Farmers are trialling new software to assess if greater efficiency can be brought into crop analysis and inputs at the farm level using drone technology.
A drone is being shared with a small group of farmers in the Northampton area so that DroneAg’s new software, Skippy Scout, will be put to the test in its final stages of development.
After choosing a field, the app flies the drone, collecting high resolution imagery at various points on the land.
These are downloaded straight to the phone and can be analysed for Growth Stage, Green Area Index, Weeds and Disease.
The app users can then share the data from the phone at the fields edge.
The farmers, part of Kellogg’s Origins project, want to commit to sustainable agriculture by using the latest technology.
The software is currently still in a trial phase and the farmers will be assessing its usability and feeding back images and data to DroneAg.
It will then guide future software interaction and to help train the AI to better analyse inputted imagery.
Potential benefits of the trial include more accurate crop data enabling farmers to make informed decisions about crop health and nutrient management
It could also offer better optimised use of farm inputs reducing cost and the impact of inputs on the environment.
Duncan Rawson, Origins Project Manager said: “Initial training with the drone went well and we are excited at the prospect of working with DroneAg to help our farmers reach their goals of sustainable systems, alongside efficient premium grain production.”
Drone Ag are currently developing the first full commercial version for next season.
Jack Wrangham, founder of DroneAg, said: “We built this as a simple and practical solution to help farmers become more efficient and ultimately help make farming more sustainable.”
