Photo credit: FREEPIK
Fertilizer management using drones is an advanced precision agriculture technique that optimizes nutrient application, enhances yields, and reduces environmental impact. This practice integrates drones equipped with multispectral cameras, specialized software for data analysis, and precision farming machinery to ensure efficient fertilizer application. For example, a tomato farmer in Poland uses the DJI Mavic 3M drone equipped with a multispectral camera to monitor plant health and create Variable Rate Application (VRA) maps. The drone collects images of the field, capturing light in different spectrums, including near-infrared (NIR), to generate the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), which highlights variations in plant vigor and nutrient requirements.
The process begins with the drone flying over the tomato field and capturing multispectral images at specific intervals. Using software such as DJI Terra or DJI SmartFarm, the collected data is processed
into NDVI maps that identify areas of the field with varying nutrient needs. The NDVI data is then transferred to platforms like Pix4Dfields or QGIS, which generate detailed VRA maps. These maps divide the field into zones based on nutrient requirements, guiding fertilizer application. Farmers can also integrate additional data, such as soil analysis results, to refine the recommendations further. Once the maps are generated, they are exported as files compatible with fertilizer spreader systems such as Amazone Amatron, Kuhn CCI Terminal, or John Deere Operations Center. These files are transferred to the machinery using a USB or SD card, enabling the spreader to adjust fertilizer rates automatically during application. After the fertilization is complete, the drone conducts another flight to assess changes in plant health, confirming the effectiveness of the measures taken. This postapplication monitoring allows farmers to evaluate the overall success of the fertilization strategy, using data collected before and after fertilization. By adopting this practice, the tomato farmer
reduced fertilizer usage by 30%, saving costs while maintaining high yields. Targeted application minimized nutrient runoff, improving soil and water quality in the region. Additionally, the optimized strategy increased crop uniformity, resulting in better-quality tomatoes suitable for premium markets. The environmental benefits of this practice include reducing the reliance on heavy machinery, which prevents soil compaction and crop damage, and lowering greenhouse gas emissions by applying fertilizers only where needed. Drones can also access hard-to-reach areas, ensuring comprehensive field coverage and maximizing efficiency.