From NECC
When it comes to agriculture and spray drones, the sky is the limit.
While that idiom is true figuratively and literally, speakers and others expressing sentiments shared optimism for the industry at the third annual Nebraska Ag and Spray Drone Conference at the Lifelong Learning Center.
Nebraska Extension and Northeast Community College sponsored the event on Thursday and Friday, August 21-22. It was held for the first time in Norfolk, with plans for it to return again next year at Northeast. The conference not only what’s already working and possibilities with spray drones, including enormous return on investment, there also are risks. They include liability issues while spraying and operating a drone, especially is a person isn’t sure what he or she is doing.
The two-day event in Norfolk attracted about 100 people -- 80 people in person, along with 20 more online. Those attending included people who own drones and are looking to learn more, as well as commercial drone pilots, farmers looking to use drones in their fields, and a few students seeking to learn more about drones.
Dirk Charlson, an Extension educator, said drones are being used more all the time for everything from washing windows to mapping property and fields.
Future uses could include things as precise as spraying the stripes on a football field, he said.
“Everyone feels like they are by themselves when they enter this industry,” Charlson said. “One of the goals of this conference is to bring us together.”
Many of those who attended received a copy of, “The Evolution of Spray Drones: Their Capabilities and Challenges for Pesticide Applications.” The guide, produced by Purdue’s Pesticide Programs, examines the current state of drone technology for pesticide applications.
The event included speakers and vendors from all over the Midwest, sharing their knowledge and experience. Many of the speakers asked for reaction from the audience, so there was a lot of interaction and sharing of knowledge.
Some of the audience members’ comments included:
Many farmers or grain producers find the drones costly, while acknowledging it has the potential for significant returns. Expanding their use to more nonagricultural uses, including for Natural Resources Districts, Public Power Districts, emergencies and putting out fires, could help offset costs to become a pilot and for the equipment.
Follow the rules and be legal. While many companies will sell drones to almost anyone, there are liability issues and operators need to be licensed pilots. There is a lot to learn about the regulations, as well as everything from how wind conditions impact products to operating a drone safely around such things as power lines, in valleys or around other obstacles.
There’s a demand for good, experienced pilots. There also is in interest from pilots in trying to find a comprehensive list of jobs that are available, making logistics and travel more manageable. It’s a relatively new industry, with technological changes happening and improvements occurring all the time. The result is continued productivity gains.
Nebraska can be a leader in drones, mainly because of spray drones.