U.S. lawmakers ask U.S. Department of Agriculture and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to take action
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Reuters) — A dozen Republican U.S. lawmakers have urged president Joe Biden’s administration to address the use of Chinese-manufactured agriculture drones, saying their use on American farms poses national security risks. The House members, including Representatives Elise Stefanik, Ashley Hinson and John Moolenaar, who chairs a select committee on China, wrote letters to […] Read moreTag Archives drone technology
Prone to condone drones? Best proceed with caution
Drones are one of the more intriguing new technologies tickling producers’ fancies these days, right up there with driverless farm equipment. There are many potential on-farm applications, such as mapping fields and checking on cattle herds. However, the potential for spraying pesticides is drawing the most attention, and drone demonstrations at the recent Ag in […] Read more
From AIM: Expect a year of drone drama
Glacier FarmMedia – The latest drone technology in agriculture was on full display at Ag in Motion 2024 in Langham, Sask., drawing a crowd to a demonstration of the latest models. Smaller drones designed for surveying, and crop/livestock monitoring are already a tool in many farmers’ toolboxes, but the larger spray drones are also becoming […] Read more
Spray drones struggle to take off
Farmers and agribusiness want to use drone sprayers, but regulations for applying crop protection products lag
Glacier FarmMedia – Canadian farmers are looking forward to the day their battle against pests has a better air force, but government says they’ll have to bide their time before pesticide-spraying drones are an option. Drones can be used in the United States if the product label covers aerial application and all other drone operation rules are […] Read more
Farmers can go aerial without breaking the bank
Any farmer can get into the drone game, according to Matthew Johnson, vice-president at Volatus Aerospace. And with the current price of a minidrone, with its functionality and ease of use, he says it’s kind of crazy not to. “I’ve been saying it for a long time. Since (the) mini came out, I think every […] Read more
Flying the fields
Researchers are increasingly augmenting the time-honoured practice of walking the fields to check for pest and disease pressure, germination or performance with eyes in the sky such as orbital satellites, drone-mounted cameras and combinations of both. For example, free online tools such as the SKSIS Mapper developed through the University of Saskatchewan’s soil science department […] Read more
Introduction to drone data gathering
The drone school was organized by Matt Johnson, vice-president of Volatus Unmanned Services (Volatus Aerospace) which provides UAV training in Manitoba. Johnson said the one-day school exposes high school students to academic research activities using drones.
Drone AI takes on new field tasks
Artificial intelligence developed for spray drone modified to monitor fields for weeds, disease or even insect infestations
Regina-based Precision AI is having a great year. Last summer, during the Ag In Motion outdoor farm show held near Saskatoon, the company launched its autonomous, fixed-wing drone that uses artificial intelligence to identify and treat individual weeds within a broad-acre-crop canopy. In March, it won numerous international awards for the drone, including the Cooperative […] Read more
Drones used to assess wildlife crop damage
A pilot project to assess wildlife damage with drones by Agriculture Financial Services Corp. in Alberta’s Peace River district may help document crop damages and assist with timely crop loss assessments. David Tschetter, a farmer, drone operator and photographer with Shady Lane Hutterite Colony at Wanham, Alta., used drone footage on their farm and four […] Read more
Drone revolution waits for regulation update
Spraying is expected to see one of the biggest impacts of the technology, but proponents say federal rules stand in the way
Southeastern Alberta’s history in development of drone technology goes back two decades from developing automated ground vehicles for mine detection to unmanned aerial vehicles for the military developed at CFB Suffield. However, the technology once reserved for those with deep pockets has gone mainstream, according to presenters at a drone industry conference in Medicine Hat. […] Read more
