculture ministry’s Technology Policy Office.

In Japan, it is necessary to register unmanned helicopters to spray pesticides, fertilisers and seeds with a special organisation. Registration became necessary for agricultural drones in 2015. The number of registered drones reached 673 last month, about three times the level of March 2017.

Drones that spray pesticide have an eight to 10-litre tank. One hectare of rice paddies require about 10 litres of pesticide.

It usually takes hours for a farmer to finish spraying that amount on a one-hectare area, while a drone can complete the same task in about 10 minutes.

Unlike conventional unmanned agricultural helicopters, drones can make very sharp turns. The new breed does not generate strong winds, which may damage leafy vegetables.

Agricultural drones are priced at some two million yen, far affordable than conventional unmanned helicopters. Video cameras mounted on drones can be used to check how crops have grown.