Farmers begin using drones to sow rice fields in the Ebre Delta 

Farmers are starting to use drones for tasks such as sowing and fertilizing rice paddies, replacing the traditional use of tractors to sow rice fields. This agricultural innovation is particularly useful in hard-to-reach wetland areas where tractors often get stuck. 

Starting this season, the local company Persual Drone is the first to offer drone-based sowing services in the region. They expect to plant around 50 hectares this year and anticipate rising demand in the coming years. 

The DJI Agras T50 drone, which can carry 50 kilos of rice seed, replaces the slower, manual process farmers are used to with tractors and seeders. After sowing a strip approximately 6.5 meters wide and 400 meters long, the drone returns to base in just a few minutes. 

Though drones have previously been used in the delta for spraying approved liquids, this is the first season they are being used for solid products like seeds and fertilizer. According to Persual Drone's Chief Operating Officer Alexis Ripoll, the drone can sow three hectares per hour at a rate of 185 kilos of seed per hectare, competitive with the five hectares per hour achieved by conventional equipment. 

The company has fine-tuned the application of solid products by testing variables such as the width of each pass and disk angles. Each type of seed is calibrated in advance, allowing for precise sowing. "The drone has a much more precise adjustment and a much more efficient field finish in terms of the kilos you’ve applied per hectare," Ripoll explained. 

The biggest advantage, according to farmers, is that drones can access fields where tractors would cause damage or get stuck. These are often former wetlands or areas with water springs that are difficult to dry, especially after heavy rain. "Farmers worry that if they go in to sow, the tractor will get stuck with the seeder and they'll have to tow it out," Ripoll said. 

Rice grower Marc Balada confirmed this benefit: "There's less damage because wherever you pass with a tractor, you ruin the ground and reduce production. And there’s no risk of getting stuck," he said. He also noted that drones help avoid costly tractor repairs and allow for repeated fertilizer applications over time to increase effectiveness. 

Balada's family manages about 800 hectares in the Delta. Seeing the potential of this new method, he began studying to obtain a drone pilot license. "You also need the applicator's license and have to know the natural park's regulations because you need to request permits," he explained. 

Ripoll added that the interest is growing: "Everyone has told us the same: get ready, because if it gets accepted in the Ebre Delta, farmers will want it everywhere." 

As the sowing season wraps up, with around 50 hectares expected to be covered by drone, farmers are already asking to use the service for solid fertilizers and other approved treatments. 

From a regulatory standpoint, working in the natural park hasn't been too complicated. The company applies for permission for each plot and respects protected areas such as lagoons and wetlands. "We're in contact with the natural park. They've opened the door for us to do all kinds of activities. This is a machine that's here to stay," Ripoll concluded, hoping to create a local network of cooperation between workers, farmers, and businesses.