Jan 25, 2023

FarmHQ app monitors, controls irrigation

Farm technology company FarmHQ has released an app for remotely monitoring and controlling irrigation equipment.

The app, which helps lower costs and simplify operations, is now available in the Apple App Store, according to a news release. The app can be downloaded from the App Store. The app is scheduled to be available in the Google Play store in the coming months, according to the release.

The app allows growers to monitor and control their irrigation equipment from anywhere to lower costs and reduce stress, according to the release. The app pairs with the FarmHQ TC-3 bolt-on cellular device, which can be retrofitted to any hard-hose irrigation reel, flow meter and any electric or combustion-powered water pump powering any irrigation system, according to the release.

Under typical irrigation conditions, FarmHQ saves approximately 500,000 gallons of water and reduces farmers’ labor and input costs by $2,000 to $5,000 per device, per irrigation season, according to the release.

The native iOS version of the FarmHQ app supports all of the functionality of the original web-based version, and is organized to be easier to use with a single hand. The home screen displays current device activity, overlaid onto a map of the farm and its fields.

The devices screen allows users to manage their fleet of FarmHQ-retrofitted equipment. The fields screen allows users to manage their fields and view historical irrigation data. The support screen links to FarmHQ‘s technical support documentation, hosted on FarmHQ’s browser-based app, according to the release.

When installed on irrigation reels, FarmHQ constantly monitors all vital information directly from a smartphone or computer, including reel and sprinkler cart location, cart distance, speed, progress, run completion time estimate and estimated flow and application rate.

FarmHQ can automatically shut down any FarmHQ-equipped pump when the traveler stops moving or pressure goes outside of normal range; remotely shut down a reel at any time from the FarmHQ app; and allow farmers to create custom automations based on sensor inputs to perform actions on other FarmHQ equipment. FarmHQ also provides detailed recordkeeping, including estimated water application totals for all fields and total water usage estimates, according to the release.

FarmHQ can turn any electric or combustion-powered irrigation pump into a smart pump and gives farmers new ways to control their pumps, including from their phone and based on a timer or schedule set in the FarmHQ app. Farmers can also monitor and record a variety of signals for their pumps, including pressure, flow rate, switch monitoring, GPS location, and set thresholds.

Since 2020, FarmHQ, based in Skagit Valley, Washington, has offered web-based software products for customers to use on browsers, desktops, tablets and smartphones. The app is scheduled to be available in the Google Play store in the coming months, according to the release.

“Farmers around the world are looking for an easy way to watch and control their irrigation in real-time from their phone – without overly complex tools that just aren’t usable,” David Wallace, FarmHQ’s CEO, said in the release. “The web app was an important first step in helping our customers simplify their irrigation operations, and we heard from them that a native smartphone app would make using FarmHQ even easier. Using our new iOS app, a farmer can skip that late-night trip to the field to check on their irrigation equipment and do it from their phone from anywhere. This native app will help us bring FarmHQ to farms around the world, providing a new, practical way for farmers to watch and control their irrigation.”