The technology can help check fences and find cattle but also map fields, identify plants and check protein levels
KINSELLA, Alta. — Looking for cows in thick brush, checking for trees fallen on fence lines, identifying livestock in a herd, spraying weeds and creating maps of pastures are just some of the possible uses for drones, said John Church during a University of Alberta field day of new agriculture technology. The Thompson Rivers University […] Read moreTag Archives drone technology
Drone harnesses artificial intelligence
The flying sprayer has the ability to identify and treat individual weeds as it makes its way over a broad acre canopy
LANGHAM, Sask. — An autonomous, fixed-wing drone that uses artificial intelligence to identify and treat individual weeds within a broad acre crop canopy was on display at the recent Ag In Motion farm show near Saskatoon. This was the first time Regina-based Precision AI displayed its new platform for the public, although it had shown […] Read more
Reconsider drone sprayer regulation
The harmonization of regulations between neighbouring countries makes everything easier, and chemical application technology looks like a simple one to match that of our southern neighbours. Historically, sprayers were designed with a boom containing nozzles that were evenly spaced, allowing for chemicals to be consistently applied across the entire field. As advances in electronics, robotics […] Read more
Ninety minutes of hang time helps build detailed files
New drone technology and LiDAR sensors create detailed maps of farm fields, allowing for broad scientific approach
The Ag in Motion Discovery Farm was recently used to fly the latest in state-of-the-art drone technology. It’s a remotely piloted aircraft system, which was recently added to Saskatchewan Polytechnic’s fleet of eight aircraft used for training and applied research. “We went to this newest platform with cutting edge light detection and ranging system that […] Read more
Mars’ loss is our Earth’s gain
When we think drones, we envision UAV fixed-wing or rotary flying devices. Well, there’s now a UAV rolling ball that’s equally comfortable travelling across land, water or the Martian countryside. Meet GuardBot, a spherical drone that doesn’t fly. It rolls across the surface of the Earth or across water gathering data using sensors, including those […] Read more
Walmart patents hint at a drone future for ag
One application would use drones to identify pests and dispense insecticides, while another features pollen dispensers
NEW YORK/CHICAGO (Reuters) — Walmart Inc.’s patent filings hint that it may see a future where farmers use its drones to not only spot crop problems but selectively apply chemicals or even disperse pollen to bring shoppers the freshest and cheapest food possible. The world’s largest retailer applied for six patents last year on drones […] Read more
Sentera links processor with sensor for live NDVI
The Double 4K sensor-processor combination on Sentera drones has its own camera design to provide more accurate images
Coupling a computer to RGB and NIR sensors in a drone provides true NDVI data on-the-fly over a field without translation back at the office. However, if that’s such a smart idea, why wasn’t it done before? Sentera of Minnesota unveiled its revolutionary Double 4K sensor and processer at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las […] Read more
Robot tractor handles heat of harvest
Manitoba farmer says driverless drone pulls grain cart to where it’s needed while combines keep on rolling
A driverless tractor and grain cart travel across a Manitoba field, pull up beside a rolling combine where farmer Matt Reimer unloads his grain on-the-go. Reimer presses a key on his laptop and the tractor pulls to the left and stops, waiting to be called again. “This will save us about $5,000 in labour this […] Read more
