(Photo : Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) Drone maker DJI announced that it is building an agricultural service network for farm-use drones.


Shenzhen-based drone maker DJI Innovation Technology Co has revealed that it is currently setting up a network to promote and support the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) (or drones) in agriculture.



DJI said that it will train 10,000 people across China in UAV operations, and will also set up 100 centers offering after-sales service nationwide, according to China Daily. DJI added that it will give subsidies to up to 10,000 people who are planning to start a business in agricultural drones.



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DJI officials say that using drones in agricultural or farm work has many benefits. Cao Nan, DJI sales director, said that their agricultural drone can load up to 10 kilograms of pesticide and spray it over an area of up to four hectares in an hour.



Cao added that the drone has the work efficiency of more than 40 farm workers, helping to solve the current lack or shortage of farmhands in rural areas.



Wang Fan, DJI's public relations officer, said that their first agricultural drone, the MG-1, needs both specialized sales and after-sales support. These, along with test flights and assembly, will be provided in the network the company is currently setting up.



The Demand for Farm Drones



To date, agricultural drones haven't made much progress in China compared to other countries.



According to industry statistics, agricultural drones only have a penetration rate of 3 percent in China, which is significantly lower than the 50 percent penetration rate that such drones have in both the United States and Japan. Based on this, there is a huge potential for growth in the agricultural drone market.



The Chinese government also promotes the use of modern agricultural machinery, and has issued policies that encourage the use of drones for farming. And with the current modernization of agriculture, it is also believed that the demand for more advanced machinery for agricultural use will rise.




Tagsagriculture, drone, farm, DJI, china