On April 23, the second AltaiAgroBUS-2025 air show was held at the Strizhi airfield in Pavlovsk. It was organized by the Altai State Agrarian University. Agricultural companies showcased unmanned aerial vehicles in agriculture. The Altai State University presented the “Aerial Survey Complex” based on the Yak-18T aircraft.
The air show program has doubled in size compared to 2024. The event brought together a record number of participants – 20 enterprises demonstrated the results of their work. First of all, these are the latest developments, including a precision differentiated fertilizer application system and fire-fighting unmanned systems. However, the core event of the air show was the demonstration flights of agricultural drones, which showed how engineering innovations can help farmers, as well as firefighters. These drones have 60kg payload capacity, which significantly facilitates work in the field, including the introduction of plant protection and nutrition products.
Vyacheslav Khimochka, Minister of Industry and Energy of Altai Krai, noted that events such as AltaiAgroBus-2025 are crucial for the region, as Altai Krai has adopted a program for the development of unmanned aircraft systems. The air show just demonstrates the engineering potential of our scientists:
– Unmanned aerial systems are being actively integrated into various sectors of the economy, including agriculture, energy, and environmental protection. The scope of drone applications is expected to expand further. A period of active state support for the unmanned aerial systems development is coming, a transition from observation to stimulation and assistance to this industry.
The Altai State University’s delegation showcased innovations in the field of weed mapping and detection. Alexander Nazarov, design engineer of the Altai State University project management office, clarified that this year Altai State University is presenting the following key results at the air show:
– The complex we developed is based on the Yak-18T aircraft, equipped with high-resolution cameras and multispectral imaging, which ensures high accuracy coverage and quality of images of large areas. In a single flight, one such complex is capable of photographing up to 2,000 hectares. Another focus of our work is identification of weeds in agricultural fields. Under the leadership of Natalia Ovcharova, an associate professor of the Department of Botany at ASU, a team developed an artificial intelligence-based system for identifying weeds in the fields utilizing data from its own database, which made it possible to significantly increase the accuracy of identifying weeds. In addition, we present the results achieved by the reserach group led by Evgeny Krupochkin, Head of the Department of Economic Geography and Cartography at ASU, in the field of constructing orthophotomaps and 3D models of the terrain in the Denisova Cave area.
Alexey Vaganov, Vice-Rector for Scientific and Innovative Development of ASU, commented that since 2024, Altai State University has been actively working on the creation of attachments for small aircraft. In the near future, a joint design bureau with the company RAON (Development of General Aviation) is planned to open within the framework of the Priority-2030 program:
– One of the key areas of current work is the processing of agricultural fields in the Aleysky District and other regions. The university has three years of experience in biological control using agrodrones and aircraft-type drones, which is being showcased at the air show. The university emphasizes the use of innovative technologies at the intersection of science and business, attracting significant interest of various markets. In particular, a platform based on the Yak-18T aircraft is being developed in partnership with the RAON company, enabling not only field surveys but also weed identification and the creation of maps of buildings for processing. Negotiations are underway to develop a digital model of the above-water terrain, which will help address flooding and emergency situations.
The use of drones in agricultural is not only technologically advanced but also economically beneficial. A key advantage is that drones eliminate the issue of technological tracks-damage to crops caused by tractors-which leads to substantial economic losses. GALEX representative Liya Zaritskaya is confident that drones are becoming more accessible, which means that they are the future of not only of the agricultural sector:
– Fog-enabled drones represent a significant technological advancement, processing plants comprehensively from all angles-a critical advantage in combating pests that evade detection on leaf undersides. This method not only enhances substance concentration but also reduces water usage, conserving vital resources. Additionally, drone operations minimize fuel consumption, decrease reliance on manual labor, and eliminate equipment downtime-an unavoidable issue with tractors, particularly in waterlogged soils. Another key benefit lies in the accessibility of drone-based field treatment services. Companies provide a comprehensive service, including not only drones, but also a team of operators who monitor the equipment and promptly address technical issues. While conventional wisdom suggests drones are costly, a cost comparison reveals stark differences: the average combine harvester costs approximately 50 million rubles, whereas drones range from 600,000 to 5 million rubles.