Determining Utility of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) in Soybean Production Systems
Investigators
Objectives
- Evaluate multiple UAS application platforms for liquid chemical application in soybean production systems
- Evaluate multiple UAS application platforms for cover crop seeding in soybean production systems
- Evaluate multiple UAS application platforms for granular fertilizer application in soybean production systems.
Expected End Results
Projected impacts to Mississippi soybean producers include knowledge of effectiveness and efficiency of liquid chemical application, cover crop seeding, and granular fertilizer application using UAS platforms in soybean production systems. The economic analysis of these factors will be crucial to potential practitioners and producers to determine applicability in a given production system. In addition, data generated from this project will likely shape forthcoming policy developments by the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce with regard to aerial applications by UAS platforms. Approximately 2.15 million acres of soybean were projected to be harvest in Mississippi as of November 2023. If data generated from this project are applied to 15% of these acres at a value of approximately $3 per acre, the projected value of this project is nearly $1,000,000.