At Fieldays’ first Drone Zone, manufacturers and businesses had the chance to showcase how drones are revolutionising farming and fishing.
“Technology has come so far.”
These were words repeatedly heard at Fieldays’ first Drone Zone, a space where various manufacturers and businesses were given the opportunity to showcase how drones are revolutionising farming and fishing.
According to exhibitor DJI Agriculture’s latest report, over 300,000 of its drones operate globally, treating500 million hectares of farmland around the world.
Agricultural Drone Association president Craig Simpson has been in the drone industry for five years. He says it’s in an exciting phase.
“When we first started out they were quite small drones. They were good and they proved a point but they weren’t actually replacing any other equipment,” Simpson told the Herald.
“We’ve got to that point now where it’s good technology, people understand how to use it and the customers are asking for it.”
Simpson said drones were selling mostly to contractors who could absorb the cost of regulation and training.
He predicted contractor drone usage would continue to increase over the next two years.
“As more Chinese manufacturers enter the market, prices would continue to come down,” Simpson said.
“The big question people have is what comes after that.”
It’s Simpson’s belief that eventually drones will be able to be flown in swarms, under one controller. They will be cheap to buy, service and maintain.
Fieldays 2025: Craig Simpson, of Drone Trust NZ, and founder of Aerolab and GridFree. Photo / Danielle Zollickhofer
“If certification and training gets easier, there’s a future in which farmers will buy them,” Simpson said.
“The kids on farms today, when they take over in 10 years’ time, they’ll probably have a couple of drones in the shed.”
Able to fly in wet weather and over steep farm country, drones can go where helicopters and other vehicles can’t.
“They’re a tool to get the job done where no other one could do the job well,” Simpson said.
Crop spraying is not the only area where drones have been adopted.
Fisherman Kaleb Cave said drone fishing was like being able to surf cast but “deeper and with more hooks”.
“This drone can go up to 1.6 kilometres. It’s waterproof, has a 3kg-lift. You can get it with cameras or without cameras,” Cave said, pointing out a drone in the tent.
“Plug in your hook and off you go.”
Cave said what often surprised people the most was how simple operating a drone could be.
“A lot of people have this fear of drones being too technical but it’s easier than people realise.
“The technology has come so far. They’ve taken away the risk factor, a lot of the human error.”
Cave said given the price of fish today, the costs of a drone could be redeemed pretty quickly.
“It’s a no-brainer.”
Maryana Garcia is a Hamilton-based reporter covering breaking news in Waikato. She previously wrote for the Rotorua Daily Post and Bay of Plenty Times.
