Innovative companies and ag retailers are now beginning to redefine the best use of both the remote-sensed aerial photographs and the sensor-based sprayer technology that applies variable-rate fertilizer, plant-growth regulators, defoliants and more. Today, given the right research, timing, cost and expectations, some growers are finding success with this coming wave of the future. Improved sensors and improved software algorithms are being designed to detect specific crop deficiencies on the go. And improved analysis of aerial imagery throughout the growing season, combined with optimized scouting, can deliver valuable records to improve future profitability based on better management decisions.

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Following its ending of OptiGro, Deere sold the imagery company, GeoVantage, back to its original owners. Now, GeoVantage has partnered with Pinnacle Ag Technologies (PAT) to continue to distribute imagery for the agricultural market across the US.

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Spotting hidden problems

Aerial imagery has proven to be beneficial. For example, it helped pinpoint areas in soybean fields where iron chlorosis was a problem because of high pH.

“Grid sampling wasn’t accurate enough to map it out, but the imagery caught it,” says Blackmer. It also revealed that those high pH levels contributed to anhydrous ammonia losses when corn was grown in those same areas.

“Aerial imagery is kind of like a yield map,” says Blackmer. “A yield map tells you more than you knew before, but it still doesn’t give you all the answers.”

And, according to Blackmer, an aerial image can raise even more questions than a yield monitor because it provides a lot finer detail.

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Shine the light on it! Turn up the lights! Search lights…spotlights…strobe lights…It’s all about light when you are looking for something. With record high crop and fertilizer prices, producers and their full-service ag retailers are looking hard for ways to increase productivity.

Pinnacle Ag Technologies will continue marketing the imagery and analysis as CropAssure through full service ag retailers, which they can resell to their customers. Although the high resolution images can still be used to make variable rate N prescriptions, that is not where Emanuel is putting his emphasis. He is meeting with retailers to see what their needs are and design products to match. He notes that growers can use the collection of images at critical crop development stages as scouting tools.

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