Using Drones to Control Weeds and

Reduce Herbicide Resistance

Contents
Leah Bush

Title Pag
e
Contents........................................................................................................................................ 1
Tables and Figures......................................................................................................................... 1
Executive Summary....................................................................................................................... 2
Agricultural Aircraft and Herbicide Resistance..............................................................................2
Airplane Limits........................................................................................................................... 2
Herbicide Resistance..................................................................................................................2
Drones Offer a Solution................................................................................................................. 4
Precision Agriculture..................................................................................................................4
Drone Technology......................................................................................................................4
Benefits of Using Drones............................................................................................................... 4
Selecting Sensors....................................................................................................................... 4
Mapping Weed Infestations.......................................................................................................5
Targeting Weed Patches............................................................................................................6
Analyzing Costs and Savings...................................................................................................... 6
Analyzing Limitations.................................................................................................................7
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................... 7
Works Cited................................................................................................................................... 8

Tables and Figures

Table 1. Chronological Increase in Weeds Globally..................................................................3

Figure 1. Drone Featuring a Camera........................................................................................4
Figure 12.
Wavelengths............................................................................................................5

1
Figure 23. Map of Spanish Vineyard Using UAV
Technology......................................................6
Table 2. Average Costs for Adding a UAV.............................................................................. 8
Executive Summary
Weeds account for a large amount of yield loss in North American crops. The use of herbicides
is vital to the food supply. While agricultural airplanes have been used effectively for years to
help combat weeds, they have their limitations. In addition, the wide application of herbicides
is contributing to herbicide resistance. This problem has become a global issue that is important
to address. Agricultural drones can help to solve this problem. Drones can help map areas in
order to target weed patches. Drones can also apply herbicides to specific locations, reducing
the amount of herbicides needed and targeting only the areas that are infected with weeds.
This will reduce the chance of causing herbicide resistance in weeds.

Agricultural Aircraft and Herbicide Resistance

The United States has been using airplanes to help farmers since 1921 (Kraus). One of the
primary purposes of agricultural aircraft is to combat weeds as they interfere with the
production of food. Weed competition causes a significant reduction in all major crops. Each
year in North American corn and soybean crops, weeds cause a 50% yield loss (Esposito and
Crimaldi). For corn, this equates to a loss of 148 million tons for an economic loss of over $26.7
billion (Esposito and Crimaldi). The use of agricultural airplanes is vital to high-yield agriculture.
In addition, aerial application helps to produce maximum crop yields from fewer acres, thus
benefiting the environment. However, agricultural aircraft have their limitations which can lead
to herbicide resistance.

Airplane Limits
While agricultural airplanes are efficient and effective in their application, they are not ideal for
dealing with smaller areas or herbicide resistance. Agricultural airplanes are equipped with GPS
guidance systems, however, they do not have the ability to map smaller areas efficiently and
economically. Because of this, it is difficult to know precisely where the weeds are growing in
abundance until they have already grown out of control. Airplanes allow you to apply
insecticides, fertilizer, and herbicides to large areas, however, because they cannot
accommodate smaller areas and because they cannot target specific weed patches, their large
applications can lead to herbicide resistance.

Herbicide Resistance
According to the International Survey of Herbicide Resistant Weeds, there are currently 131
herbicide-resistant weeds in the United States (“Herbicide Resistant”). In Oklahoma, the

2
number of plants resistant to herbicides has doubled in the past 12 years (“Herbicide
Resistant”). As you can see in Table 1, the number of unique cases of herbicide-resistant weeds
is growing exponentially. Herbicide resistance can be defined as ‘‘the inherited ability of a plant
to survive and reproduce following exposure to a dose of herbicide normally lethal to the wild
type” (Vencill et al. 3). This resistance occurs because a few plants with natural resistance
survive an application of the herbicide. As these plants reproduce, the resistant plants replace
the susceptible plants, creating a shift in the natural flora. This shift could bring about the
elimination of some less resistant, desirable species in addition to affecting crop production
(“Recommendations”).

3
Drones Offer a Solution

Precision Agriculture
Precision agriculture combines technology with management “to optimize crop productivity
and to reduce the environmental impact” (Esposito and Crimaldi). Precision agriculture unites
the developed agricultural industry with new technologies by using an integrated crop
management system. This system utilizes GPS, sensors, and mapping to determine actual crop
needs, customized for small areas (“Precision Agriculture”). Combining this information with
proper management will lead not only to greater crop yield but also to more precise use of
herbicides for weeds.

