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Review

Leveraging Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Technologies to Facilitate Precision Water Management in Smallholder Farms: A Scoping Review and Bibliometric Analysis

by
Ameera Yacoob
1,*,
Shaeden Gokool
1,
Alistair Clulow
1,2,
Maqsooda Mahomed
1 and
Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi
3,4
1
Centre for Water Resources Research, School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg 3209, South Africa
2
Discipline of Agrometeorology, School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg 3209, South Africa
3
Centre for Transformative Agricultural and Food Systems, School of Agricultural, Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg 3209, South Africa
4
Centre of Climate Change and Planetary Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Drones 2024, 8(9), 476; https://doi.org/10.3390/drones8090476
Submission received: 8 August 2024 / Revised: 4 September 2024 / Accepted: 9 September 2024 / Published: 11 September 2024

Abstract

While there is immense potential in using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to facilitate precision water management, there is currently no consensus on practical strategies to operationally implement these technologies to guide water resources management decisions, particularly within smallholder farming contexts. To address this gap, this study employs bibliometric techniques to assess the current state of UAV applications for evapotranspiration (ET) estimation in agricultural settings. The analysis of 49 peer-reviewed papers from Scopus was conducted using Biblioshiny and VOSviewer to enhance comprehension of this expanding research field. The study highlights a significant increase in scholarly research on utilising UAVs for precision water management over the past decade. The investigations indicate that UAVs in agriculture are gaining prominence and exhibit substantial potential for various precision agriculture (PA) applications. Significant cost reductions for UAV technology and remote sensing (RS) are anticipated soon, primarily driven by the availability of open-source platforms for processing tasks, such as Google Earth Engine. This research aims to inform smallholder farmers about the benefits of integrating UAVs into their farming practices, enhancing operational efficiency and productivity. Policymakers can use these findings to develop regulatory frameworks and incentive schemes that facilitate UAV adoption among smallholder farmers. Additionally, technology developers can leverage insights from this study to identify areas needing innovation and optimisation tailored to small-scale agriculture. Hence, this study seeks to bridge the gap between technological advancements and practical agricultural applications, promoting sustainable farming practices and enhancing the socioeconomic welfare of smallholder farmers.
Keywords: smallholder farming; precision agriculture; UAV; evapotranspiration; water stress; food security; Biblioshiny smallholder farming; precision agriculture; UAV; evapotranspiration; water stress; food security; Biblioshiny

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Yacoob, A.; Gokool, S.; Clulow, A.; Mahomed, M.; Mabhaudhi, T. Leveraging Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Technologies to Facilitate Precision Water Management in Smallholder Farms: A Scoping Review and Bibliometric Analysis. Drones 2024, 8, 476. https://doi.org/10.3390/drones8090476

AMA Style

Yacoob A, Gokool S, Clulow A, Mahomed M, Mabhaudhi T. Leveraging Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Technologies to Facilitate Precision Water Management in Smallholder Farms: A Scoping Review and Bibliometric Analysis. Drones. 2024; 8(9):476. https://doi.org/10.3390/drones8090476

Chicago/Turabian Style

Yacoob, Ameera, Shaeden Gokool, Alistair Clulow, Maqsooda Mahomed, and Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi. 2024. "Leveraging Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Technologies to Facilitate Precision Water Management in Smallholder Farms: A Scoping Review and Bibliometric Analysis" Drones 8, no. 9: 476. https://doi.org/10.3390/drones8090476

APA Style

Yacoob, A., Gokool, S., Clulow, A., Mahomed, M., & Mabhaudhi, T. (2024). Leveraging Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Technologies to Facilitate Precision Water Management in Smallholder Farms: A Scoping Review and Bibliometric Analysis. Drones, 8(9), 476. https://doi.org/10.3390/drones8090476

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