This was Scott’s comment the first time he flew his drone over the family’s fields
The farm itself is about 400 acres, and another 200 or so acres are leased. Mainly corn and soybeans are grown, along with some cover crops
Scott, the son, grew up on the farm but had moved off-farm to work as a mechanic. He had expressed a desire to return to, but the farm wouldn’t provide enough income to support an additional owner. Both the parents and the son were anxious to expand operations and increase the profitability. They were faced with an age-old challenge: how to increase farm income and reduce costs.
Precision Agriculture uses smart machinery, GPS, satellites, drones and more to increase efficiency. Smart machinery can be very expensive; but drones are relatively inexpensive, and the upkeep costs are minimal.
Scott is a drone pilot, and although he just flew his drone for fun, he had gotten his FAA Unmanned Aerial Vehicle [UAV] certificate to improve his knowledge. This allowed him to fly commercially, which included farm activities.
Scott’s first use of the drone was for crop scouting to determine crop emergence, stand count, and crop health. Crop scouting by foot is very inefficient but very necessary. Identifying areas of pest infestation, slow grow due to lack of nutrients, or other factors are crucial. By flying a drone first, Scott determined areas he needed to investigate further on foot.
This farm family, like most, has crop insurance. When a disaster strikes, the farmers with drones can provide photos to the insurance adjuster, often before he or she is able to visit the property. Scott is ready just in case and also is looking into exciting future uses such as seeding, applying nutrients and herbicides, etc. all by drone.
There are so many agricultural uses of drones, and we have
created a free newsletter – Using Drones on Small Farms. Articles include:
Using USDA Soil and Elevation Data for Farm Planning
Owning Your Drone vs Using Drone Services
The Many Uses for Farm Drones
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