In the process of agricultural modernization, single-machine operations are no longer sufficient to meet the demands of efficient production. Recently, a new "tractor + drone" collaborative operation model has been implemented in agricultural cooperatives across multiple regions. By seamlessly integrating deep ground tillage with aerial plant protection, this system has established an integrated air-ground agricultural service system, significantly improving the efficiency of the entire agricultural production process.
The core of this collaborative model lies in "data interoperability and task linkage." While plowing and preparing the land, tractors use onboard sensors to collect data on soil fertility, plot boundaries, and terrain slope, uploading it to a cloud platform in real time. Drones use this data to develop precise plant protection plans. Immediately after the tractors complete land preparation, aerial operations such as sowing, fertilizing, and spraying can begin, achieving efficient, seamless sowing and planting as soon as the land is prepared. At a wheat planting base in Zhumadian, Henan, this model has shortened the sowing cycle for 1,000 mu (approximately 1,000 acres) of wheat from the traditional seven days to three, while maintaining a seeding rate tolerance of less than 0.5 kg per mu. This eliminates the time wasted in traditional land preparation followed by sowing.
The synergy between tractors and drones is significant. During the corn seedling management phase, the tractor first performs intertillage and soiling, loosening the soil while also building up soil around the corn roots to prevent lodging. The drone simultaneously performs foliar fertilization, using infrared remote sensing technology to identify weak seedlings and apply targeted nutrient solution, increasing the conversion rate of weak seedlings by 20%. Wang Jun, head of the Linyi Agricultural Cooperative in Shandong, explained, "Previously, tractors and drones operated separately, requiring separate teams to coordinate schedules, which made it difficult to coordinate and often resulted in missed plots. Now, a single team can complete this 'airfield coordination,' increasing operational efficiency by 40% and reducing management costs by 25%."
To promote the widespread adoption of this collaborative model, agricultural machinery companies have also launched "one-stop service" packages. Farmers simply need to sign a service agreement with the cooperative, which will coordinate the operating times and routes of tractors and drones, providing comprehensive services from plowing, sowing, plant protection, to harvesting, eliminating the need for farmers to purchase their own equipment.In addition, some regions have included "air-ground collaborative operations" in agricultural subsidies, offering farmers who adopt this model a subsidy of 20 yuan per mu (approximately 16 acres), further lowering the barrier to entry.
Currently, over 500 agricultural cooperatives nationwide are implementing "tractor + drone" collaborative operations, serving over 10 million mu (approximately 16 acres) of land, covering staple crops like wheat, corn, and rice, as well as cash crops like cotton and rapeseed. This new model not only improves operational efficiency but also promotes the transformation of agricultural services from "single-machine services" to "comprehensive solutions," injecting new momentum into agricultural modernization.
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