MoU Signs To Establish Center For Using Drone Tech In Agriculture

In order to establish a training facility for the use of drone technology in precision agriculture and related fields PMAS-AAUR signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

MoU Signs To Establish Center For Using Drone Tech In Agriculture

In order to establish a training facility for the use of drone technology in precision agriculture and related fields, Pir Mehr Ali Shah-Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi (PMAS-AAUR) and Onnuri unmanned Aerial Vehicle Company South Korea have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

According to PMAS-AAUR Vice Chancellor Dr. Qamar-uz-Zaman, this centre will not only supply trained manpower for unmanned aerial vehicles locally but will also open up job opportunities for Pakistani youth internationally. He called it a milestone for the country in popularising drone technology in agriculture and related fields.

In order to promote modern agricultural technology and help farmers with their problems, he claimed that it was urgent to strengthen the links between industry and academia. He continued that precision agriculture was essential for raising per-acre production, eradicating poverty, and guaranteeing food security.

The VC stated that PMAS-AAUR had built a smart IoT farm with the intention of promoting digital and precise agriculture in the nation, allowing Pakistan to not only achieve self-sufficiency in agricultural production but also to realise the dream of exporting agricultural goods.

Pest control, plant health monitoring, livestock management, soil analysis, and aerial survey are a few of the more popular agricultural applications for UAVs. Plant health monitoring is one of the best examples of successful drone use in agriculture.

A farmer’s crops must be in good health if they are to produce the highest yields. There are many different situations that can have a negative impact on crop yield. Pathogens, fungi, and insects can harm crops. The productivity of a plant is also impacted by improper levels of nitrates and carbon in the soil. Even an otherwise fertile field can produce subpar results if the water levels are not adequate.

Farmers have historically kept an eye on all of these conditions through visual observations and soil testing. Visual inspections take a lot of time and depend on the observer’s aptitude for spotting potential issues. For large-scale farming operations, this method is incredibly ineffective.

Even more time may be needed for soil analyses than for visual checks. Samples must be taken by trained professionals, who frequently analyse them in a laboratory. This process takes time, which inevitably results in a lag in the data. As a result, the farmer cannot access real-time information about the crops on a given day.