Evaluation Meeting Held for Drone-Based Shading Agent Pilot Project
at Gijang County Agricultural Technology Center
Sharing Results and Discussing Next Steps for Greenhouse Innovation
Gijang County (Governor Jeong Jongbok) announced on September 4 that it held an evaluation meeting for the "Pilot Project on Drone-Based Shading Agent Application for Greenhouses" at the Gijang County Agricultural Technology Center on September 1, where the achievements of this summer's project were shared.
Gijang County is holding an evaluation meeting for the Agricultural Technology Center pilot project. Photo by Gijang County
The evaluation meeting was attended by the Gijang Drone Farming Team and local flower farmers, who reviewed the project implementation process and its effectiveness, and discussed the direction for next year's initiatives.
An instructor from a specialized agricultural drone company also participated to introduce outstanding cases from other regions.
During the meeting, the need to accumulate field-based data was highlighted as a key task, including establishing customized standards according to the light requirements of each flower crop, managing responses to weather changes, analyzing effects by dilution ratio and shading rate, and determining optimal application timing.
The shading agent is a technology applied to greenhouse roofs to block sunlight and lower internal temperatures. However, there have been limitations due to a lack of standardized guidelines, as crop characteristics and conditions vary by season. To address this, the county has been promoting a pilot project using drones since last year to enhance safety and efficiency.
This year, the scope of participating farms and area was expanded, and the shading agent was applied twice-in May and July-covering a total of 89,000 square meters. The drone farming team, composed of local young farmers, participated in the operation, enabling uniform and rapid application.
As a result, a survey confirmed that the internal temperature of the facilities decreased by an average of 2 to 4 degrees Celsius, and farmers expressed high satisfaction with the prevention of heatwave damage and reduced labor requirements. In particular, given the prolonged heatwave conditions this year, the necessity and demand for the shading agent have become even more prominent.
Governor Jeong Jongbok stated, "Applying shading agents using drones is an effective technology that protects farmers' safety, reduces labor, and prevents heatwave damage. Moving forward, we will actively incorporate feedback from the field to expand the project and create a sustainable agricultural environment."
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