Multispectral drone imaging technology in agriculture

. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are used in various agricultural sectors to conduct important analyses and scans. They help identify bacteria, fungi, areas that require irrigation, and more. The agricultural industry in developed countries like Russia, the United States, and the European Union is widely considered to be the leading user of UAV technologies. Products with UAV engines are extensively integrated into these agricultural systems, essentially revolutionizing the agrarian sector. Drones play a crucial role in modern agricultural production through their three-dimensional and high-precision real-time analysis, measuring overall soil conditions, planting patterns, and ultimately providing vital data for optimal irrigation and nitrogen requirements.


Introduction
Agriculture is a crucial sector of a country's economy, generating agricultural raw materials for food production and supplying resources to various industrial sectors.A developed agricultural sector can not only meet the country's population needs but also contribute to export revenues.In Russia, agriculture serves as a valuable source of currency for both individual agricultural organizations and the country as a whole.This makes it a highly relevant aspect in the context of the modern financial world.
However, the agricultural sector faces numerous challenges such as diseases, pests, labor shortages, and fertilizer deficiencies, all of which can significantly reduce the productivity of arable land.To address these issues, agriculture has begun to embrace automation through the use of drones and other modern technologies.A drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle capable of automatic or remote control.

Analysis
Modern technologies in agriculture offer remarkable opportunities to enhance productivity and improve working conditions in this sector.Examples of the use of modern technologies include:  Smart irrigation systems: Using soil sensors and data analytics, farmers can optimize irrigation, preventing water excess or deficiency.Such systems help reduce water consumption and increase crop yields. Drone technology: Unmanned vehicles assist agricultural enterprises in overseeing their fields, detecting plant issues, identifying areas with fertilizer deficiencies or pests.This helps to take timely actions and lowers costs. Internet of Things (IoT): With sensors and IoT networks, farmers can monitor and control air, soil, and plant conditions in their fields.This allows regulation of parameters such as temperature, humidity, and nutrient levels for optimal plant growth. Genetic modification: Modern genetic modification methods enable the creation of plants with improved traits, such as disease resistance, high yields, or better product quality.This helps agricultural enterprises reduce the use of pesticides and fertilizers while enhancing resilience to climate change. Automation and robotics: Agricultural robots and automated systems assist in various tasks, from planting and harvesting to sorting and packaging produce.This significantly increases operational efficiency and reduces the need for manually performing routine tasks. Data analytics and AI: Collecting and analyzing data using sensors and machine learning algorithms enables agricultural enterprises to predict crop yields, optimize expenses on fertilizers and pesticides, and improve production planning and management. Vertical farming: This modern technology involves growing plants in vertical systems using artificial lighting and hydroponics.It efficiently utilizes space and significantly increases crop productivity.Such farms can be installed in urban areas, closer to consumers, reducing the time between harvest and delivery.Agriculture heavily relies on water, and its efficient use becomes increasingly important in the face of changing climates and growing populations.Drones enable agricultural enterprises to achieve optimal use of water resources by precisely determining where irrigation and fertilization are necessary.
Thanks to modern technologies, drones are equipped with specialized cameras and sensors capable of detecting physical and chemical characteristics of soil and plants.This allows for a detailed analysis of crop conditions and optimization of water resource utilization, fertilizer application, and pesticide use.Finally, drones can also be used for monitoring and controlling livestock.They provide farmers with information about the quantity and condition of animals and can detect potential issues such as diseases or lack of pasture.This allows farmers to react quickly and take necessary measures to ensure the health and well-being of their livestock.
The agro-industrial holding "Rusagro" is at the forefront in Russia when it comes to implementing modern technologies.These technologies include the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), neural networks, and more.Boris Sopelnyk, the IT director of the company, shares insights into the digitization process: "Drones have proven to be very useful and popular in agriculture.Recently, we used drones to precisely define the boundaries of our fields.Currently, the company is developing a machine learning solution to assess the overall field condition through photos taken by drones.In the near future, we plan to use drones for fertilizer application." Experts at Aeromotus are confident that the future of agriculture lies in unmanned solutions and modern technologies.Many agro-industrial complexes, according to the company, actively implement data collection, storage, and processing systems using UAVs and sensors.According to statistics, this can reduce the expenses of agricultural enterprises by an average of 15-30% [5].
A promising solution in the market is UAVs equipped with multispectral cameras, capable of capturing areas of fields that are inaccessible by conventional observation methods.This technology provides both an overall view from above and detailed videos and photos for further plant diagnostics through specialized software.Multispectral imaging is conducted with a camera sensor that separates light into different spectra.Monochromatic images are formed for each frame, the quantity of which depends on the number of camera channels.Information from the images is analyzed by geoinformation programs using indices such as NDVI, NDRE, SAVI, and LAI.
In many countries worldwide, multispectral imaging is already used for plant quality control, and this trend is becoming increasingly prevalent in Russian regions.Thus, agriculture is gradually transforming into a modern and high-tech sphere.
In addition, drones simplify the application of other advanced technologies in agriculture.For instance, they can be equipped with infrared cameras.This unique compatibility of drones with other innovative inventions facilitates and reduces the cost of transitioning to precision agriculture.They can also be easily used to protect crops from pests, such as applying trichogramma.In one flight (14 minutes of operation), a drone can cover about 20 hectares.Drones equipped with ultrasonic repellents can protect fields from birds and rodents [6].
The domestic "unmanned" industry has faced significant challenges in the past year due to the negative consequences of external factors, specifically the sanctions imposed by unfriendly countries against Russia.The problems are associated with restrictions on scientific and technical cooperation, logistics, and component procurement.A critical factor for the industry remains, and continues to be, the internal factor-legislative regulation in Russia of the operation of civil unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), primarily heavy ones weighing over 30 kg.Prospects for developing an acceptable regulatory framework are currently not visible, and consequently, there are no commercial prospects for projects involving such UAVs.

