Corn Farming with DJI Agriculture Drone Solutions

 

A complete solution guide for using DJI Agriculture drones when farming corn

 

In today's rapidly evolving agricultural landscape, efficiency and sustainability are more critical than ever. Corn, a staple crop globally, plays a significant role in feeding populations and supporting economies. However, traditional farming methods often fall short in meeting modern demands. Enter DJI Agriculture drone solutions—a game-changer for corn farming.

Corn has been cultivated for over 9,000 years, originating in southern Mexico. Today, it's one of the most productive crops worldwide, with major producers like the United States, China, and Brazil. In 2020 alone, global corn production reached 1.16 billion tonnes.

However, traditional corn farming methods present several challenges. In this article, we explore how drones can be used to boost corn farming efficiency and yields. 

 

 

 

Challenges Farmers Face with Traditional Methods

 

Corn farmers have traditionally relied on methods like tractors, crewed aircraft, or manual labor to manage their fields. While these methods have served well for decades, they have significant drawbacks.

 

Traditional Method	Drawback
Tractors	Risk of crop damage due to wheel tracks, soil compaction, high cost, and high fuel consumption
Manual labor	Labor-intensive, time-consuming, and inconsistent application of treatments
Crewed aircraft	High operational costs, uneven application, and safety risks to pilots

 

When it comes to tractors, there are significant limitations and drawbacks to their use in spraying corn:

1. As the tractor sprays between rows, it may damage approximately 5.3% of the crops. This 5.3% damage is derived from the equation: (40 cm width per wheel * 2 wheels * 1,000 m field length = 800 square meters, divided by 15 m spray width * 1,000 m field length). This results in a yield loss of about €47.7-63.6 per hectare per season, depending on the 2023 sales price and yield in Romania (calculated as 5.3% of €150 per ton for 6-8 tons per hectare).
2. The operation has low efficiency, covering only 25-30 hectares per day over 10 hours using a Massey Ferguson 3650.
3. High labor requirements and costs are a concern: it takes €50 per day for a tractor driver and another €50 for a second driver who brings water for mixing chemicals. This is due to the small field sizes in Romania (1-30 hectares), which necessitates frequent transfers and water transportation. Initially, an additional €50 is needed for three more people to help measure the 15-meter spray width on a tractor without GNSS navigation. Overall, 2-5 people are required, leading to substantial costs.
4. Running a ground sprayer consumes significant fuel, costing €12.96 per hectare (€1.62 per liter for 200 liters of diesel across 25 hectares).
5. Ground sprayers also waste 400-500 liters of water per hectare after chemical mixing, a critical issue in water-scarce regions like Romania in 2024. The need for continual water transport further reduces spraying efficiency.
6. After rainfall, it's necessary to wait at least 1-2 days before a tractor can enter the field to spray, which prevents it from getting stuck in mud but also hampers corn growth to some extent.
7. In the later stages of corn growth, it's difficult or impossible for tractors to access the field, leading farmers to potentially abandon pest prevention or control measures, which can decrease corn yield.

 

These limitations highlight the need for more innovative and efficient farming techniques. This is where DJI Agriculture drone solutions come into play.

 

 

 

User Benefits of Drone Adoption

 

Adopting drone technology in agriculture offers numerous advantages that address the shortcomings of traditional methods. DJI drones offer exceptional precision and efficiency in spraying and spreading applications, ensuring even distribution of fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides, which reduces waste and increases effectiveness. By lowering the need for heavy machinery and extensive labor, drones cut operational costs. They also enhance crop health and yield through targeted applications that apply treatments precisely where needed, minimizing crop damage. Additionally, drones improve safety by eliminating risks to human operators and reduce environmental impact by minimizing chemical runoff and soil compaction.

