Ag expert predicts drones will be useful tool for farmers

 
By Dave Olson / The Forum Fargo - If you want to see the future of farming, just look up.   Drones, those small unmanned aircraft that have become a central part of America’s war on terror, are also poised to help farmers with everything from making more efficient use of fertilizer to spotting sick cows. That’s according to John Nowatzki, an agricultural machine systems specialist at North Dakota State University. Nowatzki, who spoke Tuesday at the Northern Ag Expo in Fargo, estimated that perhaps 100 or more farmers in North Dakota are already using drones, even though federal regulators are still in the process of determining just how the unmanned aircraft may be used and by whom. “Technology is outpacing regulation,” said Nowatzki, who spent last summer working with a team of researchers who used a pair of drones to monitor crops and livestock at an NDSU research center in Carrington. Nowatzki said the work convinced him that many farmers would find drones useful in their operations, as the conventional photos and thermal images drones provide can help farmers pinpoint areas that need attention. Nowatzki said that can be anything from identifying areas of fields that are ailing from disease or lack of nutrients, to spotting feverish cows among the healthy animals in a feedlot. He said one of the two drones used by the researchers last summer cost upward of $50,000, but he added that many drones that might be useful to farmers sell for less than $5,000. And with software now available, Nowatzki said with a few clicks on their computer, farmers can direct drones to carry out flight plans on their own and even land themselves. “The easiest part of all this is flying the aircraft,” he said. More difficult and time- consuming, he said, is managing and analyzing the data collected by drones, and Nowatzki said that part of the process promises great opportunities for enterprising businesses looking to help farmers incorporate drones into their operations. The unknown right now, Nowatzki said, is how future regulations may affect the agricultural applications of drones. There’s a possibility, he said, that the FAA will require any drone flown for commercial use, including farming, be guided by a licensed pilot. “I don’t think that’s needed,” Nowatzi said, adding, however, that he believes it would be wise for drone operators to have some pilot training. For example, he said, if the need should ever arise, it would be good for drone operators to know how to communicate with other aircraft operators or control towers. “I do think the ground portion (of pilot training) would be excellent,” Nowatzki said. The Northern Ag Expo, which is presented by the North Dakota Agricultural Association, continues today at the Fargodome. 
By Dave Olson / The ForumFargo - If you want to see the future of farming, just look up. Drones, those small unmanned aircraft that have become a central part of America’s war on terror, are also poised to help farmers with everything from making more efficient use of fertilizer to spotting sick cows.That’s according to John Nowatzki, an agricultural machine systems specialist at North Dakota State University.Nowatzki, who spoke Tuesday at the Northern Ag Expo in Fargo, estimated that perhaps 100 or more farmers in North Dakota are already using drones, even though federal regulators are still in the process of determining just how the unmanned aircraft may be used and by whom.“Technology is outpacing regulation,” said Nowatzki, who spent last summer working with a team of researchers who used a pair of drones to monitor crops and livestock at an NDSU research center in Carrington.Nowatzki said the work convinced him that many farmers would find drones useful in their operations, as the conventional photos and thermal images drones provide can help farmers pinpoint areas that need attention.Nowatzki said that can be anything from identifying areas of fields that are ailing from disease or lack of nutrients, to spotting feverish cows among the healthy animals in a feedlot.He said one of the two drones used by the researchers last summer cost upward of $50,000, but he added that many drones that might be useful to farmers sell for less than $5,000.And with software now available, Nowatzki said with a few clicks on their computer, farmers can direct drones to carry out flight plans on their own and even land themselves.“The easiest part of all this is flying the aircraft,” he said.More difficult and time- consuming, he said, is managing and analyzing the data collected by drones, and Nowatzki said that part of the process promises great opportunities for enterprising businesses looking to help farmers incorporate drones into their operations.The unknown right now, Nowatzki said, is how future regulations may affect the agricultural applications of drones.There’s a possibility, he said, that the FAA will require any drone flown for commercial use, including farming, be guided by a licensed pilot.“I don’t think that’s needed,” Nowatzi said, adding, however, that he believes it would be wise for drone operators to have some pilot training.For example, he said, if the need should ever arise, it would be good for drone operators to know how to communicate with other aircraft operators or control towers.“I do think the ground portion (of pilot training) would be excellent,” Nowatzki said.The Northern Ag Expo, which is presented by the North Dakota Agricultural Association, continues today at the Fargodome.