Norfolk farm uses aerial drone to spread cover crop seeds

The huge airborne machine, with a three-metre diameter, was put to work spreading cover crop seeds at Eves Hill Farm in Booton, near Reepham.

Flying autonomously along a pre-set path at 10 metres per second, it dropped its payload into three fields of standing wheat and barley from six metres above the ground.

When those cereals are harvested in about 2-3 weeks, it is hoped the cover crop will already be starting to germinate and grow - potentially an important "head-start" in achieving the "regenerative" farm's goal of protecting its soils by keeping a green cover on the land all year round.

And, unlike terrestrial tractors, there are no ground compaction issues or costly diesel expenses.

Farmer Jeremy Buxton, centre, with Andy Sproson, left, and Rob Pearson from Auto Spray Systems and their aerial drone, ready to sow cover crop seeds at Eves Hill Farm near Reepham (Image: Denise Bradley)

The £40,000 drone was operated by Rob Pearson and Andy Sproson of Auto Spray Systems, based in Stoke-on-Trent.

Farm owner Jeremy Buxton called the team after seeing the equipment profiled on the BBC's Countryfile programme. 

"As soon as I saw it I picked up the phone and called to get these guys here, because it just ticks so many boxes within our regenerative picture of no soil disturbance and keeping a living root in the ground all the time," he said.

"The drone is flying over so we are not touching the soil at all. We're putting seeds into a standing crop, so by the time we have harvested this crop we will already have living roots again, so it is keeping that continuity and giving us a head start.

"I think if you can find the tech that is right for your system, you have got to embrace it. It is ticking all our boxes, both financially and for how we want to farm."

An aerial drone sowing cover crop seeds over a field at Eves Hill Farm near Reepham (Image: Denise Bradley)

The drone, when fully loaded, weighs about 110kg. It can typically cover about 15 hectares per hour, including stops for reloading the hopper and replacing the batteries, which take 10 minutes to recharge for the next 10-minute flight.

It follows the contours of the land while flying autonomously along a path mapped on a mobile app.

Mr Sproson said the operating height of six metres was a balance between limiting any damage to the standing crop, while using the strong "down-wash" from the rotors to push the seeds through to the ground.

The mechanism for dropping the seed from the aerial drone is tested (Image: Denise Bradley)

He added that since these large drones were authorised by the Civil Aviation Authority for commercial agricultural use in the UK in 2023, demand has "snowballed".

Mr Pearson said the company is also working with government officials, health and safety officers and chemical regulators to widen the range of approved crop sprays which can also be delivered by the drones.

He said: "Last year, we sold six of these to early adopters. In the last month we sold 12, so it is beginning to gather momentum. You are going to see a lot more of these operating in the countryside. 

"This is not a replacement for a tractor. These are there to complement the tractors over difficult terrain, when it is hilly or too wet to travel.

"The weather recently has been horrendous, people could not get onto their fields, and this is where under-sowing comes in. People are waiting for their crop to ripen and dry, so they come to us and ask: 'Can you help us get the next crop in?'"

The grazeable cover crop dropped by the drone at Eves Hill Farm is a mixture of radishes, mustard, clovers, forage rape and stubble turnips.

Mr Buxton said it will give green cover during the winter, improving the soil structure and protecting it from flooding, heat and erosion - while giving another food source for the farm's grazing cattle.

"I never imagined we would have a drone on the farm doing this," he said. "If we go back to our forefathers they used to broadcast seed into standing crops, but this is far more accurate and far quicker.

"This is 30 hectares, across three fields. For me to seed a cover crop of this area would take two days. With the drone, this is just a couple of hours. 

"Hopefully after harvest, the head start it has given us will mean we have more biomass, better rooting systems, and potentially more forage for the cattle."

An aerial drone sowing cover crop seeds over a field at Eves Hill Farm near Reepham (Image: Denise Bradley)