Drones have been shown at Canada's Outdoor Farm Show, with more interest as more uses are found.

Spray drones just waiting to go

Interest in drones to deliver fertilizer, seed and sprays continues to grow, but regulatory hurdles remain

There have been few technologies in waiting with as much pent-up interest as agricultural drones. The unmanned flying machines started out as data gatherers, scouting crops and sensing from above, […] Read more



The Stratus AirSprayer is essentially a powered paraglider — one that can carry heavier loads and stay aloft much longer than conventional drones. Photo: Supplied

Paraglider powers a new kind of sprayer

The Stratus AirSprayer is different than the quadcopters and fixed-wing UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) typically associated with ag drones. Essentially, it’s a powered paraglider — one that can carry heavier loads and stay aloft much longer than conventional drones.



Use of drones in spray applications is confounded by too many variables, including the units’ flight dynamics.

Drone spraying unlikely for the foreseeable future

The regulations and spray dynamics are more complex and unforgiving

Precision agriculture simplified many on-farm practices and procedures, particularly in the past five years with the rush to automate tractors, planters and weed management systems. Those are two-dimensional applications, and […] Read more