Drones are a new concept to farming in Ireland, with their relevance increasing as technology progresses.

Ian Kiley, CEO at Drone Consultants Ireland, told the Irish Farmers Journal about what he says are the "endless possibilities" for drone use in agriculture today.

Crime prevention

“From a security perspective, drones can be used to check on farm assets such as cattle and machinery from the comfort of your home," he said.

"A drone fitted with a thermal camera costs €3,000 and could be used by farmers to check their stock at night.”

Farm management

“Drones have proven to be beneficial in land management," says Kiely.

"A 3D model of the land can easily be made using basic mapping software which in turn would give farmers a better perspective of their fields. This will aid in where we plant our crops and how we monitor their progress.”

Pesticides

Californian vineyards have been deployed drones in the application of pesticides. Using a multispectral camera, the drones identify exactly where the chemicals are needed.

Kiely believes “we can reduce our use of pesticides by 80% using these highly accurate cameras.”

Ian Kiely operating his pesticide spraying drone.

Replacing Shep the dog?

It has also been suggested that drones have been used in the herding of cattle and sheep and one Wicklow farmer has already tried it, but Kiely is quick to warn against trading in the sheepdog just yet.

“In future as battery life increases and weight decreases, we may see drones used in the transport of goods. This could come in very useful when working in difficult areas on the farm.”

Ian Kiely and Keith Tracey from Drone Consultants Ireland are working with the NPWS and Coillte to combat forest fires with their drones.

Fire prevention

In May this year, the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NWPS) teamed up with Coillte to tackle forest fires using innovative drone technology.

Coillte recorded 150 fire incidents last year which affected more than 600ac of forestry.

In order to combat this problem, the two bodies called in help – Kiely and Keith Tracey – who will survey the fires as they happen, providing invaluable data to the various services tackling the blazes.

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Watch: Wicklow farmer herds cattle with a drone