Dos and Don'ts of using drone technology in the crop fields

The global population growth requires moving from traditional to modern agriculture. A new generation of agriculture is needed for responding to food security, which relies on smart technologies, such as remote sensing and intelligent machines, including drones. This paper identifies the necessity, challenges, and prerequisites of using drones in crop fields. The study employed a systematic literature review through a qualitative content analysis for assessing published research documents, using a four-step method comprising material collection, descriptive analysis, category selection, and material evaluation. The literature emphasizes the necessity of using drones in crop fields in three categories: “drones are unique technical features", "drones assist in monitoring and optimizing the agricultural production process", and "drones help environmental-well-being benefits". The challenges of using this technology in crop farming are also classified into six categories, consisting of “lack of macro and integrated policies and approach", "poor knowledge and access to drone technology", "moral and social concerns", "safety", "hardware and software limitations", and "complex and costly". Furthermore, the application of drones in crop fields requires “infrastructures", "knowledge and skills", "effective governance", and "awareness and compliance with flight standards". The evidence from the literature demonstrates that some policies have encouraged the development of appropriate technologies to improve crop production and quality and enhance farmers’ access to a diverse range of technologies. By fostering support for new and precise technologies in sustainable precision agriculture tools, such as drones, and carefully considering the challenges and prerequisites of utilizing drones, farmers can gain access to and benefit from agriculture based on new and more equitable technologies. This can be achieved through greater public funding of technological advancements, thereby supporting sustained greater food systems.