July 2023 - 10

AG TECH
Drones improve crop
scouting, helping growers
understand crop progress
on a farm-wide scale.
Photo courtesy of
ColbyAgTech.
DRONE
DEPLOYMENT
Technology helps growers in orchard, vineyard operations
This is the first in a three-part series, focusing on the
rising use of drones in specialty ag operations and the
growing number of tasks they can do. Future installments
will look at costs and the pros and cons of owning vs.
leasing, and what the future holds for drone technology.
BY DOUG OHLEMEIER
ASSISTANT EDITOR
U
nmanned aerial systems (UAS) - drones - are
becoming more popular in grower operations.
The devices are gaining a foothold in fields,
orchards and vineyards.
Drones are taking on more labor-intensive tasks
as technology improves, allowing farmers to carry
out traditional tasks like spraying for pests. They've
also opened the door to new opportunities, efficiently
gathering valuable data for comprehensive crop
analysis and decision-making.
" Drones in agriculture overall have become
more and more prevalent, " said Ittai Marom,
general manager of Israel-based Tevel Aerobotics
Technologies. " They are used for different operations,
whether spraying or taking photos or fruit counting or
disease detection, you name it. Drones have gained
many capabilities. They can stay longer in the air and
can carry more and more payloads of different kinds. "
Hein Ranch Co., a Visalia, California, grower and
farm properties manager of almonds, walnuts,
pistachios and table, wine and cannery grapes, as
well as citrus and avocados, uses drones in spray
10 | JULY 2023
platforms, and to deploy beneficial insects and
release pheromones to disrupt mating of pests.
" We're seeing a lot of benefits, " said Martin Hein,
co-owner and one of a group of farmers who are
partners in FlyingAg, which also has Midwest row
crop clients who use them to apply herbicide.
FlyingAg is a growers collective that advises
farmers in UAS product selection and use of
aerial imaging.
Drones allow growers to access marshy and
other difficult areas, and knock out noxious weeds.
Because receiving images and reports from satellite
imaging companies can sometimes entail waits of up
to a week, the immediacy of drone images improves
grower efficiencies, Hein said.
Farmers can also use drones to make more
informed decisions in pest management, crop
monitoring and resource allocation, said Chad Colby,
agricultural technologist consultant to FlyingAg.com
and owner of ColbyAgTech.com.
Cutting costs
" This technology not only improves productivity
and efficiency, but also contributes to sustainable
agricultural practices by reducing chemical inputs
and optimizing resource utilization, " Colby said.
" Drones are transforming the way farmers
approach crop management, enabling them to
achieve higher yields, reduce costs and enhance
overall farm performance. "

http://www.FlyingAg.com http://www.ColbyAgTech.com

July 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of July 2023

Editor's Letter
Pest Control: The nose knows
Ag Tech: Drone deployment
Cover Story: Keeping it fresh
Irrigation & Water Management: Stressed out
Berries: Pinpoint precision
Plant & Soil Health: What's good for the gooseberry ...
CA Storage: Keeping control
Farm Market & Agritourism: Agreements between growers provide opportunities
CMI
Ag Labor Review
Classifieds
Advertiser Index
July 2023 - 1
July 2023 - 2
July 2023 - 3
July 2023 - Editor's Letter
July 2023 - 5
July 2023 - Pest Control: The nose knows
July 2023 - 7
July 2023 - 8
July 2023 - 9
July 2023 - Ag Tech: Drone deployment
July 2023 - 11
July 2023 - 12
July 2023 - 13
July 2023 - Cover Story: Keeping it fresh
July 2023 - 15
July 2023 - Irrigation & Water Management: Stressed out
July 2023 - 17
July 2023 - Berries: Pinpoint precision
July 2023 - 19
July 2023 - 20
July 2023 - 21
July 2023 - Plant & Soil Health: What's good for the gooseberry ...
July 2023 - 23
July 2023 - CA Storage: Keeping control
July 2023 - 25
July 2023 - Farm Market & Agritourism: Agreements between growers provide opportunities
July 2023 - 27
July 2023 - CMI
July 2023 - 29
July 2023 - Ag Labor Review
July 2023 - 31
July 2023 - Classifieds
July 2023 - 33
July 2023 - Advertiser Index
July 2023 - 35
July 2023 - 36
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