Dive into drone technology

What are the primary purposes of drone technology? What would you say is the reason that, you know, this technology has taken off in the agricultural industry?

I think our biggest problem in agriculture, in our sector, is to grow enough food from the same fixed land to feed a growing population.

The only way you can do that is to find efficiencies where you can, so that we can grow.

If you look at the agricultural sector, it is the only sector that has grown here in South Africa since 1994.

And one of the reasons why it has grown so far is the introduction of new technology, like new seed breeds that are resistant, new chemicals, and so on and so forth.

So technology has always played a part in growing the sector so that we can grow enough food to feed this growing population.

So drones are also just part of that efficiency because they have quite a number of applications which we will discuss a little bit later.

You can spread fertilizer more effectively.

You can spray more effectively than you used to and even more cost effective.

That is the primary obligations of drones in terms of agriculture to find those efficiencies so that you can grow, can become more productive in the same amount of land that you have.

Thank you, Telani.

And I know the general person thinks of drones, you think of, you know, filmmaking and photographers, because I know that's what they use.

It's quite innovative that it's something that's applied within the agricultural space.

And what are the different types of drones that you can find, you know, usable for agricultural purposes? Is it the commercial ones that maybe you would find at the stores or are they specified for agricultural use?

Yes, Patricia.

I mean, there are quite a number of drones.

Like we had mentioned as well, they are the ones that we use just for cinematic purposes.

But there are different types of drones from different types of manufacturers in South Africa.

But in South Africa, we are big on DJI.

also on XAG drones, but mainly DJI drones.

They have quite a number of drones.

For example, they have small cinematic drones, like I said, drones that you can use to take videos so that you can post on Facebook and get attention like I've managed to get yours.

And also to check your germination, to check your crop lodging, to check your weed pressure.

So these ones basically is just the use of the camera to check those things, to be up in the sky and be able to see the overall picture of what's happening on the ground.

But furthermore, there are other more technical drones that are applied and are very helpful in agriculture.