Drone Technology
Drone technology is being used to combat weeds with great success. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
(UAVs) can create aerial maps to help farmers discover weed patches and plan for minimizing
unnecessary herbicide spread. Ethan Noll, Digital Ag Team Lead for Ag Partners, Hiawatha,
Kansas uses UAVs to help his customers in multiple ways. He states, “Our farmer-customers and
their agronomists now have exact weed ID and location photos from planting through tasseling
to help address future herbicide plans” (“Drones”). UAVs can detect specific weeds by using
advanced cameras and sensors in combination with GPS technologies. This allows for real-time
precise data over large areas to be collected in minutes (Esposito and Crimaldi).

UAVs can also be equipped with tanks that allow them to more precisely target specific weed
patches. For instance, Noll informs, “We can also detect what weeds are entering fields from
ditches and can spray the entry point to reduce future problems” (“Drones”). This not only
increases the mechanical effectiveness of aerial flight in weed reduction but also reduces the
spread of herbicides.

4
Benefits of Using Drones
Selecting Sensors
Drones can be equipped with a variety of sensors to aid agriculture. In order to increase
capabilities and cost, RGB, Near Infrared (NIR), and Multispectral sensors are good options for
Aerial agriculture.

RGB sensors- RGB stands for red, green, and blue, the visible wavelengths of light. Cameras
with RGB sensors capture normal digital color and could provide a good starting point as they
are the most economical.
Near Infrared (NIR) sensors- In addition to the visible wavelengths of light, NIR sensors capture
the region just above visible light. This region, illustrated in Table 2Figure 1, allows for the best
measurements of solid materials. “An NIR sensor receives the reflected light or light pattern to
gauge the distance, size, location, and identifying features of objects in the three-dimensional
world” (“Near-Infrared Sensing”). These sensors are especially helpful for low visibility
conditions.
Multispectral sensors- Multispectral sensors go one step further by including Red Edge
(between red and NIR) wavelengths. These cameras break down the wavelengths using
calibrated imagery, making more precise images than NIR sensors (“UAVs in Agriculture”).
These sensors allow for optimum mapping.

Mapping Weed Infestations

In order to evaluate weed populations, it is important to retrieve data regularly for weed
cover (“Recommendations”). UAVs can be used for accurate, regular monitoring and
mapping of weed patches. UAVs have the ability to collect data in real-time, survey areas
that are difficult to reach by land or with an agricultural airplane, and operate on cloudy or
foggy days.

In a study by Jiménez-Brenes et al., UAVs were used to map bermuda grass in vineyards in

5
 two locations, one in Southern Spain and one in Germany. With the data acquired by the
UAV images, they were able to accurately locate bermudagrass-infested areas as shown in
Table 3Figure 2. This information allowed the farmers to target weed control practices.

Targeting Weed Patches

Research at North Dakota State University (NDSU) has found that by utilizing mapping, they
have seen a reduction of sprayed areas by 30% to 70% (“Drones”). Paulo Flores, NDSU
Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering assistant professor, provides an
example of a reduction they achieved in 2022. By using 5x10-foot grids, they “achieved a 50%
savings in acres, only spraying grid cells that contained weeds (“Drones”). For farmers with
1,000 acres, a reduction of 50% would mean that only 500 acres would need herbicide
application, thus making it less likely to promote herbicide resistance.

In addition, UAVs can be equipped with tanks for spraying some areas. Noll of Ag Partners uses
a drone to spray a 20-foot pattern six feet above the crop in his 80-acre field. After discovering
grass patches in his field he used UAV mapping and his spray drone to target only the areas of
the field that were affected by the grass. He was able to reduce the amount of acres sprayed
from 80 to 30. Several weeks later, an image from the drone showed that it had “achieved
100% weed control” (“Drones”). By using the drone, he was able to save on herbicide and fuel
as well as do his part to slow down herbicide resistance.

6
Analyzing Costs and Savings
Initial costs for adding a UAV would consist of adding a drone, training a pilot and data analyst
and purchasing post-processing software. See Table 2 for a breakdown of cost estimates.

