Uniube orchard census: orange and papaya by drone

Aerial census of the Uniube orange and papaya orchard (Uberaba, Brazil), 4.7 ha mapped in a flight on July 24, 2026 at 30 m altitude (328 photos, 1.12 cm/px resolution). The canopy height model detected and confirmed 1,562 plants across 32 rows, a density of 335 plants/ha, an average canopy height of 1.74 m (p90 of 2.36 m) and zero planting gaps within the rows.

Individual vigor (canopy VARI) was measured on 1,025 plants with reliable 3D evidence: 33% high vigor, 33% medium and 33% low. After field validation with the grower — who ruled out most of the 89 initial candidates as weeds, shade or roadside plants — 21 real inspection candidates remained, each with an individual GPS coordinate (P01 to P21).

The study states that orange and papaya were not separated by species (their signatures overlap at this stage) and that VARI only compares plants against each other on the flight date, not replacing field diagnosis. Measured spacing was about 6 m between rows and 3.13 m between plants within a row.