Drone Technology

ARKANSAS LAND AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (ALCDC)

DEMONSTRATION CENTER FOR DRONES

IN GRAZING LANDS MANAGEMENT PROJECT 

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The primary objective of the ALCDC’s incorporation of drones into grazing/pasture management is to equip our        Historically underserved clients with a tool that will help them through innovative pasture management, increase

their productive in a cost-effective manner Our goal is to establish a Technology Demonstration Center with the      incorporation of drones into grazing/pasture management being the principal tool.

 

Grazing management is the total process of organizing livestock to make the best use of the pastures grown or        managing the frequency and intensity with which livestock graze pasture. It is of common knowledge that pastures 

respond differently to grazing, and by understanding the growth characteristics of a pasture, grazing can be used

to encourage plant growth and maintain productivity. Grazing management is also a crucial factor in the management

of soil, water and nutrients. If not managed well, grazing can lead to severe natural resource degradation.

 

Some pastures may naturally become less productive as they mature or at various stages of their production cycle.

It is important to recognize this and adjust stocking rates accordingly. Overstocking at critical stages may result in    irreversible damage to pastures and the need for reseeding. By using planned grazing management on native

and improved pastures, producers can improve their operation with minimal inputs.

 

                                           

 

 

 

The advantage that drones give is aerial perspective and analysis, allowing a producer to diagnose problems that                                                aren’t always apparent at eye level. The three basic types of detailed views that drones provide are:

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1. first person view – real-time views from the drone's camera, streamed to either the controller or a smartphone or tablet. This view helps a producer identify patterns like soil variation, irrigation problems, and even pest and fungal infestations.

2. multispectral imaging- where the drone’s camera captures images and data from the infrared as well as the visual  spectrum, which can be combined to create a view of the crop that highlights differences between healthy and distressed pastures in a way that can’t be seen with the naked eye.

3. time series animation - Finally, a drone can survey a pasture every week, every day, or even every hour and combine the images to create a time-series animation. Producers can use that imagery to follow changes in the pasture grazing crop, revealing trouble spots or opportunities for better pasture management.

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Background: Grazing management is the total process of organizing livestock to make the best use of the pastures grown or managing the frequency and intensity with which livestock graze pasture. It is of common knowledge that pastures respond differently to grazing, and by understanding the growth characteristics of a pasture, grazing can be used to encourage plant growth and maintain productivity. Grazing management is also a crucial factor in the management of soil, water, and nutrients. If not managed well, grazing can lead to severe natural resource degradation. Our project builds upon an Environmental Quality Incentive (EQIP) contract for cross fencing, wells for cattle watering and seeding with needed fertilization. This EQIP project has served well for the Arkansas Land and Community Development Corporation (ALCDC) cattle operation. More importantly, it has served as a demonstration for traditional rotational grazing and pasture management for Historically underserved ranchers. This project, Demonstration Center for Drones in Grazing Lands Management, demonstrates that by using drones the operational cost can be reduced and production increased as well.

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