Communications of the ACM
Drones vs. Hungry Moths: Dutch Use Tech to Protect Crops
New palm-sized drones seek and destroy moths that produce caterpillars that can chew up crops.
Credit: Mike Corder/AP
Dutch farmers are adopting palm-sized drones from autonomous systems developer PATS Indoor Drone Solutions to protect their crops against moths.
The drones patrol greenhouses and kill moths by flying into them, directed by smart technology that uses special cameras to scan the airspace.
PATS' Kevin van Hecke said the drone "sees the moth flying by, it knows where the drone is ... and then it just directs the drone towards the moth."
Dutch cress grower Rob Baan said the system can distinguish between helpful and destructive insects.
PATS' Bram Tijmons said, "We are targeting moths and we are taking out moths every night in an autonomous way without human intervention."
From Associated Press
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