Businesses warm up to drone revolution

IN RECENT years, drones have transformed from military apparatus to infiltrating almost every type of industry under the sun, including agriculture. According to Industry ARC, South Africa’s small drone market is experiencing rapid growth, and is expected to reach $134.5 million (about R2.49 billion) by 2025, with a compound annual growth rate of 22.35% from 2020 - 2025.

Besides being seen as a fun new novelty, businesses are starting to realise how these remotely piloted aircrafts can help them save costs, boost operational efficiency, and open up new revenue streams. This is according to James Godden, Aviation manager at Santam, who explains that drone technology is getting more advanced by the day as sophisticated sensors allow drones to gather a wealth of data across various sectors.

For example, in the local agriculture sector, drones are being used for soil and field analysis and crop spraying, Godden says. “Ultrasonic echoing and lasers allow drones to adjust altitude as the topography and geography vary, and thus avoid collisions. Consequently, drones can scan the ground and spray the correct amount of liquid, modulating distance from the ground for even coverage. They’re also used for monitoring and irrigation, revealing production inefficiencies through imaging and thus enabling better crop management and irrigation.

Businesses are awakening to the benefits of including drones in their operations, Godden says. “Drones are expected to play a significant role in cargo transport and delivery in the near future, as they will be able to deliver packages to homes.”

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