Queensland Drones in the news

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About Queensland Drones

Independent research shows that growers who embrace precision technology are more likely to achieve better farm efficiency, reduced input costs and higher profitability

Queensland Drones is an aerial imaging business based in Bellbowrie, in the Western Suburbs of Brisbane, with a strong specialisation in precision agricultural surveys. We are part of a growing national network of specialist agricultural drone businesses operating in partnership with Falcon UAV, importer of the specialised AgEagle agricultural survey drone. We are fully CASA licensed and covered by public liability insurance. We also trade as Qld Drone Photography.

Our interest in precision agriculture drone technology comes from a desire to do something meaningful to help Queensland farmers who seem otherwise destined for progressively lower returns from their efforts. We’re so confident we can improve the management of most farms that we offer a free demonstration survey to farmers who are likely to be able to utilise this technology (it’s not suited to every farm).

Our technology uses high precision near-infrared cameras to generate large scale stitched and geo-referenced aerial images of fields that can be analysed for crop stress, drainage and irrigation issues, pest invasions, pasture quality and more. We use the AgEagle fixed wing UAV, developed by a US agronomist to improve his own farm outcomes. This distinctive aircraft carries a Canon S100 compact camera modified to capture high-resolution near infrared (NIR) images. The hundreds of images captured in a single flight are stitched into a single large “orthomosaic” image of the field, which is then run through an analysis package to create NDVI (Normalised Difference Vegetation Index) mapping.

Our operational area is from the Sunshine Coast south to Grafton in the east and from Kingaroy to Gunnedah in the West, taking in the Scenic Rim, Lockyer Valley, Darling Downs, Southern Downs, Western Downs and New England region.

For more information, please contact Tony Gilbert on 07 3103 0566 or email [email protected].

News reports about Queensland Drones

ABC Rural – Beerwah horticulture growers UAV demonstration

AUDIO: ABC Rural reporter Jennifer Nichols interviews Tony Gilbert from Queensland Drones, Anna Geddes from Growcom, John Allen from Oaklands Farm and Shane Francis from Kingaroy about agricultural drone applications.

ABC Rural News post – Beerwah horticulture growers UAV demonstration

ABC Rural post about Beerwah strawberry UAV demonstration

WIN News Toowoomba – Laidley horticulture demonstration

WIN News Toowoomba – Laidley horticulture demonstration

7 Local News Toowoomba – Laidley horticulture demonstration

Photos from Laidley horticulture demonstration

The Ag Eagle precision agricultural drone on its launcher at Laidley
The Ag Eagle precision agricultural drone on its launcher at Laidley
Farmers gather around the laptop at the Laidley agricultural drone demo to see what the UAV is capturing
Farmers gather around the laptop at the Laidley agricultural drone demo to see what the UAV is capturing
Field-with-two-types-of-potatoes
NDVI image of a potato crop planted with two different varieties of potato, one of which does not do well in conservative soil areas.
Actionable-Insight-from-above
The purpose designed Ag Eagle precision agricultural drone provides detailed farm management insights from the sky, covering up to 350 hectares per flight.
Target-rate-fertiliser-prescription
Variable rate fertiliser prescription derived from NDVI imagery of a corn crop. Each colour represents a different level of nitrogen required, which saves money over distributing evenly across the entire field.

Photos from Gatton carrot farm survey

Tony in carrot field

Queensland Drones CEO Tony Gilbert with the AgEagle precision agriculture UAV

Media releases

Press Release 17 May 2016 (PDF)

Laidley agricultural drone demo Toowoomba Chronicle
Press clipping from the Toowoomba Chronicle, 19 May 2016

Flyers and brochures

Future of Precision Agriculture (PDF)

Agriculture and drones (PDF)

Ag Eagle UAV (PDF)

NDVI Explained (PDF)

How healthy is your crop (PDF)

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