Researchers at the University of Worcester are using drones to study soil erosion on farmland.

This is believed to be the first study of its kind to provide accurate data on the economic cost to farmers of soil erosion.

The researchers, Josie Lynch and Professor Ian Maddock, will create high-resolution 3D models from drone photographs to determine how much soil has been eroded from fields.

Laboratory testing of soil samples will provide data on the nutrients lost due to this erosion, allowing them to calculate the economic cost of replacing the nutrients with additional fertiliser.

The study is part of an 18-month collaborative project with Natural England, initially focusing on four farms in the Worcestershire and Shropshire region.

Ms Lynch, a part-time research assistant and part-time PhD student at the university, said: "We're going to develop a model that will provide us with detailed information of what's going on in the fields in terms of how much soil is being lost and the cost of that to farmers.

"I hope that this can be rolled out more widely.

"If we can reduce soil erosion, it’s going to save farmers money as well as having a benefit to the environment."

Professor Maddock added: "Previous research has calculated soil erosion with drones, but hasn’t gone on to test the soil, look at the nutrients in the soil, put an economic value on that based on this and worked out the fertiliser cost to replace what is washed away in soil erosion."

The researchers will examine the nitrates, phosphates, and potassium in the soil, nutrients that improve crop yields.

Professor Maddock said: "Climate change means we are getting more intense rainfall, and in future there are going to be more soil erosion causing events, so over time the results of this work are going to become more and more important."

Emma Johnson, deputy director for Natural England in the West Midlands, said: "What is beneath our feet is so overlooked; we ignore soil at our peril.

"Soil is our lifeblood, we need healthy soil for our food, for nature, for flood prevention and to soak up carbon."