As spring farming kicks off across southwestern China, drones are making their mark, buzzing through the skies above farms in uneven highland areas.

Yan Bian, a rice grower in Menghai County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, used to struggle with labor shortages during the spring plowing season.

"It was a real headache in the past, just managing one mu (about 0.067 hectares) of land required five people," said Yan, whose cooperative cultivates more than 5,000 mu of rice seedlings this year and plans to plant on an area of around 10,000 mu.

This year, Yan introduced rice transplanters and drones -- which not only lowered costs but also solved the labor shortage challenge. The efficiency and convenience delivered by technology have put a big smile on his face. "We used drones for the first time in fertilization and transportation. The efficiency is incredible, even 50 workers working at the same time couldn't match its speed."

In Mengzhe Township, also in Yunnan Province, the sight of drones buzzing over the fields has drawn considerable attention. Operated by skilled technicians, these drones take off steadily and then follow pre-set routes as they glide over the rice paddies. Within minutes, they efficiently disperse pre-loaded fertilizer, completing the task with remarkable precision and speed.

"A single drone flight can carry and spread 70 kg of fertilizer in less than a minute. In the course of a full day, a drone can distribute approximately 10 tonnes of fertilizer, covering 300 to 400 mu of farmland," revealed Yan Yihuan, a technician.

"The amount of work a drone can accomplish in one day is equivalent to that of more than 50 workers," he added.

In Yongde County, another county located in Yunnan, drones carrying irrigation pipes steadily ascend and navigate challenging terrain along pre-planned routes. They swiftly and precisely deliver these pipes to designated locations, where workers then proceed with installation and welding to construct pipelines.

"Compared to traditional methods, the drone delivery approach offers superior efficiency and stability, showcasing its significant advantages," said Yang Jianhong, director of the county's agriculture and rural affairs bureau.

Yongde County has over 930,000 mu of farmland -- much of it scattered across mountainous terrain. Every spring, transporting water from the foot of the mountains to the fields posed a major challenge for local farmers. Traditionally, irrigation pipelines had to be laid entirely manually or trenches dug to channel water, tasks that are both labor-intensive and costly.

The innovative use of drone-lifting technology has played a crucial role in laying irrigation pipelines and improving agricultural infrastructure in Yongde. "This approach has significantly shortened construction timelines while enhancing safety," said Yang.

Spring farming is now undergoing a shift toward greater use of technological and intelligent options. Agricultural drones, for instance, are already widely used in many remote mountainous areas, efficiently handling tasks such as fertilization, weeding and field inspection.

Across the mountainous regions of southwest China, drones are injecting new vitality into spring farming and agricultural production. Experts believe that, with their unique advantages, drones are helping agriculture "soar" to new heights. 

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