Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and Livestock Management: An Application in Western Crete

Abstract

In livestock industry, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have the potential to revolutionize the way farmers manage animals, as they can be used for a wide variety of applications/reasons, such as herding, health monitoring and welfare of animals or even to detect nutrition deficiencies. This study focuses on an ongoing application of UAVs for livestock management in the island of Crete, taking into consideration the landscape morphology, the weather conditions and farmers’ habits in the region. In addition to opportunities, we identify the advantages and challenges of using UAVs in sensitive ecosystems with several socioeconomic restrictions. Potential future research is also being discussed.