As you drove by corn fields this August, odds are you might have seen a high-clearance ground sprayer, helicopter, or airplane spraying a fungicide over the crop. This year, however, you could have also seen a drone covering some of these acres as well. The end of the fungicide application marked the end of the first season that CFS trialed its new spray drone, covering an impressive 4,100 acres with the machine. Throughout the season, the drone was primarily used to apply fungicides, insecticides, and micronutrients to crops such as corn and oats. However, we also had the opportunity to apply other products, such as the biological Utrisha N. As with many new pieces of technology, the first season of its inaction is spent learning how and where it can be best utilized. Like helicopters and airplanes, a spray drone provides a method of application that removes the risk of running over crops while the equipment is in the field. However, it can also provide more thorough coverage, by getting closer to the crop, and the ability to get closer to edges and objects that the other airborne applicators may not have. These benefits make the drone a great choice not only for more open fields but also for smaller fields that may be difficult for a sprayer or a helicopter to operate. That being said, the drone does have some limitations on where it can best fly, a fact that the applicators this season learned fairly quickly. The drone only works when it can have a direct signal between the machine and the remote controller that the operator uses. This means that obstacles, such as hills and trees, can cause some challenges when flying in a field. While some of these situations can be addressed by using a signal booster, applicators still must be careful to evaluate each field to best minimize the risk of signal loss. Because of this, the drone must still be used in tandem with the ground sprayers and the other airborne applicators to ensure that the CFS operations team can be as efficient as possible and that the correct piece of equipment is being used for the correct acre. Overall, the first season with the spray drone can go down in the books as a success and everyone is excited about the prospects of the next fungicide season. Though the drone may not be used on every acre, it finds its niche in the CFS applicating team and opens the door for more applicating possibilities. By keeping their eyes on the future and embracing the new technology that enters the agricultural space, such as drones, CFS continues to ensure that they will be well prepared to provide the most cutting-edge level of service to their members that they’ve come to expect. CFS'S SUCCESSFUL FIRST SEASON WITH SPRAY DRONES Lucy Pieper, Regional Sales Agronomist
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