Farmers have been constant victims of opportunists that are eager to line their pockets with ill-gotten wealth. There are many examples of stock-theft in Zimbabwe and one needs only to mention Ignatious Kubika, Steven Tangwena and George Kazozo.

This Manicaland (Eastern Highlands in Zimbabwe) trio is infamous for conducting a reign of terror in 2023 that spanned some three months before they were apprehended for stock theft, de-boning a considerable amount of cattle during that period.

So how do you try and mitigate against stock theft nowadays? You could conduct regular audits, control access and permissions, educate and motivate your staff, or use inventory management software just to name a few.

However, it would be wise to consider using unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones. Drones have slowly been making a difference due to their ability to monitor vast areas and giving real-time feedback to the operator, without bothering animals. A real game changer.

In Manicaland the trio would wait until the cover of darkness to conduct their ‘operations’ when people are asleep. To counter their strategy, a farmer can deploy a drone with thermal cameras in order to spot individuals at night time. The drone would also be out of their sight and hence it would not alarm the intruders, but assist in the apprehension of criminals by tracking them down and giving real-time location updates to the drone operator. The operator would then alert relevant officials who would apprehend the criminals before they make away with the livestock.

The provision of detailed areal views and high-resolution images from various angles means that a drone can spot details that can easily be missed on the ground. That footage would be able to serve as evidence to assist law enforcement to build strong cases and therefore solve crimes faster. 

Many farmers and agricultural companies utilize drones due to their efficiency. Ranging from cattle, goat, and chicken-monitoring, drones have revolutionized security in the sector. Game farmers use this technology to keep their investments safe from poachers.

In addition to security, drones are capable of automatic animal counting as well. This can be important if, for example, livestock escape through a broken fence and go on the loose. The drone can also identify where farmers are required to conduct repairs, thus preventing the former situation.

Drone Solutions’ pilot and Geomatics Engineer Chiedza Mujati has worked and flown a wide variety of drones ranging from agricultural, mapping and surveillance.

She cites the thermal capabilities as a huge game-changer when it comes to effective monitoring of your investments.

“I have had the privilege of working with several remotely piloted aircrafts (drones), and throughout my experience, I’ve found the thermal capabilities within certain drones to be of great aid. From the DJI Mavic 3T to the DJI Matrice 30T, these drones have proved to get the job done while simultaneously carrying their compact and lightweight characteristics,” she said.  

She cited the ability to perform real-time data transmission and a various array of options that enable the drone to be a formidable and necessary security option.

She added: “Not forgetting the Matrice 350 RTK with the H20T sensor combo, which is a more robust option with a doubled zoom strength. I’ve witnessed efficiency at different levels and scopes among the whole set of surveillance and monitoring drones for the excellent results I have obtained. The benefits are exhaustive with my favorite being the ability to perform real-time data transmission, integration with ground tracking methods, autonomous flight modes and smart tracking of livestock in both day and night time applications.”

Drones have revolutionized livestock monitoring and by leveraging the technology, farmers and ranchers are offered with unparalleled efficiency, accuracy, and cost savings.

At Drone Solutions, we provide a vast array of surveillance and monitoring drones, photography as well as agricultural drones. Contact us today and learn how we can keep an eagle’s eye on your farm or premises.