Manitoba company using drones to transform agriculture

May 19, 2016

Drones help farmers save time and money

By Diego Flammini
Assistant Editor, North American Content
Farms.com

Knowing exactly when to apply fertilizers or harvest can save farmers time and money, and that’s the goal of a Winnipeg drone company.

M3 Aerial Productions is in its first year of project Green Gold which is designed to determine the precise times perform certain farming duties.

“Drones are revolutionizing the industry. It’s an interesting thing,” Matthew Johnson, M3’s owner told CBC.

Drone

Fixed-wing drones use NDVI to breakdown photosynthetic light that plants reflect.

Johnson said sensors in the drones pick up the light and convert it into useful data; farmers use the data to determine what needs to go on their fields.

The data can highlight an area with below-par growth, allowing the farmer to apply fertilizer to the specific spot compared to broadcasting fertilizer on the whole field. Johnson said it can save farmers money on chemicals, and overhead planes or satellites.

Johnson said some farmers haven’t totally warmed up to the idea and his company is receiving different reactions but is hopeful that as the technology advances, farmers will support it.

“Agriculture is one of the most prevalent industries in Manitoba that I felt would be the best use of resources,” he told CBC.

Depending on the size of the drone, users may need a licence from Transport Canada.

Video: Winter Canola Trial in Mississippi | Can It Work for Double Cropping? | Pioneer Agronomy

Can winter canola open new opportunities for growers in the Mid-South? In this agronomy update from Noxubee County, Mississippi, Pioneer agronomist Gus Eifling shares an early look at a first-year winter canola trial and what farmers are learning from the field.

Planted in late October on 30-inch rows, the crop is now entering the bloom stage and progressing quickly. In this video, we walk through current field conditions, fertility management, and how timing could make this crop a valuable option for double-cropping soybeans or cotton.

If harvest timing lines up with early May, growers may be able to transition directly into another crop during ideal planting windows. Ongoing field trials will help determine whether canola could become a viable rotational option for the region.

Watch for:

How winter canola is performing in its first season in this Mississippi field

Why growers chose 30-inch rows for this trial

What the crop looks like as it moves from bolting into bloom

Fertility strategy, including nitrogen and sulfur applications

How canola harvest timing could enable double-cropping with soybeans or cotton

Upcoming trials comparing soybeans after canola vs. traditional planting

As more growers look for ways to maximize acres and diversify rotations, experiments like this help determine what new crops might fit into existing systems.