Use of drones in other countries
An analysis of the drone market shows that currently, 61 countries in the world have UAV developments (with a total of 1,658 models).The level of technology maturity varies by country, ranging from conceptual sketches to mass-produced products.The number of UAV models produced in different countries (industrial, military, civil, experimental, etc.) is presented in the Table 1.The market for agricultural drones, which are used for spraying and handling bulk materials such as seed material, biological plant protection products, and fertilizers, is experiencing significant growth.The distribution of the top three leaders by drone application is presented in the Table 2. Currently, the leading global manufacturers of civilian UAVs are DJI (China), SenseFly/Parrot SA (France), Yuneec (China), 3D Robotics (USA), and Geoscan (Russia).DJI stands out as the production and sales leader, holding a 72% share of the global market.
Patent Activity Analysis:  Leading countries in patent activity for UAVs include China, the USA, and the of Korea.Russia ranks 7th in the total number of UAV-related patents.Efficiency Calculation:  Spraying agricultural crops using UAVs significantly differs from traditional methods.
Let's examine the most effective way to protect grain crops from pests using the DJI Agras MG-1 drone:  Unlike a tractor, the drone does not compress 5-10% of the harvest, can be used after rain, is effective in fields with complex terrain, and is faster when treating shrubs and maturing crops (e.g., corn, sunflower). In the case of plant spraying by small aircraft, the significant difference lies primarily in the safety for the operator.It is suitable for fields of any size and shape, operating at low speed.The drone flies much lower-1.5-2meters above plants-preventing liquid from evaporating and being carried away by the wind.There are no huge queues during the season, and finding or training drone pilots is much simpler and faster.The drone is easy to operate, economical, and eco-friendly.Only two people are involved in the operation, with portable batteries and a generator as power sources, avoiding environmental pollution compared to existing solutions (tractors, helicopters, etc.).This team can treat up to 4 hectares per hour, working from 6 to 11 in the morning and from 3 to 8 in the evening.The drone carries 10 liters of liquid and disperses it in 5-10 minutes.
Treating crops with such a drone requires a small amount of working fluid, using less than 10 liters per hectare.Following the pesticide application rate reduces the water volume.In contrast, a traditional sprayer with a consumption rate of 200 liters per hectare dilutes 4 liters of the preparation in 200 liters of water.The secret of effective chemical treatment lies in the droplet size, measured in microns (1 micron = 0.001 millimeters).This low-volume spraying method is possible with particle sizes of 100-250 microns.
Small and uniform droplets allow for the best coverage of the treated surface.For example, to treat one hectare with a coverage density of 100 droplets per square centimeter and a droplet diameter of 250 microns, it would require spraying 81.8 liters of liquid.With a diameter of 100 microns, only 5.24 liters would be needed.
Spraying with a drone is not only environmentally friendly but also economically appealing.Excessive pesticide use not only leads to additional losses but also harms the environment.Drone spraying technologies reduce the use of chemical plant protection E3S Web of Conferences 463, 01034 (2023) EESTE2023 https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202346301034products, allowing for the targeted application only to the plants that require it, minimizing the variability in plant health across the field.
The working season spans 8 months, with an average of 185 days suitable for spraying, considering rainy days when work is impractical.Spraying activities occur from March to October, totaling an average of 185 suitable days.The income and expenditure plan for the application of such a drone based on these data is presented below:

Conclusion
Drones in agriculture represent significant potential and numerous advantages.The use of drones can greatly enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of agricultural operations.Firstly, drones offer several advantages in agricultural monitoring.Firstly, they provide more accurate and efficient data collection.They can gather information on field conditions, such as soil moisture levels, fertility, and pest identification.This valuable data empowers agricultural enterprises to make well-informed decisions about fertilizers, irrigation, and pesticide applications.As a result, they can optimize resource usage and minimize costs.
Secondly, drones can perform tasks such as spraying fertilizers and pesticides, field irrigation, and soil aeration.This automation and acceleration of agricultural processes significantly increase productivity and efficiency.
Moreover, the use of drones in agriculture also helps reduce negative environmental impacts.More precise application of fertilizers and pesticides, as well as optimized use of water resources, helps reduce soil and water pollution.
In the future, drones may become an integral part of the agricultural process, ensuring more sustainable and environmentally friendly production.

Table 1 .
Percentage distribution of UAV production by country.

Table 2 .
Distribution of countries by drone application.

Table 4 .
Drone Application Revenue and Expense Plan.