Exploring the Potential of Drones in Coffee Production 

Exploring the Potential of Drones in Coffee Production 

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Exploring the Potential of Drones in Coffee Production 

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Medium-sized farms play an important role in specialty coffee

For many consumers and industry professionals, specialty coffee and direct trade are inextricably linked. Building strong and mutually beneficial working relationships between producers and roasters is often seen as a cornerstone of establishing a truly sustainable supply chain. So with this association between specialty coffee and direct trade, there can be a narrative of smaller-sized […]


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Exploring the Potential of Drones in Coffee Production 

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Exploring the Potential of Drones in Coffee Production 

Exploring the Potential of Drones in Coffee Production 

minimum dose size?

Jan 31, 2024 |

I use the Hario switch to brew my coffee and am trying to reduce my caffeine consumption. Hence I would like to brew smaller cups of coffee. I am currently using 10g of coffee with 160g of water. (1:16 Ratio) I am wondering if there is a minimum amount of coffee...

Exploring the Potential of Drones in Coffee Production 

New drone technology has the potential to revolutionize coffee farming from the air.

BY VASILEIA FANARIOTI
SENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT

Cover photo by David Henrichs via Unsplash

In an ever-evolving technological landscape, coffee producers have begun turning to drones in an attempt to increase efficiency and operations. These unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) offer a wide range of solutions to the challenges faced by coffee producers in the 21st century, from crop monitoring to harvesting. Today, we’ll explore the potential of drones in aiding coffee production, and how they can improve the industry as a whole. 

A man inspects a coffee tree, looking at clusters of cherries. He has short dark hair and wears a white and tan shirt.
Traditional monitoring of coffee crops is usually done manually by farmers or agricultural support staff. Photo by Michael Burrows via Pexels.

Uses of Drones in Coffee Production 

In most coffee farms, crop monitoring is typically done through on-the-ground physical inspection by farmers or agricultural support staff sent by local governments. This approach is costly and time-consuming, and often only samples a small portion of the land. Furthermore, this type of intermittent intervention usually occurs when damage has already been done. In cases such as disease or pest outbreaks, this approach can reduce yields. 

Coffee producers have been turning to drones in part because the technology enables them to view inaccessible areas and get more detailed looks at their crops. They can reduce labor costs by automating specific tasks; they can identify pests and diseases quickly and efficiently; and they can track yield data over time. 

A drone hovers over grass, with a mountain, trees, and long rows of crops behind.
Coffee farmers around the world are starting to realize the potential of drones and are using them to improve their operations. Photo by Flo Maderebner via Pexels.

Rabobank, Brazil’s largest agricultural lender, has said that UAVs have been used increasingly to monitor farms and also spray different products. By using drones to apply pesticides in targeted areas, farmers can reduce the amount of product required and ensure correct application. It also helps lower costs associated with manual spraying and increases efficiency by ensuring the right pesticide is being applied at the right time. Drones with sophisticated sensors enable growers to create precise digital maps of their land, which leads to a better understanding of crop production and yield performance. 

A Successful Example from Uganda 

Aerial mapping software and powerful drones are necessary to capture high-resolution images of land and vegetation. The software uses these images to create detailed maps showing individual plants, which allows farmers to monitor the health of their plants and identify any problems quickly. For example, PIX4Dfields is an advanced agriculture mapping software for aerial crop analysis and digital farming that can be used in combination with drones to create high-resolution maps. 

An overhead, maybe fifty feet up, view of a tractor harvesting a blue crop.
Aerial imagery helps detect plant malnourishment and soil erosion, and assess overall crop health. Photo by Tom Fisk via Pexels.

Last year, Uganda Flying Labs, a Ugandan drone mapping and data analytics knowledge hub, worked with the Uganda Coffee Development Authority to use drones for a mapping project in the Mukono region, south of Kampala. The project collects data and creates maps that can be utilized by farmers, researchers, and government officials to improve agronomic practices and identify problem areas. The team used the PIX4Dfields software to analyze soil erosion and malnourished crops. 

This is just one example of how aerial mapping software and drones can be helpful for farmers. It is clear that drones have a lot to offer when it comes to coffee production. From mapping to crop monitoring and pesticide application, they can help farmers improve efficiency and increase yields. As the use of drones continues to expand in the agri-tech industry, one hopes that more farmers will be able to gain access to advanced technologies and reap their benefits.  

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Vasileia Fanarioti (she/her) is a senior online correspondent for Barista Magazine, and a freelance copywriter and editor with a primary focus on the coffee niche. She has also been a volunteer copywriter for the I’M NOT A BARISTA NPO, providing content to help educate people about baristas and their work. You can follow her adventures at thewanderingbean.net.

The post Exploring the Potential of Drones in Coffee Production  appeared first on Barista Magazine Online.

Exploring the Potential of Drones in Coffee Production 

Perfect Little Beans

Chinmey Hill Coffee uses specialty-grade beans with zero primary defects (such as black beans or sour beans) and less than five secondary defects (such as broken beans). This is important because primary defects will greatly affect the taste of the coffee. Having zero defects allows the coffee to be the most optimal flavor.

Window for Optimal Flavor

Chimney Hill Coffee ships our coffee the same day it was roasted, so you will receive it before it enters the window of optimal flavor.  This means you’ll never miss the opportunity to enjoy the coffee’s peak flavor.

Coffee Ratings

Coffee undergoes many scoring processes by professionals who achieved their Q Grader certification. Coffee is first graded when it’s green. If there are defects the coffee is determined to be “not-specialty grade”. For those coffees that pass green grading, they are sample roasted and cupped. (Cupping is the official term for critically tasting and scoring coffees. The official cupping form is standard worldwide, and where the 100-point scoring system comes from.) A coffee’s dry fragrance, wet aroma, flavor, aftertaste, body, acidity, balance, and overall impression are taken into consideration while uniformity issues and defects, will lower the overall score.

Specialty Coffee

Specialty coffee, coined by Erna Knutsen in 1974, refers to a coffee that receives a quality grading score of 80 percent or higher. While “premium” or “gourmet” seem like they’re synonymous with “specialty,” they simply are marketing terms with no defined standards. Specialty coffees are grown in specific and ideal micro-climates, and have distinctive and unique flavor profiles, with little to no defects.

Third-Wave Coffee

We’re currently in the third wave of coffee. The first wave of American coffee put pre-ground, vacuum-sealed cans in kitchens across America. The second wave started with the late ‘60s introduction of Peet’s coffee (by Alfred Peet) through the proliferation of Starbucks. The third wave of coffee focuses on origin transparency, nuanced flavors, and artisan roasting. The term “third wave” is synonymous with specialty coffee.

Exploring the Potential of Drones in Coffee Production 

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