Technology in agriculture is soaring high with precision in mind.

Drones are quickly becoming the future in precision agriculture. Their light weight design and ability to quickly gather data make drones an increasingly popular topic in precision farming technology. Some of the applications for drones in precision agriculture include monitoring plant health, nutrient and water levels and field mapping.

According to Kansas State University agronomy professor Kevin Price in a Farm Progress article , aerial sensing with the hexacopter, can cut mapping time down from hours or days if done on a tractor to only 18 minutes for an entire section of land.

Not only is the data collected faster, but Price added, it is more precise than satellite imaging and can allow growers to take readings at the individual plat leaf level. This means data can be collected for each plant and not just a general area. Pinpointing problem areas can help applicators find problem spots.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) are not currently allowed to operate in national airspace due to regulations set by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), but the administration does allow for special certification for universities to test whether UAVs can integrate into national airspace safely.

The drone designed by The Ohio State University spans across six feet and only weighs about 15 pounds, but can travel at speeds up to 150 mph or image about 5,000 acres on a single flight. According to the Dayton Daily News , the drone is made from carbon fiber and can be launched by hand.

Currently, other countries such as Japan are already using drones in their agriculture industry. In a Western Farm Press article , it reports that growers in Japan uses UAVs to spray 30 percent of their rice fields.

Outside of agriculture, drones are making headway as well. Drones were first used in military applications and are expected to be used by law enforcement in the future; again, regulations will first need to be established with the FAA.

Aside from integrating the technology into national airspace, the use of drones brings up other issues such as privacy. Privacy laws and regulations will become increasingly important as these unmanned robots start to take off.

For more information about drones, check out these links:

http://www.suasnews.com/2013/03/21652/kansas-to-see-major-economic-impact-from-unmanned-aerial-systems-industry/

http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/02/27/more-universities-use-drones-research-privacy-concerns-remain

http://gizmodo.com/5904723/here-are-the-61-organizations-with-permission-to-fly-drones