Precision Ag Day concentrates on drones, other advances for farmers
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) surveys a field at the Wye Research and Education Center
Image Credit: Lauren Castellana, Edwin Remsberg Inc.
In order to be efficient and productive, farmers of today must constantly stay connected with the technologies of tomorrow. That’s why the 4th annual MidAtlantic Precision Ag Equipment Day brought together farmers and national experts on agricultural equipment, engineering and data collection. Hosted by University of Maryland Extension in collaboration with University of Delaware Cooperative Extension, the event was held at the University of Maryland’s Wye Research and Education Center in Queenstown, Md.
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), also known as drones, were a major focus of the day. Farmers across the country are looking at ways to use unmanned aircrafts to improve operations and production. John Nowatzki from North Dakota State University presented some of his research on how UAVs can help with inspecting crops, identifying pests and monitoring livestock.
Maryland-based company Airlytics provided a demonstration of an unmanned aircraft that surveyed an area of the research center collecting data while the crowd watched from below.
Participants at Precision Ag Day were also able to obtain information and advice on topics such as sprayer and planter section control, variable rate seeding, soil mapping, global positioning systems and more. Agricultural equipment dealers from across the region were also on-hand showcasing and demonstrating the latest products available for farmers to advance them into the future.
To see more pictures from the event, click here.
For more on how the University of Maryland is helping to develop the field of precision agriculture, click here.
