Drone Use in Agricultural Spraying: An Examination in Terms of Occupational Health and Safety

One of the cornerstones of a developed economy is undoubtedly the agricultural sector. Agriculture is at the center of both human nutrition and economic activities. The use of drones, especially in the process of spraying fields, has the potential to increase the efficiency of agricultural production. Drones can be programmed to scan the field and spray pesticides on these areas. This allows farmers to manage the processes of protecting their crops and removing pests more effectively. Spraying with drones minimizes the negative effects encountered in spraying with tractor-drawn machines. Drones can easily reach places that tractor-drawn machine cannot reach and can spray more precisely. In addition, thanks to drones, the need for labor is also reduced, so that one person can spray a large area in a short time. In this study, the process of spraying with drones was observed in detail by a company with an unmanned aerial vehicle-2 (UAV) license for agricultural spraying. This modern spraying method using drones was meticulously evaluated step by step. In traditional methods, farmers or workers may be directly exposed to pesticides while spraying with tractor-drawn machines, but thanks to drones, this exposure is minimized, which provides a great advantage in terms of occupational health and safety (OHS). In addition, the speed of the work process, less use of water and pesticides, and the need for labor are among the advantages. However, the problem of not being able to connect to GPS, accidents that may occur under the command of the drone, and limitations such as adverse weather conditions can be considered disadvantages of drone spraying. The findings reveal how drone spraying has transformed agriculture.