Linking UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) technology with precision agriculture

Abstract

This report provides a preliminary assessment of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technology for precision agriculture. It focuses on the macadamia industry, but an assessment is given of industry progress in other farming areas. Regardless of crop type, the principles of image capture and interpretation are the same, so insights gained elsewhere are highly relevant. Examples of geo-referenced imagery are provided, along with a photo-mosaic, to demonstrate the image processing steps before the aerial photography can be imported into a geographic information system (GIS) and used with other data layers to interpret management requirements or outcomes. A qualitative assessment of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats associated with the technology is given, as well as recommendations for its further development to meet horticultural needs