Abstract
In 2015, observers argued that the fourth agricultural revolution had been initiated. This article focuses on one part of this high-tech revolution: the origin, development, applications, and user value of unmanned aerial systems (UAS). Institutional changes connected to the UAS innovation are analyzed, based on a Swedish case study. The methods included autoethnography. The theoretical frame was composed by four perspectives: innovation, institutions, sustainability, and ethics. UAS can help farmers cut costs and produce higher quantity with better quality, and also has environmental benefits. However, this promising innovation was exposed to institutional forces and suddenly became subordinated the Act of Camera Surveillance. This study illuminates how legislative institutions can inhibit responsible innovation. The study shows that different ethical perspectives can collide with each other.
Highlights
The agricultural sector is under economic pressure due to intense regulation and international competition (OECD and FAO 2016)
This article focuses on one part of this high-tech revolution: the origin, development, applications, and user value of unmanned aerial systems (UAS)
In countries such as Australia and the US, legislative actors struggle with balancing different perspectives in relation to UAS
Summary
The agricultural sector is under economic pressure due to intense regulation and international competition (OECD and FAO 2016). In 2015, the terms ‘‘fourth agricultural revolution’’ (Lejon and Frankelius 2015) or ‘‘agriculture 4.0’’ (Carl-Albrecht Bartmer, speech at Agritechnica) were proposed These terms referred to the impact of sensors, satellites, digital technology, and robotics, not least in terms of paving the way for precision farming (Mulla 2013). UAS includes opportunities for coping with business competition, environmental challenges such as reducing the ecological footprint of agriculture, and increasing food production (Freeman and Freeland 2014). Despite these benefits, the use of UAS with sensors suddenly became heavily prevented in Sweden in 2016.
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