Monitoring Performances and Cost Estimation of Multirotor Unmanned Aerial Systems in Precision Farming

Abstract

Unmanned Aerial Systems are very promising in monitoring applications. Their flexibility, ease of operation and relative low-cost construction make them the best candidates for monitoring activity in precision farming, where prompt management reactions to plant disease, lack of plants nutrients and environmental changes are the focal point to farm efficiency and productivity. In this paper, we show the results of an analysis of monitoring performances and cost estimation of multirotor Unmanned Aerial Systems applied to crop monitoring tasks in paddy fields. The analysis takes into account the Italian regulatory prescriptions and the investigation of two different kind of commercial sensors