Applications of UAVs in Plantation Health and Area Management in Malaysia

Abstract: The scope of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), also known as “drone technology,” is increasing, with various applications in the field of remote sensing and environment. UAVs not only provide high-resolution, real-time data, but also have different applications for end users. They have become an essential tool for land surveyors because traditional land survey methods are expensive and time-consuming, requiring trained professionals and many hours to measure a single plot of land. With the advancement of UAVs, we can significantly reduce the cost. In this study, we have collected UAV data in Malaysia to acquire information about the plantation management practices, as well as oil palm health assessment. Our results showed that multispectral data collected from a UAV-borne MicaSense RedEdge camera is useful for identifying physiological stress in mature oil palm plants, which clearly illustrates stunted tree crown with low value of normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI).

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Authors: Avtar, Ram & Anak Suab, Stanley & Yunus, Ali P. & Kumar, Pankaj & Srivastava, Prashant & Ramaiah, Manish & Juan, Churchill.

Associations: Hokkaido University, Chengdu University of Technology, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, NASA GSFC/JPL and BHU