China is taking agricultural technology to a whole new level. The farmers there are now using technologically advanced drones to find bugs and exterminate them on the spot.
The Chinese are calling these drones the ‘agri-drone’. These drones fly overhead with a camera and scan crops for potential targets. When they detect a cluster of plant-eating pests, they release a spray of pesticides.
Moreover, the drones also have a bug zapper attached to them which lights up at night and attracts the pests. When they pests approach the zapper, they are burnt into oblivion.
The agri-drones were created in Japan by a team made up if I.T specialists and researchers based in the Saga University in Southern Japan. The aim is to cut back on pesticides and as well as keeping plants safe from harmful effects.
These drones are still in the testing phase. They are capable of detecting and taking out 50 different crop-eating bugs including moths, white backed planthoppers, and midges. If the tests are successful, these will likely replace crop dusters which spray on a large area.
If the tests are successful, these will likely replace crop dusters on airplanes which are popularly used to spray on a large area.
