Drones for agriculture, forestry, and plant protection are becoming a primary focus in China's UAV industry, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
Heilongjiang Province in northeast China is a major crop production province with sprawling forests and swathes of wetlands. Local farmers have already embraced the benefits of using drones. With its largest arable land in the country, the province accounts for 40 percent of the total drone flight time dedicated to agriculture, forestry, and plant protection in China.
In Beian City, a major producer of non-genetically modified soybeans in Heilongjiang, drones are widely used in agricultural operations. However, the demand for drones remains high.
"We currently have 265 aircraft of all types, including drones, to serve over 153,000 hectares of arable land. Using drones for agricultural, forestry, and plant protection tasks enables lower cost and higher efficiency compared to traditional agricultural equipment. And drones are particularly helpful in tackling challenges of crop field management and more," said Zhu Xingcheng, head of the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau of Beian City.
Other provinces in China have also been actively promoting drones as essential agricultural equipment. In northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, a major drone production base is set to open in Shihezi City by the end of August.
"After the Shihezi Base starts to operate, the annual production of large dual-purpose drones can reach 150. The future of agriculture, forestry, and plant protection is moving towards integrated, mass-scale operations. Using large drones would be the trend," said the deputy general manager of Sichuan Tianyu Hangtong Technology Corporation.
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology emphasizes that the development and innovation of drones for agriculture, forestry, and plant protection are of strategic importance for modern agriculture and China's food security. Additionally, Chinese drone companies are encouraged to target the global market.
"We need to boost the innovation and application of low-altitude equipment, featuring unmanned, electrified, and intelligent, thereby facilitating modern farm construction with advanced low-altitude equipment. Drone companies are also encouraged to actively engage in the Middle East, Africa, South America, and Southeast Asia to expedite exports of competitive products, like plat-protection drones. Thus, can we export modern large-scale agricultural solutions, and establish a brand for China's agricultural modernization worldwide," said Xu Chunrong, director of the second Department of Equipment Industry of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
China's UAV industry to prioritize applications for agriculture and forestry
