Corn production necessitates the use of pesticide spraying [1], and the integration of plant protection drones into corn cultivation can significantly enhance production efficiency. Plant protection drones stand out among various methods due to their distinct advantages, making them extensively adopted in current practices.
1. Various Types of Plant Protection Drones
1.1 Energy and Power Classification
Plant protection drones are categorized based on energy sources as electric or oil-powered [2-2]. Electric drones offer easy operation, eco-friendly attributes, low maintenance, and affordability. However, they have limited load capacity and endurance. Oil-powered drones excel in long-term voyages and heavy carrying capacity, yet they face challenges of higher fuel consumption, air pollution, complex maintenance, and elevated costs. Given the current emphasis on high-quality and green corn production, electric drones are pivotal for advancing corn cultivation.
1.2 Model Structure Classification
Plant protection UAVs can be classified into multi-rotor and fixed-wing types. Multi-rotor drones operate effectively in small wind fields with limited drug penetration. On the other hand, fixed-wing drones provide stable downward wind fields, ensuring robust drug penetration and atomization, making them well-suited for corn production. The application of fixed-wing drones presents notable advantages in corn cultivation.
2. Operational Advantages of Plant Protection Drones
Plant protection drones demonstrate adaptability to diverse corn production environments, unrestricted by changes in terrain. Their use aligns with green agricultural production, improving pesticide utilization efficiency, reducing residues, ensuring product quality, and promoting environmental conservation. These drones boast high reliability, enabling precise near-ground operations with accurate navigation systems, contributing to scientific and large-scale corn production.
3. Performance Comparison of Plant Protection Drones
Plant protection drones play a crucial role in corn production, serving various functions such as pesticide spraying, fertilization, sowing, pollination, measurement, aerial photography, and field identification. Single-rotor electric drones, with their voluminous capacity and endurance, facilitate efficient pesticide spraying. The foldable design of multi-rotor electric drones enhances convenience for farmers, supporting large-scale field operations. These drones, equipped with positioning modules, ensure precise navigation, fostering scientific and large-scale corn production.
4. Factors Constraining Plant Protection Drone Development
4.1 High Cost
The substantial purchase cost of plant protection drones poses a significant obstacle to their widespread adoption. Incentives provided by China have mitigated some financial burdens, but high purchase fees remain a deterrent for many farmers, limiting the application of plant protection drones in corn production.
4.2 Insufficient Supporting Services
The shortage of professional operators with AOPA-issued operating certificates hampers the application of plant protection drones in corn production. Furthermore, the absence of a comprehensive insurance mechanism further impedes their development.
4.3 Lack of Standardization
Diverse plant protection UAV models from various manufacturers complicate standardization, affecting their application. Some enterprises enhance production services but impose high and unreasonable charges, hindering drone utilization.
5. Development Trend of Plant Protection Drones
Plant protection drones align with the goals of large-scale agricultural production, emphasizing modern agriculture’s requirements. Future development should focus on autonomous navigation capabilities, affordability, and efficiency. Intelligent, heavy-load drones with accurate navigation and operational effectiveness are crucial for advancing corn production and realizing mechanized agricultural practices.
6. Conclusion
The integration of plant protection drones in corn production aligns with the principles of green and technological agriculture, enhancing production quality while minimizing environmental impact. Ongoing optimization research is essential to enhance drone performance and facilitate their broader application, playing a pivotal role in mechanized agricultural production and rural economic revitalization.