Jun 15, 2015

High-flying drones are helping agriculture soar

Drones are certainly a topic of interest these days. Amazon is exploring the use of drones to make deliveries. Photos are obtained that would otherwise seem isolated and remote. The management of use and privacy issues is widely debated. This high flying technology is poised to become a multibillion dollar industry.

And farmers? Their uses may be more expansive than the fields they roam. Whether it's monitoring crops, checking irrigation systems, or finding field trouble spots through thermal imaging, drones are entering the agricultural world here and now.

Richard Honneywell, director, Ohio/Indiana Unmanned Aircraft Systems Center, will talk about the latest in drones at the monthly Northwest Ohio Ag-Business Breakfast Forum June 18, hosted by the Center for Innovative Food Technology (CIFT) at the Agricultural Incubator Foundation.

Even with such soaring possibilities, the Federal Aviation Administration is aiming to get a firm grip on regulations for these aerial devices, but such rules are ever changing – and still, much has to be learned by everyone involved.

Arrive early, as breakfast and informal networking will start at 8 a.m., with the program to follow.

The Northwest Ohio Ag-Business Breakfast Forum is an educational networking opportunity to provide information on current issues, trends and programs available to the agricultural community and those who support its advancement.