by Allison Lund

Drones make crop scouting easier and more efficient, but they also have applications for livestock producers. The Purdue College of Agriculture’s Digital Ag Showcase highlighted how drones, also called unmanned aerial vehicles or UAVs, can be a useful tool in the livestock industry.

UAV applications for sheep, cattle and overall pasture management were explained at the event. Adam Shanks, Purdue Extension coordinator for digital ag, shared more about the following uses.

In sheep:

In beef:

In pastures:

These wide variety of tasks can be made easier by UAVs and can help producers cut back on the time it takes to complete these tasks.

“You can look at some things that would take you a couple hours to walk through,” Shanks said.

IN FLIGHT: One of the drones took flight at the Digital Ag Showcase, demonstrating the view that it has and how quiet it is.

Shanks used the DJI Mavic 3 drone at the showcase as an example of a drone that could be used to complete livestock scouting tasks. Some drones have better image quality than others, so the type of drone a producer chooses should be suited to the tasks he or she plans to perform.

BIRD’S-EYE VIEW: Adam Shanks shows the view in real time as he flies a drone above Purdue’s Agronomy Center for Research and Education.

This is just scratching the surface of drone potential in livestock operations, Shanks noted. For example, researchers are still figuring out how to best incorporate thermal imaging with UAVs.

For now, producers interested in UAVs could dabble in that area by starting with some of the mentioned tasks. They might just find it makes their lives easier, Shanks said.

Lund writes from West Lafayette, Ind.