The Possibility of Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in Agricultural Activities in Turkey

Abstract

I N THIS study, the perceptions and attitudes of farmers towards drone use and the variables that affect their intention to use drones in two provinces in the Southeastern Anatolia region of Turkey were investigated. The main purpose of this study is to determine the hidden variables that may affect the intention to use unmanned aerial vehicles, which have been used in agricultural activities by some farmers in the region in the last few years and are expected to become widespread rapidly. For this purpose, the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) was used as the primary reference to predict adoption intention. A proportional sample size was used to determine the number of surveys, and the survey was conducted with 249 producers.The study was conducted between September 2022 and January 2023 in Mardin and & Scedil;anl & imath;urfa provinces located between 37 degrees 50>-41 degrees 54> east longitude and 36 degrees 40>-38 degrees 12> north latitude in the Southeastern Anatolia Region of Turkey.A structural equation model (SEM) was used for basic data analysis. As a result of the results obtained, it was determined that the perceived usefulness and perceived economic benefit had significant effects on the intention to use the drone, on the contrary, the perceived ease of use and trust attitude did not affect the intention to use. Furthermore, the possibility of reducing workload, enhancing productivity, and lowering expenses appeared to be the most significant factors influencing drone adoption intention. The results showed that spraying and fertilization activities using drones are more beneficial in terms of crop productivity and labor force reduction compared to traditional methods. As a result, it has been suggested that legal arrangements should be made to include drones in machinery and equipment support given by the state to encourage the use of drones and to expand the use of unmanned aerial vehicles in agricultural activities.