Northern Ireland farm authorities may use agricultural drones to spy on money grabbing farmers.
A report in the Londonderry Sentinel newspaper claims that the drones are currently utilised to monitor larch trees.
But the report says the unmanned planes could also be used to ‘snoop on fraudulent farmers claiming too much in EU farm payments.’
The province’s Farms Minister Michelle O’Neill told the paper: “Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) may offer an effective and efficient solution to the mapping of these remote commons areas which in turn could help improve compliance with EU Single Farm Payment rules.”
The report says Ulster’s Forest Service already intends using a UAS to monitor areas of larch trees that may be affected by ramorum disease.
Minister O’Neill added: “Work on using near infrared aerial photography to improve early detection commenced late last year and will be resumed in spring as weather permits.
“There is further potential for the use of ‘drones’ in a range of forest management situations involving surveys.
“These would include the mapping of forest areas destroyed by forest fires, monitoring the extent of wind damage to plantations, monitoring the success of reforestation, and to assess the spread of invasive plant species on important unplanted habitats.
“These and other uses will be explored throughout 2013.”
O’Neill added: “The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) is actively considering the procurement of UAS to use in two other areas of work, namely to assist with work in the surveillance and statutory control of quarantine organisms harmful to plants; and to help with mapping of areas such as commons.
“Commons tended to be large inaccessible areas that are difficult to map because of their remoteness and terrain.”
8 Comments
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.aloistmartin | Feb 19, 2013, 08:53 PM EST
I. Robot
Smyrnian | Feb 19, 2013, 05:56 PM EST
Searlit - :) At least someone on here has a sense of humor!
johnshiel | Feb 19, 2013, 09:17 AM EST
I've read that in America the USEPA is seeking drone use to monitor huge ag areas for noncompliance with their myriad regulations. makes a farmer nervous... also I wonder what's meant by the term "commons" these days in the UK? also I wonder why Ireland and apparently UK too still rely so heavily on planting monocultural stands of tree and calling it forestry? seems way antiquated, no?
Joe Kelsall | Feb 18, 2013, 06:50 PM EST
Time for the farmers to dig up those l;ybian SAMs.
Searlit | Feb 18, 2013, 02:51 PM EST
I thought that's what you were Smyrnian. Just kidding...;-)
sam2sam | Feb 18, 2013, 01:27 PM EST
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssoOASanKao Emmy-winning journalist, Shad Olson, explores the controversy over U.S. drone policy, both at home and abroad. While technological sky supremacy gives America strategic superiority on the battlefield, the prospect of drone proliferation over U.S. cities is causing concern about loss of privacy, an end to Habeas Corpus and judicial due process and the destruction of Constitutional rights. South Dakota U.S. Senator John Thune and former U.S. Senate candidate, Sam Kephart share their views about the consequences of domestic drone deployment in the fight against terrorism. Originally aired on KNBN-TV, (NBC) NewsCenter1, Rapid City, South Dakota in February 2013.
Smyrnian | Feb 18, 2013, 10:13 AM EST
We need drones over IC to monitor anti Irish, Catholic hating, self-loathing, abortion loving, extreme left wing, Obama proselytizing activities. Now that is an idea worth pursuing!
Textextex | Feb 18, 2013, 08:11 AM EST
Here's another fraud everyone should be aware of - the Amway Tool Scam. Google "Stop The Amway Tool Scam Wordpress" for more information, and forward this information to every non-Distributor/IBO you know, so they don't get ripped off.