More farmers are using drone technology to fertilize their crops and scout their fields. The University of Wisconsin has been doing more research to adapt to the times and make sure they are up-to-date on this technology and ensuring farmers have the best information at their disposal.
Dr. Brian Luck is an associate professor at UW-Madison conducting research on drone technology in agriculture. Dr. Luck researches drone use for spraying crops, specifically corn and soybeans. They are able to do much of their research through using a drone sponsored by the Wisconsin Corn and Soybean boards.
“We’re looking at defining spray coverage…I want to know how much that is and measure at different heights above the crop canopy so we can know where the best, sweet spot is,” said Dr. Luck. This will help enhance the efficiency of drone use in agriculture.
With drone use becoming more common, so to are the regulations monitoring the drones. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has a new rule for drones that will take effect on September 16th. All drones will be required to have remote ID on drones. This means a transmitter will either need to be on the operator or in the vicinity.
According to Dr. Luck, the rule was created “to be able to let first responders and others know if something happens they can be able to triangulate and pinpoint your location to get to you more quickly.” What Dr. Luck has noticed is that many transmitters are on back order. Even so, he says there is still time for operators to find and buy a transmitter.
Since drone use is lower in the fall, operators can wait several months to receive their transmitter. By the time they arrive, they should be ready for spring use.
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