概要
The shortage of labor is a significant challenge in Japanese agriculture, and technological innovations are needed to address the limitations of workload per worker. One innovative solution is smart agriculture, which incorporates advanced technologies such as robots, AI, and IoT. This study aimed to gather data on workload and pest control costs to promote sustainable agriculture. The study compared the pest control costs among three methods: boom sprayers, power sprayers, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for two model rice farmers. To measure workloads while using UAVs, the Ovako Working Posture Analysis System (OWAS) and metabolic equivalent (METs) were utilized. The results showed that using UAVs reduced labor costs by half compared to conventional machines. Moreover, the physical activity involved in pest-control work using UAVs, as measured by METs, was generally lower than that required when using traditional pest control machines. Additionally, the OWAS analysis revealed that approximately 63.86% of the tasks performed with UAVs posed a low risk of musculoskeletal injuries. These findings indicate that UAVs have the potential to compensate for the labor shortage and serve as effective tools for supporting the expansion of agricultural areas. In conclusion, this research demonstrates the benefits of utilizing UAVs in pest control for sustainable agriculture. By reducing labor costs and minimizing physical strain, UAVs can contribute to overcoming labor shortages and promoting the growth of the agricultural sector.
労働力不足は日本の農業にとって大きな課題の一つであり、そのため労働者1人当たりの仕事量の限界を克服する技術革新が必要です。その一つが、ロボットやAI、IoTなどの先端技術を活用したスマート農業である。本研究は、持続可能な農業の開発のための作業負荷と有害生物防除コストに関するデータを提供することを目的としました。そこで、2つのモデル稲作農家を対象に、ブームスプレーヤ、パワースプレーヤおよび無人航空機 (UAV) 間で病害虫防除のコストを比較し、Ovako Working Posture Analysis System (OWAS) および代謝当量 (METs) を用いてUAV使用時の作業負荷を測定しました結果、UAVを使用することで、従来機に比べて人件費を半減し、害虫防除作業中の身体活動も低くなることが示唆されました。特に、UAVを使用する全仕事の63.86%は、筋骨格系損傷のリスクが低いと特定されました。従いまして、UAVが労働者の不足を補うことができ、農業地域の拡大を支援する効果的なツールであることを示唆します。
雑誌名
Sustainability
発表タイトル
Cost and workload assessment of agricultural drone sprayer: A case study of rice production in Japan
著者
Shotaro Umeda, Naoki Yoshikawa, Yuna Se
DOI
引用
Shotaro Umeda, Naoki Yoshikawa, Yuna Seo “Cost and workload assessment of agricultural drone sprayer: A case study of rice production in Japan”, Sustainability, 2022, 14(17), 10850
