“Walking the field.” It’s how farmers, agronomists, crop insurers, and researchers have traditionally scouted crops. But, the practice is time- and labor-intensive, let alone a sweaty endeavor--especially in the heat of summer’s late growth stages. Worse, it’s nearly impossible to effectively analyze hundreds of acres of crops on foot.
Using drones, also called unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), farmers can capture data over their entire farm, all from the comfort of a single (ideally, shady) take-off zone. For farmers, agronomists, crop insurers, and researches, drones are more accessible than ever before, with more models offering longer flight times, greater payload capacities, and the ability to fly in varying conditions. Farming operations of all sizes are using drones to reduce the time and costs associated with crop data collection.
