Agricultural technicians in Yuncheng County of east China's Shandong Province have started employing modern farming techniques like drone technology to transform winter wheat cultivation, boosting yields and ensuring sustainable growth.

Over the wheat fields in Zhangluji Town, these smart farming tools follow pre-programmed flight paths to administer evenly-distributed agricultural chemicals against crop diseases and pests, dry-hot wind, and premature aging.

Drones dramatically reduced operational expenses by lowering fuel use to near zero, sharply reducing chemicals used through precise application, and cutting labor requirements substantially.

"Previously, one farmer used to spray agriculture chemicals on around 10 mu (about 0.67 hectares) of land in a day. Now, drones can spray over 200 mu (about 13.33 hectares) of land in just one hour, significantly saving labor costs. In addition, economically speaking, it now saves over 10 yuan (about 1.38 U.S. dollars) per mu of land for farmers, truly bringing substantial benefits," said Li Qinghua, a local farmer.

According to the Yuncheng County Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, this year's winter wheat cultivation area across the county totaled 1.45 million mu (about 96,666 hectares). A fleet of 350 agricultural drones has been deployed. As of now, 65 percent of the spraying operations have been completed, with full completion projected by May 12.