DJI Technology builds Agricultural Drone to Spray Crops up to ten acres an hour

China's DJI Technology Co., the biggest high-end consumer drone manufacturer in the world, has set its eyes on building models for agricultural use.

According to The Verge, the drone maker announced Friday that it has developed a new eight-rotor model called Agras MG-1, which is designed for spraying crops. It has the capability to cover up to ten acres of land per hour and it can hold up to 10 liters of liquid.

The Wall Street Journal reported that DJI is popular for its $1,000 user friendly drones. Now, it has created the Agras, which is about $15,000. The new agricultural drone will first be available in China and South Korea. The company will start taking preorders in China starting Friday. According to the company, the drone will be available in the rest of the markets later on.   

Tech Crunch reported that the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems said agricultural drones could account for the commercial drone market. Agricultural drones can help farmers predict and control the results of their crops. With better cameras, drones can spot signs of drought or unhealthy plants.

According to DJI, Agras is 40 times more efficient compared to manual spraying. It can scan the ground using its microwave radar to stay at the right distance from the crops and spray just the exact amount of liquid the plants need. The drone can be used manually, automatic, or semi-automatic. It has dustproofing capabilities, it is water resistant, and it has anti-corrosive build. It is also very portable as it can be folded down into a compact package.

DJI started selling drones to filmmakers and consumers in 2013 and became a huge success. Its revenue exceeded $1 billion in 2015. Shenzhen-based drone manufacturer is now valued at around $8 billion. Its move to expand into farming could open an opportunity for other manufacturers to follow suit.