How UAV Crop Analysis Can Help Improve Yields Before Harvest
At Red Kite UAV, we believe that better data leads to better decisions and nowhere is this more true than in agriculture. UAV (drone) crop analysis gives farmers and agronomists a powerful new tool to understand, monitor, and ultimately improve their fields’ performance before harvest.
In this case study, we explore how aerial imagery - both standard RGB and advanced multispectral helped a local grower identify issues early and take timely action to protect and boost yields.
The challenge: seeing what the eye can’t
Traditional field walking remains vital, but it’s not always practical to check every corner of large or remote fields regularly especially during critical growth stages. Subtle signs of crop stress, disease, or nutrient deficiency often go unnoticed until the problem becomes severe, limiting options for correction.
Our client wanted to gain a clearer picture of their crop health across several hundred acres of cereals, aiming to:
Identify areas under stress
Target interventions more efficiently
Reduce input waste
Ultimately, improve yield and quality
Our approach: UAV survey & analysis
We deployed a UAV equipped with high-resolution RGB cameras to capture detailed images across the fields. Even with standard RGB imagery, we could already see visual differences in crop density and colouration, highlighting potential problem areas.
To go further, we recommended multispectral imagery capturing data across different wavelengths of light (including near-infrared) that plants reflect differently depending on their health. This enabled us to produce detailed vegetation indices (such as NDVI) that quantify crop vitality far beyond what the human eye can see.
The process included:
Flight planning and data capture during optimal daylight conditions
Post-processing to create high-resolution orthomosaic maps
Analysis to produce vegetation indices and highlight variability
Clear, actionable reports shared with the grower and their agronomist
The results: informed decisions, targeted action
The imagery and analysis identified several patches where the crop was underperforming compared to the field average. Further ground-truthing confirmed localised nitrogen deficiency and signs of fungal disease.
With this insight, the grower and agronomist were able to:
Apply a targeted top-up of fertiliser only where needed
Adjust fungicide plans proactively
Avoid unnecessary treatment across healthy areas, saving time and cost
At harvest, these fields showed better-than-expected uniformity and improved yields compared to untreated control areas demonstrating the practical value of UAV crop analysis.
Why multispectral matters
While standard RGB images already help spot large issues, multispectral imagery reveals early stress signals invisible to the naked eye - giving farmers precious time to act. It also supports longer-term trends analysis year-on-year, helping to refine inputs and improve sustainability.
Your fields from a new perspective
Whether you manage a small family farm or thousands of acres, UAV crop analysis can:
Spot problems early
Reduce waste
Improve decision-making
Boost profitability and sustainability
At Red Kite UAV, we combine advanced drone technology with agricultural expertise to deliver clear, actionable insights not just pretty pictures.
Want to see how aerial analysis could help your fields?
Get in touch today to learn more
