Common amongst farm owners was the relatively inexpensive Phantom range from DJI. 

DJI have recently launched the Phantom 4 Pro which improves on the specifications of the Phantom 4.

The Phantom 4 Pro features a 20 Megapixel (MP) camera also capable of capturing Ultra high definition 4K video. This is an improvement over the 12MP camera in the Phantom 4 and Phantom 3 Professional.

Multi-directional obstacle avoidance at up to 50km/h in the Phantom 4 Pro is an improvement over the Phantom 4 which had obstacle avoidance in just the forward direction up to 35km/h.

Farmers using the Phantom 4 say obstacle avoidance is a useful feature that, according to the handful we spoke to, has saved them from a potentially expensive collision with trees.

Top speed of the new Phantom 4 Pro is just over 72km/h and flying time has increased to 30 minutes before a battery change is required according to DJI. RRP is $2599 including GST

Drones, at least in the short-term, will arguably only be used as observation and data capture devices. Giving us a better picture of what is happening with crops, livestock and pastures.

The range of sensor technology is continually developing with prices reducing for multispectral camera options. Paired with appropriate software, farmers and researchers can fly programmed paths, capture imagery and generate NDVI images.

But straight visual imagery will be the most common application used initially for farmers which comes as a standard feature on most drones including the Phantom 4 Pro. 

Anticipated applications according to the survey included checking stock welfare which was nominated by 17%of respondents and visually inspecting watering points as identified by 15%. 

41% of farmers growing crops plan to use the technology for crop monitoring and while weed detection was mentioned as a probable use for drones by 15% of survey respondents.

Kondinin Group researchers have pieced together a comprehensive guide to drones in the upcoming December issue of Farming Ahead.  

The Research Report details commonly used makes, models pricing and applications of drones as well as a snapshot of sensor technology.