Drones are definitely gaining a lot of traction in the world of farming. In fact, according to Global Market Insights, the total market size for agricultural drones will surpass US$1 billion by 2024. This isn’t really shocking given the various benefits of having a drone on your farm. You might be thinking, “Why should farmers buy a drone? Will it really help?” But more than its many uses in agriculture, here are the top reasons why farmers should buy a drone ASAP.

UAVs are more accessible than ever.

Back when drones were just starting to carve out a presence in the tech market, issues regarding poor usability and steep prices were the norm. These days, however, UAVs are more accessible and reliable than ever.

The stiff competition between drone builders and manufacturers has given way to more pocket-friendly prices. Furthermore, drones are now pretty much ready to use right out of the box. Unlike before, you won’t have to deal with complicated instructions or over-technical terms anymore.

Real-time insights are now possible.

All sorts of unexpected situations may crop up during the growing season. Disease, pests, nutrient leaching, and other issues may arise when you least expect them. That being said, drone-gathered data may just save your harvest from going down the drain.

Today’s agricultural drones are advanced enough to provide you with real-time insights about your farm’s status. Getting your hands on timely and accurate information in the field can help you minimize the impact of unforeseen circumstances on your farm and profits.

Equipment integration is now an option.

In addition to providing you with information real-time, you can now integrate drones with other farming equipment to make your operations even more efficient. Although this usage of drone-supplied data is just starting to gain traction, integrating drone findings to seeders and spreaders is now possible.

For example, you can produce variable rate prescription zone maps from drone-generated NVDI maps of your fields. Then, you can feed these zone maps right into your seeding equipment.

Today’s drones have highly-reliable software.

If you’re still not convinced as to why should farmers buy a drone, listen up. Yes, modern UAVs have much better hardware. But more than that, today’s drones also boast software that’s more reliable and user-friendly than ever. Several years ago, it’s not uncommon for some users to deploy their UAVs — only to find out later on that some technical glitch prevented the drone from taking photos. These days, this isn’t the case anymore.

Plus, you don’t even need PCs or full-blown ground stations to command and communicate with your drone. Cloud-based computing and mobile technology have made it possible for drone users to harvest data using a simple tablet. In addition, controlling and optimizing your drone’s settings is now fast and easy using mobile apps.

So, why should farmers buy a drone?

In summary, advancements in hardware and software reliability, quick and easy information harvesting, equipment integration, and cheaper upfront costs are the top reasons for purchasing an agricultural drone ASAP. Based on the way modern drone ecosystems are looking, we’re willing to bet that things are bound to get even better for farmers and their relationship with UAVs.

Frankly, it’s now easier than ever to place one’s confidence in UAV-related technological advancements. Truly, drones have gone from being mere toys to actual devices that can make our farms more productive than ever before.