Drones and autonomous driving technology are not limited to road use. There is an increasing number of cases where advanced technology is utilized on farms to address labor shortages and reduce production costs.

According to Haenam County, South Jeolla Province, on the 20th, a large drone recently flew over the rice cultivation complex in Gohyeon-ri, Hyeonsan-myeon, capturing the growth status of rice seedlings and surrounding farmland. The video data was immediately transmitted to an artificial intelligence (AI) analysis vehicle and processed into information necessary for farming, such as yield and pest outbreak prediction models. Agricultural machinery equipped with autonomous driving technology is being developed continuously.

Agricultural information, which previously relied on U.S. agricultural satellites, is now more easily and accurately obtained through drone and AI technology. Park Jeong-dong, Director of the Haenam County Agricultural Technology Center, stated, “AI analysis technology will greatly help prevent crop disasters caused by climate change and predict future agriculture with accumulated data,” adding, “Soon, AI new technology will be easily seen in rural areas.”

This change aligns with the overall trend of digital transformation in agriculture. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and local governments are continuing data-based agricultural experiments. In some regions, rental-type intelligent farms targeting young people are also being operated. This method reduces the initial cost burden and allows individuals to learn cultivation techniques before transitioning to independent entrepreneurship. Currently, 15 locations nationwide are designated and in operation.

Miryang City, South Gyeongsang Province, plans to construct a rental-type smart farm on a 4ha site in Imcheon-ri, Samnangjin-eup, where the Gyeongnam Smart Farm Innovation Valley is located, by next year. With the move-in scheduled for July next year, inquiries from young farmers are already pouring in. The locational advantage of being within an hour's distance from metropolitan cities such as Busan, Daegu, and Ulsan, combined with a 3-year rental benefit, is expected to result in a competition ratio of over 4 to 1. Mr. Park, 38, living in Gimhae, said, “I plan to move my address to Miryang soon to challenge the smart farm and also attend the youth entrepreneurship incubation program.”

Young farmers residing in the rental-type smart farm in Jangsu County, North Jeolla Province, are preparing for their first tomato harvest next month. This smart farm is equipped with the latest facilities, including three glass greenhouses (4ha), a greenhouse environment control system, a nutrient supply system, and eco-friendly energy heating and cooling devices. Resident young farmer Lee So-im, 33, said, “I found hope in agriculture while cultivating eggplants at the Gimje Smart Farm Innovation Valley two years ago,” adding, “I joined the rental-type smart farm to learn more about cultivation techniques, management, and facility operation, and now I am proud to see the results.”

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