A drone being used by agronomists is helping to scout fields and detect problems faster and more efficiently than conventional methods.
Controlled by a hand-held tablet, these drones can capture a 360 degree picture of about 20 acres in a field.
Vice President of Agronomy at Landmark Services Cooperative, Dan Moehn, says that drones are a new tool to evaluate field health.
"It really gives you a visual, different perspective, looking above the field versus looking into it," says Moehn.
Moehn says that while the drones can't see insect damage quite as accurately as someone walking through the field, the new technology allows agronomists to quickly find areas that require attention due to nutrient deficiencies or disease pressures. He tells Brownfield Ag News that the drones give them the ability to see the whole problem.
"The biggest benefit is you can realize how big of an area that really is versus standing next to an individual plant," he explains.
While cost efficiency is still being evaluated, Moehn is confident that drone technology will be a positive investment for agronomists. Landmark Services Cooperative is a company based in Wisconsin.
Source: brownfieldagnews.com