(A Summary from the Perspective of Agricultural Drones – Wonderfull Inc.| DJI Agriculture)
It is a great honour to participate in the CFGA AGM once again.
Through the presentations by agricultural experts, we have learned a great deal— including the challenges of forage management, the key principles of rotational grazing, the impact of soil health on pasture recovery, the risks brought by drought years, and the critical role forage plays in overall economic performance.
Based on these discussions, we have summarized several areas where agricultural drones can support forage production and regenerative agriculture. We hope these insights may be helpful as a reference.
The value of drones in forage management is becoming increasingly clear.
They have the potential to become a key tool that makes forage production more efficient and more stable.
How Drones Add Value to Forage Systems
1. T100 Precision Overseeding — Fast Recovery of Pasture Productivity
Sloped areas, rotational paddocks, and high-traffic cattle zones often experience:
- Grass species decline
- Increased bare ground
- Rising weed pressure
- Lower proportion of productive forage
The T100 drone can deliver:
- Mixed overseeding of perennial ryegrass, tall fescue, white clover, alfalfa, etc.
- No limitations on slopes or wet areas
- More even and precise distribution than ATVs
- Zero soil compaction
Overseeding can typically increase pasture productivity by 20–35% (depending on conditions).
2. Micronutrient & Biostimulant Spraying — Enhancing Drought Resilience and Stability
In drought-prone regions, areas with early frost, or short growing seasons, drones can rapidly spray:
- Potassium (improves drought tolerance)
- Magnesium & sulfur (boost protein levels and photosynthesis)
- Foliar nutrients & biostimulants (stimulate root development)
T100 spraying advantages:
- Low-altitude fine mist for higher absorption
- 30–50% less input required compared to ground spraying
- Combined with Mavic 3 Multispectral (M3M) for chlorophyll monitoring and variable-rate spraying, ensuring uniform growth
This greatly helps pastures survive difficult drought years.
3. NDVI Aerial Monitoring (M3M) — A Forage Early-Warning System
Drone-generated NDVI colour maps allow producers to:
- Identify weak zones
- Assess regrowth speed
- Predict stockpile (fall reserved forage) quantity
- Optimize rotational grazing sequences
This is especially valuable for operations concerned about low forage availability in drought years.
4. A Production “Insurance Policy” for Drought Years — Improving Forage Resilience
Precision drone operations help pastures:
- Accumulate more biomass in favourable years
- Maintain baseline production in poor years
- Reduce bare ground through targeted overseeding → lower weed invasion
- Improve soil structure and organic matter through variable-rate nutrient application
This makes forage production more predictable and stable, reducing weather-related losses.
5. Building Long-Term Pasture Productivity — Improving Soil “Sponginess”
Drone overseeding + spraying helps:
- Increase ground cover
- Promote deeper root systems
- Enhance water retention (critical during drought)
As soils become more sponge-like, pastures survive stress years more effectively.
6. Supporting Rotational Grazing — Faster, More Even Recovery
Successful rotational grazing is not simply about dividing land. It requires:
- Uniform grass growth
- Faster pasture recovery
With real-time drone imagery + targeted overseeding, rotational paddocks recover more quickly, reducing the problem of “cattle waiting for grass.”
7. Eligible for Government Funding (OFCAF / CAP) — Lower Forage Improvement Costs
Drone operations can be used for:
- Precision overseeding
- Precision spraying
- Forage mapping (maps usable by drones and convertible for tractors)
- Soil and vegetation monitoring
Unlike Google Maps, drones provide real-time, high-resolution, zero-delay data—ideal for crop management and pest/disease monitoring.
Many of these practices qualify as precision agriculture, making them eligible for federal or provincial funding support.
Conclusion
Forage is not just feed for cattle.
It is the foundation of the entire beef supply chain in BC, Alberta, the Prairie provinces, and Eastern Canada.
When we deepen our understanding of forage, improve pasture health, and build resilience against drought and heavy rain, we strengthen the sustainability and profitability of the entire livestock industry.
The use of agricultural drones for overseeding, spraying, and monitoring is becoming an important tool to help forage systems meet future challenges.
We are honoured if any of these insights can be helpful, and we welcome further discussions on solutions tailored to your operation.
WONDERFULL INC. | DJI AGRICULTURE
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Office: 647 800 7952
Text : 647 287 6851
Address: 5955 10 Sideroad Innisfil, ON L0L 1K0