Launching the Future of Farming at the 2024 Dowerin Field Days.

The Food Innovation Precinct Western Australia (FIPWA) and Australia Agritech Pty Ltd, proudly announces the launch of the Drone Led Innovation Challenge.

The Challenge encourages students, farmers, small businesses, agronomists, researchers, agricultural companies, and startups to submit innovations on how drone technologies can be utilised in modern-day farming practices. The top five ideas will be invited to pitch their ideas to a judging panel and secure a guaranteed place to undertake drone pilot training. It is set to take place as part of the 2024 Dowerin Field Days, which will be held on 28-29 August 2024.

This initiative aims to revolutionize the agricultural landscape of Western Australia (WA) by promoting the adoption and integration of drone technology into farming practices.

FIPWA General Manager, Dr Chris Vas, said “Agricultural drones promise to transform farming by enhancing productivity, optimizing resource usage, and promoting sustainable practices. Despite these advantages, the adoption of agricultural drone technology in WA significantly lags behind the East Coast and other regional countries in Asia Pacific. The Challenge aspires to catalyse activities in this field and position WA as a fast adopter of agricultural drone technology by addressing key barriers and fostering a skilled community of drone users”.

Australia Agritech Managing Director, Judy Zhu, outlined the objectives of the Challenge saying “The primary objectives of the challenge include raising awareness about the benefits of drone technology in agriculture among farmers, agronomists, business advisors, and other stakeholders. Additionally, the initiative seeks to build a robust evidence base to dispel myths and highlight the operational, economic, and environmental benefits of drone use. A critical focus will also be on developing skills within local communities to support the adoption and maintenance of drone technology, thereby motivating the next generation of farmers to embrace contemporary agricultural equipment and practices”.

The Challenge will target several critical areas, including overcoming the perception that drones are prohibitively expensive for small-scale and resource-constrained farmers. It will also aim to garner solutions to simplify the use of drone technology through training in piloting, data analysis, and maintenance.

Demonstrating the viability of drones for large-scale agricultural operations and providing effective solutions for data management, processing, and interpretation are also key focus areas. Addressing the impact of adverse weather and terrain on drone operations, improving strategies for managing drone flight times and battery life, and showcasing the sustainability benefits of drones, such as reducing emissions, chemical use, and crop damage, are additional priorities around which solutions are being sought.

Phil Payne, Special Advisor to Australia Agritech, expressed enthusiasm for the initiative, stating, “This challenge represents a significant step forward in modernizing agriculture in WA. By leveraging drone technology, we can enhance farm productivity, optimize resource use, and promote more sustainable practices.”

Dean Unsworth, CEO of the Shire of Murray, added, “Amongst our many ambitions, at the FIPWA we want to support industry to utilise and embrace cutting-edge technology. In addition, we want to ensure farmers can develop new skills and can access the support needed to implement these innovations effectively. Bringing together a coalition of industry collaborators such as Elders, Commonwealth Bank, Grower Group Alliance, Bayer, Planfarm, Beanstalk Agtech, Curtin University and the Peel Development Commission to aid this Challenge will create the ripple effect of growth and innovation in the agriculture sector”.

Call for Innovators

The Challenge invites students, farmers, small businesses, agronomists, researchers, agricultural companies, and startups to participate in this challenge. Submissions should focus on innovative solutions that tackle one or more of the outlined challenges. We seek practical, actionable ideas that can be implemented and tested, with proposals in the form of videos, prototypes, or presentations being highly encouraged.

The top five entries will have the opportunity to pitch their ideas to a judging panel and secure a guaranteed place to undertake CASA AGRAS T50 drone pilot training. The winning submission will receive a prize package worth $10,000, including a MAVIC 3 Multispectral drone.

The competition launched on 26 July 2024, with a submission deadline of 20 August 2024. Pitch Day will be held during the 2024 Dowerin Field Days, providing a high-profile platform for innovators to showcase their ideas.

For further information about the Challenge, please visit: Challenges | Australia Agritech (aagri-tech.com.au)