A brief chat with Agribotix about precision agriculture
Following their $250,000 grant we reached out to Agribotix to learn more about their thoughts on precision agriculture
As you may recall, Agribotix received a $250,000 grant from Colorado’s Advanced Industry Program in the middle of May to advance their efforts in precision agriculture. We reached out to ask them a few questions, here they are.
Q. I grew up in Vermont in a family filled with farmers, many of whom were (and are) not up on the latest technology. Is this a challenge for you in this area?
Yes, it is a challenge, but as we see younger growers entering the market they, and even many of the older farmers, are excited about the advantages different technologies can provide. Behavior change is a challenge in any industry at any age, but as we show the cost savings and yield increases offered through different uses of drones we see this catching on!
Q. What makes the Enduro an ideal platform for precision agriculture?
It is easy to use, very stable, and has a cool factor that draws a lot of interest.
Q. Do you have any case studies demonstrating the value of using drones in farming?
We have worked with so many producers on an experimental or research basis, we are in the process of validating our findings with them. Based on these initial findings we are confident in the positive ROI drones can offer, but being more scientists than sales people, we will not release these findings to the general public until they have been tested over more time and on more land and crops.
Q. What are the biggest technical challenges with drones today that limit your business potential?
The biggest challenge right now is policy, since commercial use of drones requires a 333 exemption from the FAA. That’s not too bad, though, since it gives us more time to test our drones and refine our data processing software. We have enough customers using our hardware and cloud-based software for non-commercial purposes, as well as customers with the 333, or who are international, that this experience is helping to keep us at the front of this exciting industry!
For those interested in seeing the Agribotix precision agriculture drone, the Enduro, take off and land, here is a video:
