Drones flying high in China

In China, this cutting-edge technology is being used in many creative ways across industries, from helping rural farmers save operational costs, to scanning the environment and reducing pollution levels.
China’s use of drones in agriculture in particular has led to enormous savings. Farmers in Shanxi province have employed the technology in answer to a labour shortage in the region, as many young people are leaving to work in nearby cities. 
These drones are equipped with small tanks of bug spray that can cover an orchard in 10 minutes, which is an astonishing 15 times faster than human labour. 
This enormous increase in efficiency has won over farmers who were initially suspicious of the new technology. By some estimates, the market potential for these agricultural drones could reach 100 billion yuan (Bt500 billion) each year. Although the drones are currently used to spray pesticide, the proliferation of these machines will encourage the development of more environmentally-friendly farming practices.
Drones are also being used in environmental management in other parts of China. Southern China’s Dongguan is one of the world’s largest manufacturing hubs with over 300,000 factories in an area roughly the size of Hong Kong. Having been dogged by soaring levels of pollution, the region has turned to drones to help mitigate the environmental damage caused by these factories. Equipped with sensors that detect many types of pollutants in the air, these high-tech drones can be deployed when strong manufacturing smells are identified. 
By hovering above the city, they form a digital map of the highest concentrations of organic matter, helping government regulators track down the cause of the pollution. These pollution-detectors have helped the city reduce its smoggy days to just 12 in 2016, down from 104 in 2015.  
As well as their many operational applications, drones can also be used as sustainable “fireworks” that don’t emit noise or pollution. In Guangzhou this year 100 drones were programmed to move in synchronicity to create colourful patterns and shapes in the night sky. 
A novel idea, and one that makes me think that the only limitation for drones is our imagination.
Given the savings in time and costs these drones have achieved, Thailand is also investigating how they can be used to boost our agriculture production. 
Among others, Mahidol and Chiang Mai universities have been developing sensor drones that can forecast the weather and give customised care to different sections of their land, while large producers such as Mitr Pohl are already using drones in production. 
Drones play a crucial role in what’s become known as precision agriculture, and the Thai government hopes that this will lead to a sevenfold increase in farmers’ income within 20 years under its ambitious Agriculture 4.0 strategy.