Food and Tobacco Processing

Introduction:
Knowing the origin of a food product and having evidence that it complies with
quality and environmental requirements are two of the most critical pieces of
knowledge that consumers demand. This is why agribusiness leaders are on board
and committed to running their businesses better. That includes the protection of
the environment, the production of safe, healthy food, and increased operational
efficiencies for the conservation of natural resources. In order to collect and
evaluate the vital data needed to achieve these objectives, technology must be
implemented in the entire process.

Scouting Farms:
For modern farmers, being able to inspect disease crops quickly, keep an eye out
for swarms of pests and spot check irrigation problems are essential practices.
Food industries can be struggling with their farms being infested with soil-borne
fungus. By having drones check activities on the farms infected with this fungus,
it will limit the risk of people going onto the farms and spreading the disease. The
company is able to then quickly map the area and take detailed photos of the
destruction zone. Since a drone can easily scan a land, if they see any plant
regrowth in the destruction zone, the grower can easily remove the plants so it can
keep up with stopping the spread of the disease and keep it contained. Examples of
foods such as corn, wheat, soybeans, and canola can all have surveillance by
drones. Vineyards as well are benefiting from using drones with their ability to
capture objective data. Drone data has allowed growers to even diagnose diseases
at an earlier stage, such as potato blight. Drones have already improved operating
palm oil and rubber tree plantations. They are able to prevent deforestation and
habitat destruction by being able to cover vast distances that are needed to produce
palm trees.

Applying Chemicals:
Farmers are able to adhere to the data in order to narrow areas that need treatment.
Swarms of locusts can cause havoc amongst crops. With the use of drones, they
can remotely detect areas, perform pest surveillance, and monitor crop growth.
These drones can also enable the targeted application of pesticides through
atomizer sprayers which deliver a fine even liquid spray. According to a USDA
study, in 2008 around 516 million pounds of pesticides were used in the US.
Pesticides can drift from their intended target into nearby fields, endangering
crops, and people. Drones can deliver accurate quantities of chemicals, thus
helping to minimize runoff and overuse. This is cost-effective since the chemicals
are not being wasted and going to where they are needed. UAVs do not damage
crops and can operate in sloping terrain freely and have data storage capabilities.

Monitoring Crop and Soil Health:

UAVs have technology that is able to detect when vegetation is low on water and
minerals. If UAVs are equipped with NDVI a farmer may also detect soil changes.
Farmers can study soil moisture levels to allow optimum crop growth and lead
levels, indicating whether the soil is toxic or not.

Greenhouses:
Many greenhouses are equipped with climate control systems, usually consisting of
sensors for temperature and humidity as well as drainage, ventilation, and heating
systems. They suffer from several limitations, however, primarily because of their
cost and reliability issues, which can render their implementation unprofitable and
complex. In greenhouse agriculture, there are several tasks that could be performed
using mini-UAVs: climate variables measurement, plant monitoring, and perimeter
surveillance. Thus, despite their current constraints, their wide range of
applications, low cost, versatility and precision promise a promising future for
indoor UAVs. The use of UAVs in greenhouses allows climate control, crop
monitoring and detection of failures in a greenhouse and can be used in other
industries and infrastructures

Animals:
Livestock can develop a disease such as E.Coli, and farmers have difficulties
detecting which cattle have a high temperature before its too late that it already
spread to the other animals. UAVs have the ability to use thermal sensors to take
the temperature of cattle and can easily pinpoint one which has a high temperature.
They also are able to count cattle, reduce the number of pests bothering livestock,
and can apply insecticide right to an animal. Developing technology will have
drones be able to have a laser-based sensor mounted on the UAV. This device will
allow scientists to be able to see through the water and measure the amount of fish.

Safety:
Often farmers initiate controlled burns between growing seasons to prepare the soil
on their fields. Burns are common though they carry many risks. However, using a
drone allows people to stay distant from flames. UAVs can start the fires being
controlled and can monitor progress from above. Factory rooftops can take damage
to them after severe weather and can be dangerous to inspect the panels after.
UAV’s are able to assist in this task and can also reach hard to access areas that
can be potentially dangerous, such as silos.

Tobacco:
Drones in the tobacco industry can improve costs and labor. Drones are able to
spray tobacco leaves evenly and reduce the amount used which saves time, money,
and labor. By having the drones perform these sprays, it can reduce the risk of
farmers being exposed to the spray insecticide poisoning.
Flue-cured tobacco (Nicotiana tobacco L.) is an intensively managed high-value
per-acre crop to optimize the yield of a high-quality cured leaf. Drones equipped
with sensors and cameras were able to differentiate between flue-cured tobacco
varieties and nitrogen rates. Drones also are able to separate black shank infested
plants from healthy plants.

Conclusion:
As the population continues to grow, so does the need to have food available.
Introducing drones can help the food supply keep up with demand and keep costs
low. Drones fitted with special cameras and sensors can fly over thousands of
acres and gather enormous amounts of data. This data creates a map of things such
as plague damage, crop stress, and yield. A drone image can easily help a farmer
monitor what is happening. It Is able to let the farmers know where to cut
resources, what needs more attention, and where to grow a certain crop.

References:

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Food Processing. 12, February 2020 Drones used to fight threat to bananas
retrieved from
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Globaldroneuav. 5, May 2020. Drone Plant Protection Helps Tobacco Farmers

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Howe, Jesse 2017, January 18. Watch: 5 Ways Drones Help Bring Food To Your
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Roldan, J.J., Joossen. G, Sanz, D., Del Cerro, J., Barrientos, A., (2015) Mini-UAV
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Lagarde, Michael de. 2018, September 24. How drones can help manage the
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