Drones are giving a high-tech boost to the fight against fire ants! In recent years, drones have made significant advancements in agriculture and biosecurity, especially in eradicating fire ants. We have embarked on a project to harness the potential of drones for treatment and surveillance in the battle against these invasive pests.
Traditionally, fire ant eradication efforts have relied on helicopters, all-terrain vehicles, and ground staff to distribute bait across vast areas. However, the high costs with these methods have led to a search for more efficient and versatile solutions. Drones have emerged as a promising solution, filling the gap between ground-based efforts and aerial treatments.
An external study tested the feasibility of using drones for fire ant eradication. It included a 16-week pilot program that tested drones in various treatment scenarios. The results were overwhelmingly positive, with drones proving to be an effective tool in all tested scenarios. As a result, we are preparing for the operational deployment of four drones, which will be managed by external suppliers to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements. Managing the legal and regulatory framework around drones can be tricky. Using the expertise of a licensed technician can mean less cost for the user through savings from licence fees, equipment cost and maintenance.
The key advantages of using drones are:
- treating areas that are inaccessible to helicopters and ground staff, such as areas close to buildings
- operating efficiently up to 30 metres away from structures
- significantly reducing the workload for ground personnel
- achieving comprehensive coverage of treatment areas.
Looking ahead, the potential for drone surveillance is just as promising. The development of machine learning detection models by universities has paved the way for drones to identify fire ant mounds from the air. This could revolutionise how fire ant populations are monitored, allowing more targeted and efficient eradication efforts. This is a strong growth area across sectors.
Machine learning detection is now able to identify the following and much more:
- noxious weeds in hard-to-reach areas
- crop health across a field
- cattle location on a station.
This move to include drones in the National Fire Ant Eradication Program is a great example of how AgTech is changing the game in agriculture and biosecurity. It's not just about controlling fire ants; it's about showing how innovative tech can make a big difference in tackling tough challenges.
View the drone in action.