Page 34 2024 Fall Farm Outlook Lincoln Daily News Oct 2024 Just a few years ago, when drones were used on farms, it was mainly for collecting data. Now drones are being used in other ways to improve farm operations. In recent years, some farmers have also begun using agricultural robots to help with planting. These technologies are transforming farming practices. In Lincoln Daily News’ Fall 2019 Farm Outlook Magazine, Derek Hurley wrote about the use of drones in agriculture, which was something relatively new at the time. To increase their production, farmers were beginning to use more technology. Hurley said, “the next few years might see an increase in more than just human hands and big machines in the field.” At that point, drones were mainly being used to take photos for data collection. Five years later, drones have become more common in agriculture and are being utilized for more than just data collection. In the August 2024, “How farmers and livestock producers are using drones, another tool in the toolbox,” Makayla Voris said, “Drones flying over Midwestern fields are likely to become a more typical sight. Farmers are finding that the remotely piloted aircraft can do everything from spraying fields to monitoring livestock.” Among the advantages of drones listed in Voris’ article are lower production costs, precision when spraying and less chemical exposure. Five Years Later: The advancement in drone technology and uses on the farm Besides drones, some farmers are beginning to use “agriculture robots.” In “Field to Farm: How Robots in Agriculture Revolutionize Farming,” Klajd Lika explains what agriculture robots are and what tasks they can do along with several ways they are changing how farming is done. Lika says, “Agriculture robots, or agribots, are advanced machines designed specifically to perform various farming tasks, such as planting seeds, watering crops, and harvesting produce.” Continued --
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