Recently, during a business trip to Zigui, Yichang, Hubei province, I encountered a young innovator who was among the first to utilize drones for transporting oranges. Alongside his peers, he was ingeniously applying agricultural drones, initially designed for pesticide spraying, to haul goods, inadvertently prompting DJI to introduce advanced lifting capabilities to their drone models.

Curious, I asked this ambitious young man what inspired him to consider using drones for transporting oranges. His response revealed a logical yet creative thought process: "Drones are capable of spraying pesticides using relatively heavy water tanks. If these tanks can be towed, then why not oranges?" With this spark of an idea, he began conducting experiments. He discovered that short ropes often struck the mountainous terrain, while longer ropes led to considerable swaying. After much trial and error, he finally identified a suitable rope length that minimized these issues and found an optimal weight for transportation.

After sharing videos of his experiments on social media, he soon gathered a community of like-minded youths eager to learn the technical skills required for drone operation. This collaboration quickly evolved into a local drone team dedicated to transporting oranges for fruit farmers in the region.

Visiting Zigui allowed me to truly appreciate the challenging work faced by fruit farmers. As a renowned hub for navel oranges, the area is rich with citrus crops year-round, making orange cultivation a vital industry. During the harvest season, farmers must hire laborers to pick and transport the oranges. Given the mountainous local geography, workers carry over a hundred kilograms in baskets—a feat that demands both strength and stamina. The grueling task of climbing hills day after day limits the number of individuals willing and able to perform such physically demanding work.

In light of these challenges, the young entrepreneur's solution to harness drone technology transformed labor dynamics. Utilizing drones enabled a single operator with a remote control to replace the work of ten or more laborers and ultimately cut costs by around fifty percent. The impressive videos of drones in action—transporting oranges, grains, and essential supplies across rugged landscapes—demonstrate how these aerial machines not only meet the logistical needs of farmers but also became a catalyst for wealth generation for local youths. This innovation represents a burgeoning sector known as the low-altitude economy.

Interestingly, DJI, the leading manufacturer of agricultural drones, has cautioned against the use of their pesticide spraying drones for cargo transport. The inherent angle and design of these drones are tailored specifically for spraying, posing potential risks during lifting operations—such as loose ropes and loss of control—which can lead to dangerous incidents. However, the widespread public adoption and misuse prompted DJI to redesign their drones, merging the functionalities of transport drones with agricultural models. They focus on enhancing payload capacities, integrating laser radar, and increasing battery efficiency, which collectively improves performance and safety.

Similar innovative inspirations have emerged in the past. Initially, DJI started by developing flight controllers, but in 2008 and 2009, feedback from users revealed that many were purchasing DJI products to create their own multirotor drones. In 2012, the release of DJI's first Phantom series drone marked a new era in the global civilian drone industry, asserting that the company could produce better, more reliable drones than those made by enthusiasts through DIY methods.

Users have proven to be resourceful experimenters. For instance, DJI personnel in Heilongjiang and Jiangsu provinces discovered in 2019 that users were deploying drones for fertilizer application. This even prompted DJI to expand their offerings to include drones explicitly designed for this purpose. Additionally, they learned that users were employing drones for basal fertilization—an activity typically performed before crops are planted, which could feasibly be carried out by existing agricultural machinery. However, farmers developed this method independently, leading DJI to adapt their drones to improve dispersal speed and efficiency.

The use of drone technology among farmers continues to expand. In Heilongjiang, for instance, rice growers increasingly deploy drones for everything from planting to basal and top dressing fertilization, as well as pesticide application. Similarly, wheat farmers in Jiangsu have started employing drones not only for spraying but also for fertilization, demonstrating the versatility of drone use in agricultural practices.

Multirotor drones have a great deal of potential within agricultural domains. Successful drone operation relies on balanced considerations of flight time and payload capacity. Consequently, some drones operate on a system that allows for frequent battery swaps, utilizing smaller batteries to minimize weight. This means that drones can effectively conduct aerial tasks and require recharging approximately every thirty minutes.

The ascent of drones as commonplace agricultural tools marks a significant transition in farming practices. Unlike traditional machinery, however, drones offer continuous avenues for exploration concerning new functionalities. Companies engaged in drone development are following the shifting demands of practical field applications. Fortunately, they possess substantial technological reserves, allowing for rapid advancements and enhancements to drone capabilities.