UAV-Assisted Precision Agriculture: Sustainable Innovation Pilot 3

Sustainable Innovation Pilot 3 (SIP3), led by ILVO – Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Belgium), addresses one of the most persistent pest management challenges facing potato farmers: the control of Colorado Potato Beetle infestations. As chemical resistance continues to rise and broad-spectrum pesticide use becomes increasingly unsustainable, SIP3 introduces a targeted, data-driven solution based on UAV-based scouting technology and high-resolution visual detection models.

Potato farming in Belgium and across Europe remains highly vulnerable to pest outbreaks, particularly from Colorado Potato Beetles. These pests reproduce rapidly, feeding extensively on potato foliage and causing significant yield losses when infestations are left unchecked. Traditionally, farmers have relied on repeated chemical treatments to suppress beetle populations. However, over time, this approach has led to growing resistance in pest populations, requiring higher doses and more frequent applications. This escalating use of pesticides increases both production costs and environmental pressures, contributing to soil contamination, biodiversity loss, and regulatory scrutiny.

SIP3 proposes a fundamentally different approach to pest monitoring and control through the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) equipped with high-resolution cameras. These UAVs conduct fully autonomous scouting missions across large potato fields, capturing detailed imagery that would be impractical for farmers to obtain manually. The aerial perspective allows for fast, consistent field coverage and detailed inspection of the crop canopy from above.

Once imagery is captured, visual detection models—trained on thousands of annotated images—analyze the photographs to identify early signs of beetle infestation. Both larvae and adult beetles are detected by these models, allowing for a highly accurate assessment of infestation levels across different sections of the field. The system then generates detailed infestation maps, clearly pinpointing the specific zones where pest pressure is highest. These maps form the basis for generating prescription maps, which guide farmers in applying pesticides only where necessary.

This precision approach eliminates the need for broad, uniform pesticide applications, which are not only wasteful but contribute directly to pesticide resistance. By focusing treatments exclusively on infested zones, farmers significantly reduce their overall chemical input, preserving the effectiveness of available pesticides while lowering input costs and environmental impacts. Targeted application also reduces the risk of collateral damage to non-target organisms, contributing to more balanced agroecosystem management.

SIP3 offers both cloud-based and edge-based deployment models, depending on the farm’s connectivity infrastructure. In cloud-based deployments, UAVs transmit image data to remote servers where infestation analysis and prescription mapping are conducted. Edge-based configurations process data onboard or locally, enabling real-time analysis and immediate decision-making, even in remote areas with limited network access.

The UAV-based pest detection system is fully integrated with several of OpenAgri’s Open Source services. The Weather Data Service supports pest risk forecasting by incorporating local temperature, humidity, and rainfall data—critical factors influencing Colorado Potato Beetle activity. The Pest Management Platform stores historical infestation data, enabling farmers to track recurring outbreak patterns and refine long-term pest control strategies. Additionally, the Digital Farm Calendar logs UAV scouting activities, supporting farm management transparency and traceability.

For participating potato farmers, the advantages of SIP3 are both immediate and strategic. Chemical input costs are reduced through precise application, while pest outbreaks are controlled more effectively through early detection. The risk of pesticide resistance development is minimized, extending the usable life of available treatments. Environmental impacts are reduced by limiting pesticide exposure to non-target species and sensitive ecosystems. Farmers also benefit from increased operational efficiency, with UAVs performing scouting tasks that would otherwise require extensive manual labor.

SIP3 demonstrates how digital technologies can address one of the most complex pest management challenges in European agriculture today. By combining UAV technology, visual detection models, and precision spraying techniques, this pilot offers a scalable, data-driven solution that supports both economic performance and long-term agricultural sustainability.