The Department of Agriculture-Davao Region (DA-Davao), in collaboration with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), has initiated field testing for artificial intelligence-powered drone technology in banana plantations across Davao del Norte. The project aims to evaluate the drones' accuracy in mapping plantations and detecting crop diseases.
Pilot Initiative Details
The pilot program, conducted with technology partner E-Support Link, covers three farms in Panabo City, Braulio E. Dujali, and Mabini. Drone AI has already mapped five hectares of banana plantations as part of a yearlong validation process.
Marie Ann M. Constantino, DA-Davao regional technical director for operations, emphasized that the project seeks to strengthen the region's banana industry by introducing precision agriculture tools to enhance productivity and combat disease threats.
“This initiative forms part of DA-11’s goal to help boost banana production by addressing challenges posed by crop diseases, including Fusarium wilt, which remains highly prevalent in many banana farms across the region,” Constantino stated.
Testing and Validation
The yearlong testing phase will expand research efforts and generate data for science-based interventions. The drone AI system targets 95 percent mapping accuracy. Pilot testing begins in May, where drone-assisted banana plant counts will be compared with manual counts to verify precision. Disease detection trials are scheduled in the coming months.
Farm owners have welcomed the initiative, noting that the technology could ease industry challenges through accurate farm monitoring, improved disease management, and higher productivity.
Additional Benefits
E-Support Link highlighted that drone AI can reduce disease transmission by limiting human contact during farm inspections, counting, and monitoring—activities that may unintentionally spread contamination between plantations.
DA-Davao, through its Regional Crop Protection Center and Information and Communications Technology Section, is implementing the initiative with DOST and local government agriculture offices to strengthen agricultural research and innovation.
Previous Pilot Test
The expanded testing follows a memorandum of understanding between DA-Davao and Japanese partners for an AI-powered drone pilot project focused on banana plant counting and early disease detection. The agency conducted its first pilot test on March 30 at Laserna Farm in Ula, Tugbok District, Davao City. That test used AI-assisted multispectral drone imagery to identify infected banana plants and detect diseases before visible symptoms emerge.
Regional Significance
Davao Region remains the country's banana capital, producing 3.19 million metric tons in 2024, or 94.8 percent of the region's total fruit output. Bananas, particularly Cavendish varieties, rank among the Philippines' top agricultural exports. Export volume is projected to rebound by 25.6 percent to 2.93 million metric tons in 2025.
