AUSTIN, Texas (RFD News) — Drone technology is becoming another option for producers looking to manage crops and make more targeted use of their inputs.
Hylio CEO Arthur Erickson said the technology can also help identify problem areas and target treatments where they are needed most.
“When times are tough and you need to stretch the dollar further, of course people start to turn more and more to something that is a precise tool, right? The name of the game for our drone technology, I should say our tech stack in general, is stretching your dollar and stretching your input further. The drones in many studies have shown that just spraying the same amount of product, let’s say it’s 10 ounces of an herbicide active ingredient per acre, doing that by drone versus a ground rig or helicopter usually is anywhere from 30 to 50% more effective in terms of downstream yield effects. Maybe more dramatic is when you’re utilizing the drone stack we have to go scout out problem areas you have throughout the field. Let’s say you’ve got some rust popping up on your corn.”
Erickson added that drones can help identify disease hot spots before a full-field application is needed. Instead of treating an entire operation, producers may only need to spray a fraction of the area, reducing input use while protecting yield.
That technology is already becoming another tool for producers in northeast Nebraska, where drier weather is putting more pressure on crops after a strong start to the growing season.
Market Journal’s Chad Moyer spoke with a farmer about how drone technology is being used to improve crop management.
The technology allows producers to apply and test products across their fields while offering a lower-cost alternative to some traditional spray equipment.
Producers say drones have become another tool in the toolbox as they look for more efficient ways to manage their operations.
