We often hear about its calculation and its importance in crop care. How to define the NDVI index (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) is calculated using images captured by drones equipped with multispectral cameras. multispectral cameras. This index is a quantitative measure that, related to crop variables, can be used as an index of vegetation health and density in a given area.
NDVI calculation
It is based on the difference between the reflectance of near infrared light (NIR) and the reflectance of red light (RED). NDVI can be calculated using the following formula: NDVI = (NIR – RED) / (NIR + RED).
Roughly speaking, the resulting NDVI value varies from -1 to 1, values close to -1 indicate sparse or absent vegetation, such as bare soils or water bodies, values close to 1 indicate dense and healthy vegetation.
Did you know that in Uruguay, the portal of the National Institute for Agricultural Research (INIA), has a monthly NDVI monitoring?
Utilities
With a more accessible language for understanding, we can say that NDVI is widely used in precision agriculture, particularly in crop monitoring as it provides valuable information on plant health, water stress, soil quality and early disease detection.
Here again appears one of the many virtues that I mentioned in previous articles, by using drones to capture aerial images, it is possible to perform a quick monitoring monitoring y efficient monitoring of large tracts of land, allowing farmers to make informed decisions about the management of their crops.
NDVI is also used in detecting changes in vegetation over time, which can help identify seasonal patterns, evaluate the success of management practices, and improve efficiency in agricultural production.
In summary, NDVI calculation in agriculture with drones allows to assess crop health, identify problem areas and optimize farming practices to increase productivity and reduce negative impacts on the environment. And… at very low costs! Therefore, we consider that it is undoubtedly very beneficial.
