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Farmers are using drones to spread seaweed on their crops as they grapple with the rising cost of chemical fertilisers.<\/p>\n
The drone technology being used “is on a different level”, according to farmer Andrew Ward, who used it to boost his winter wheat crop in Leadenham, Lincolnshire.<\/p>\n
Synthetic fertilisers, which are used widely in farming, are often imported and have become more expensive since the war in the Middle East.<\/p>\n
A National Farmers Union (NFU) spokesperson said there would always be a need for chemical fertilisers “to help farmers feed people at scale and pace”, but farmers were always open to exploring alternatives.<\/p>\n
Frazer Bloor, a dairy farmer in North Shropshire, is also a qualified drone pilot.<\/p>\n
He said he had been busier than usual with requests to apply seaweed using his drone.<\/p>\n
With its 8ft (2.4m) wing-span, the aircraft is an imposing sight as it flies through the skies.<\/p>\n
“This drone can carry 50kg (110lb),” Bloor said, which allowed it to hold enough liquidised seaweed to treat a large area of crops in one flight.<\/p>\n