Drone technologies addressing the numerous challenges of 21st-century agriculture

Current challenges:

1. Global food demand – constantly increasing due to rapid population growth
2. Extreme weather events – occurring more frequently and impacting crop quality and yields
3. Depletion of natural resources
4. Degradation of arable lands
5. Water scarcity
6. Global supply chain disruptions – due to the COViD-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and other factors, leading to food shortages around the world

Ideas for drone-based improvements:

1. Crop disease detection/treatment
2. Pest detection/control
3. Crop spraying
4. Pollination

Drone-based technologies for effective and economical management of infrastructures

Current challenges:

1. High maintenance costs
2. Changing environmental and weather conditions – causing wear & tear that necessitate repairs and replacements
3. Need for skilled personnel – for planning ahead, supervising and carrying out maintenance and repairs
4. Regulations and safety standards – constantly changing as new technologies evolve

Ideas for drone-based solutions:

1. Efficient detection of hazards in infrastructures such as railroads, oil and gas pipelines, bridges, etc.
2. Cleaning, control, and maintenance of green energy installations
3. Detecting pollution, monitoring polluted rivers, spotting illegal disposal or burning of waste
4. Identifying traffic blockages, flooding, closed roads

Drone technologies for communication and coordination between manned and unmanned aerial vehicles to enable safe use of shared airspace

Current challenges:

1. Meeting safety regulations for manned and unmanned aerial vehicles sharing the same airspace, flying at different heights and speeds, with varying maneuvering abilities
2. Communication and coordination between pilots of aircraft and drones

Possible solutions:

1. Airspace management system including automated air traffic control
2. Mid-air collision prevention system

Upgrading and expanding the use of drones as a meaningful tool in a wide range of industries

Possible improvements:

1. Longer flight time – achieved by extending battery life and improving energy efficiency
2. Greater payload capacity – enabling drones to carry advanced equipment and sensors for more complex missions
3. Improved navigation and stabilization – with systems that are not affected by interferences or environmental factors
4. Greater autonomy – with improved AI and machine learning technologies, providing drones with more independence and the ability to make more complex decisions, thereby reducing both the need for human intervention and the risk of human error
5. Better sensors – such as cameras with higher resolution and more accurate LiDAR systems, for improved data collection
6. Improved communication and control – enabling pilots to simultaneously manage multiple drones and/or transmit data in real time
7. Enhanced durability – using stronger, more resilient materials to build drones that can survive crashes and withstand tough conditions