Tech-savvy 'new farmer' in NE China enjoys fruits of modern agriculture

“The drone has saved my back and legs from the strain. With a drone, I can spray 15 mu (1 hectare) of crops with pesticide per hour effortlessly," said Han Chunming, a tech-savvy "new farmer" in Lishu county, Siping city, northeast China's Jilin Province.

The 35-year-old farmer has been driving agricultural machinery for a local agricultural cooperative for years, and has been savoring the benefits of modern agriculture.

In 2023, he began learning how to operate plant-protection drones. He obtained the necessary certification, and has become a professional drone operator for agricultural applications.

Han Chunming checks and repairs a plant-protection drone. (Photo/Cheng Yuran)

Plant-protection drones have not only reduced labor costs, but have greatly improved the precision and efficiency of pesticide application and fertilization, according to Han.

"In the past, we had to carry backpack sprayers and spray pesticides manually. We'd be bent double with exhaustion after a day's work, covering just a small area. Now we can control pests and diseases much faster," he told People's Daily Online.

In 2019, drone pilots were officially recognized as a new profession in China, motivating more "new farmers" to add drone operating skills to their repertoire.

"I was amazed watching others control the drones with a remote. By tapping the screen and toggling the joysticks, they could make drones take off. It seemed magical," Han recalled.

In order to learn the theories and rules and regulations on operating drones, he studied and practiced whenever he had the chance, gradually figuring it out, said Han, admitting it was no easy feat for him to master the skills.

Han Chunming demonstrates how a plant-protection drone works. (Photo/Cheng Yuran)

The new skills have made Han busier, and have boosted his income as well. Previously, he was busy only during planting and harvesting seasons. He now also works the remaining months handling pesticide applications and fertilization with drones.

"Sometimes I even get bonus rewards from my boss," he said.

Fenghuang Mountain agricultural machinery cooperative, where Han works, has 24 multi-function monitoring stations, two drones, and 15 sets of automated agricultural machinery operating equipment, which allows for mechanical seeding, drone pesticide spraying, and remote monitoring of crop growth through a mobile app.

Enjoying the fruits of modern agriculture, Han is eager to learn even more, taking advantage of new technologies in farming.

"I'm still a novice who needs to learn from the 'veteran pilots' to master more skills," he said.