 

Here are some benefits of drones in corn farming in detail:

 

Benefit	Data
No crop damage and yield loss from wheel tracks	Drone increases income by €45.00-60.00/ha/season
Saving chemical use, protecting the environment	25% chemical savings; Chemical cost: €50-80/ha/time, saving €36-60/ha/season
Significant fuel savings compared to ground sprayers	€0.81/ha needed, saving 93% fuel cost; (€0.81/ha = €1.62/L gasoline * 25 L gasoline/50 ha used)
Decreased labor requirement and cost	1-2 people for T30 or T50 operation costing €50-100; Tractor requires 2-5 people costing €100-250
Higher efficiency than small & middle-sized ground sprayers	Drone: 50-80 ha/day; Tractor: 25-30 ha/day, increasing efficiency by 66%-220%
Saving water resources and alleviating agricultural water problems	Drone: 10-20 L/ha; Tractor: 400-500 L/ha, saving about 95% water usage
Timely response minimizes potential losses with post-rain spraying	Drone can start spraying 1-2 hours after rain

 

 

 

 

Drone Application Opportunities in Corn Farming

 

Drones offer versatile application opportunities throughout the corn lifecycle. Here’s how they can be integrated at different stages:

 

 

 

•VT: Fungicide and insecticide spraying

•R5~R6: Cover crop seeding

•Before V0: Burndown and pre-emergence herbicide spraying

•V0-V5：Post-emergence herbicide spraying

 

 

 

 

Best Practices for Drone Spraying

 

To maximize the benefits of drone technology, it's crucial to follow best practices tailored to your specific needs. Here's a recommended setup:

 

	DJI Agras T40/T50--herbicide	DJI Agras T40/T50--insecticide/fungicide/foliar fertilizer	DJI Agras T30--herbicide	DJI Agras T30--insecticide/fungicide/foliar fertilizer
Application Rate (L/ha)	15-25 L/ha	10-20 L/ha	15-25 L/ha	10-20 L/ha
Droplet Size (µm)	250-400 µm	100-300 µm	XR110015VS	XR11001VS
Flight Speed (km/h)	20-25 km/h	20-25 km/h	18-20 km/h	20-23 km/h
Route Spacing (m)	6-6.5 m	7-9 m	5.5-6 m	6-6.5 m
Height Above the Crop (m)	3-3.2 m	3-3.5 m	2.2-2.5 m	2.5-3 m

 

Adhering to these parameters ensures optimal coverage and effectiveness, helping you achieve the best results possible for your corn crops.

 

 

Case Study

 

Time: August 1st, 2024

 

Location: Puieni, Giurgiu, Romania

 

The Riagro team, a well-known local spraying service, conducted a trial with support from FMC, the international chemical company, to test the effectiveness of Agras T50 in controlling the pest Helicoverpa armigera in corn crops.

 

Chemical used	Chemical amount	% Field Affected Before Spraying	% Field Affected After Spraying	Efficacy
CORAGEN	150 ml/ha	90%	10%	88%

 

 

Achieving a Control Efficacy of 88% Against Corn Pest

 

Trial Method: The team employed a standard formula used in the Romanian agriculture industry to quantify pest impact. This involves calculating the degree of pest attack by multiplying the percentage of affected plants by the attack intensity, then dividing by 100. The percentage of affected plants represents the number of plants impacted among those studied, and the attack intensity is graded from 0 to 6 based on the extent of plant damage. Ultimately, the average degree of pest attack is expressed through this calculation.

 

 

Grade	The percentage in which the plant is affected
0	0%
1	1-3%
2	4-10%
3	11-25%
4	26-50%
5	51-75%
6	76-100%

 

 

 

Conclusion

 

The integration of DJI Agriculture drone solutions in corn farming represents a significant leap towards modern, efficient, and sustainable agriculture. By addressing the limitations of traditional methods, drones offer enhanced precision, cost-effectiveness, improved crop health, and environmental benefits.

For farmers looking to optimize their operations and increase yields, adopting drone technology is a strategic move. Explore the full potential of DJI Agriculture drone solutions and take your corn farming to the next level.

 

Special thanks the Riagro team, Ferma Codrea and II Iovuta Ana Maria in Romania for their help with this solution article.

 

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