Table 2. Average Costs for Adding a UAV (Sheykin)

Necessary Additions Average Cost
Agricultural Drone $10,000- $50,000
Training a Pilot and Data Analyst $1,500- $5,000
Post Processing Software $5,000- $20,000
:
Cost savings by utilizing a UAV include:
● Reduction in the amount of herbicide used
● Reduction in fuel use
● Reduction in field operating time (Jiménez-Brenes et al.)

Analyzing Limitations
Herbicide weed resistance is a worldwide problem that cannot be solved by changes in one
business. However, we should all do our part to take care of our environment. You may not be
able to slow weed resistance to herbicides globally, but we can work together to reduce
unnecessary herbicides in the farms here in the Midwest.

Conclusion
Weeds account for 5% -10% of losses in the agriculture of the United States
(“Recommendations for improved weed management”). They compete with crops for water,
space, and nutrients and provide a host for insects, fungi, and bacteria that can harm crops
(Esposito and Crimaldi). The use of herbicides is vital to controlling weeds and providing for
high-yield agriculture. However, herbicide resistance has become a growing problem
throughout the world. Hylio is working to promote environmental sustainability in our nation
and provide for precision agriculture. By adding drones (UAVs) to your company or farm, you
will be able to create and evaluate maps of fields and reduce the number of herbicides used to
treat weeds, thereby doing your part to fight against herbicide resistance.

7
 Works Cited

“Drones Becoming a Valuable Weed Control Tool | The More You Grow.” Corteva.us, 22 August

2022, https://www.corteva.us/Resources/crop-protection/soybeans/drones-valuable-

weed-control-tool.html. Accessed 26 October 2023.

Esposito, Marco, and Mariano Crimaldi. “Drone and sensor technology for sustainable weed

management: a review - Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture.” Chemical

and Biological Technologies in Agriculture, 25 March 2021,

https://chembioagro.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40538-021-00217-8.

Accessed 26 October 2023.

“Herbicide Resistant Weeds in United States.” INTERNATIONAL HERBICIDE-RESISTANT WEED

DATABASE, 9 March 2019, https://www.weedscience.org/Pages/Country.aspx?

CountryID=45. Accessed 27 October 2023.

Jiménez-Brenes, Francisco Manuel, et al. “Automatic UAV-based detection of Cynodon dactylon

for site-specific vineyard management.” PLOS, 11 June 2019,

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0218132. Accessed

26 October 2023.

Kraus, Terry. “100 Years of Aerial Crop Dusting.” Federal Aviation Administration,

https://www.faa.gov/sites/faa.gov/files/about/history/pioneers/100_Years_Aerial_Crop

_Dusting.pdf. Accessed 3 November 2023.

8
“Near-Infrared Sensing.” Radiant Vision Systems,

https://www.radiantvisionsystems.com/industries/near-infrared-sensing. Accessed 28

October 2023.

“Precision Agriculture: An Introduction | MU Extension.” University of Missouri Extension,

https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/wq450. Accessed 28 October 2023.

“Recommendations for improved weed management.” Food and Agriculture Organization,

https://www.fao.org/3/a0884e/a0884e.pdf. Accessed 26 October 2023.

Sheykin, Henry. “How Much Does Agricultural Drone Surveying Cost? Find Out Now!”

FinModelsLab, 10 November 2023,

https://finmodelslab.com/blogs/startup-costs/agricultural-drone-surveying-startup-

costs. Accessed 28 November 2023.

“UAVs in Agriculture - Drone based agricultural services.pub - Microsoft Publisher.” Farm

Advisory Service, https://www.fas.scot/downloads/uavs-in-agriculture-drone-based-

agricultural-services/. Accessed 28 October 2023.

Vencill, William K., et al. “Herbicide Resistance: Toward an Understanding of Resistance

Development and the Impact of Herbicide-Resistant Crops.” Wee Science, vol. 60, no.

SP1, 2017, pp. 2-30. Cambridge University Press,

https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/

1A9433257A97A1C8416B7AFB3A8BC61A/S004317450002186Xa.pdf/herbicide-

resistance-toward-an-understanding-of-resistance-development-and-the-impact-of-

herbicide-resistant-crops.pdf.

9
10