Agricultural Drone: A Cost-Effective Aerial Spraying System for Small-Scale Farming

Abstract

This paper outlines the design, fabrication, and performance evaluation of an affordable agricultural drone engineered to optimize the application of fertilizers and pesticides for small-scale farming operations. Traditional spraying methods present significant drawbacks, including farmer exposure to chemicals, excessive time consumption, and general inefficiency. Our proposed drone-based system utilizes a quadcopter platform with a manually controlled spraying mechanism. The modular design prioritizes both low cost and operational simplicity. Results from field evaluations demonstrated consistent spraying performance, stable flight characteristics, and considerable savings in labor and expenses. This project presents a viable step towards making precision agriculture more accessible, striking a balance between performance and affordability, especially for farming communities with constrained resources.