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Could the newest farmhand be a drone?
Research in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is bringing drone technology to agriculture, one of the major industries with excellent potential for growth. Specifically, drone technology is being tested with sheep at Virginia Tech.
"We are looking at ways drones can be used on small farms," said Dan Swafford, project associate for Virginia Cooperative Extension. "Farms could use drones as a 'check-on' tool to ensure that sheep are where they are supposed to be."
Drones can help farmers gain quick access to see if an animal is in need or injured, to examine if a ewe has delivered a new lamb, or more generally to check the status of the farm.
Agriculture is one of the industries where drones will make a big impact in the coming years. A report from PricewaterhouseCoopers found that the potential market for agricultural drones is $32.4 billion because high-tech systems with the ability to monitor crops or livestock can reduce human errors and save time and money.
Do drones make more sense than static cameras with CCTV?
(Score: 2) by Freeman on Wednesday January 24 2018, @11:11PM
A drone while not silent isn't anywhere near like flying a true airplane or military type drone over your house. The "drones" we're talking about are somewhat larger RC toys, just better build quality and definitely more expensive. I would be surprised, if you had to file flight plans for each use as these things are low flying objects. When I was a teenager, we shot model rockets off without filing flight plans, admittedly not huge ones, but the Drones aren't meant to be flying that high either. The "Drone" we're talking about can definitely be flown in a manner as to see animals under and around trees. The "Drone" we're talking about is like those tiny "drones" in the toy aisle, just more like a foot or two across. The nice expensive ones can hover in the air. The cheapo ones at Walmart, require you to have pretty good reflexes and a good size area to play around in. Unless you and your neighbor don't mind it flying off into the neighbors yard, or in a creek, etc.
Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"