NEWS

rantizo in the news

Rantizo announces the launch of AcreConnect™ software. The software can help spray drone operators c
18 Mar, 2024
Rantizo announces the launch of AcreConnect™ software. The software can help spray drone operators create work orders, product usage reports and generate As Applied and As Covered Maps to help streamline business operations.
14 Feb, 2024
Rantizo, the largest drone spraying network in the country, is pleased to announce the opening of the Upper Southeast (UPSE) regional hub. The hub will provide professional and timely drone spraying services for growers and retailers in Jonesboro, Arkansas and the surrounding area.
05 Feb, 2024
The recently released survey, "Crop Spraying Drones Market - Forecasts from 2023 to 2028" from Research and Markets,” stated that the crop spraying drone market is currently strong and well poised for future expansion. In 2021, the report said, the market was worth $1.39 billion. Growing at a compound annual rate of 35.79% over the next few years, the crop spraying drone sector is set to reach a total size of $11.9 billion by 2028. Considering the many successful use cases for using crop spraying drones, the growth in the market is not surprising As an article on Farm Journal put it, “(D)rone-driven sprayers are popping up across the country as better batteries, longer flight times and bigger machines make it possible to spray sizable acreage in a timely manner.” Also, a post by Samli Drones said that “(T)he introduction of spraying drones allowed for particular and controlled application of pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers,” and “(T)his decreased chemical utilization, minimized environmental impact, and elevated the performance of crop treatment.” Moreover, a piece in the digital magazine Undark stated that drones “are far quicker at chemical spraying, adaptable to a wide range of farm duties, and can aid with water conservation. But above all, they are praised for cost-efficiency.” And, the article said, “drones can do a lot more than spray chemicals. Some can analyze the terrain for weeds, check moisture levels, assess for signs of pest infestation, suggest field planning, determine crop health, and even create a nutrient map of the growing harvest.” Last year, drone and precision agriculture expert Daniel Candro told Commercial UAV News that farming operations are turning to uncrewed systems because of their ability to produce “remarkable improvements in production, efficiency, and revenue within the agricultural cycle.” He believes that crop spraying drones and related technologies will continue to produce value for agricultural operations because the integration “of precision agriculture, AI, and drone technology has the potential to revolutionize the sector, providing farmers and communities with actionable information for effective land and crop management.” The Research and Markets report expands on these ideas, stating that “(T)he crop spraying drones market is experiencing growth driven by rising awareness regarding the detrimental effects of pesticides on the environment and human well-being is a key factor fueling the need for crop spraying drones.” Moreover, the economic value of these systems is measurable and significant: The report cites statistics from the American Farm Bureau Federation claiming that “the average U.S. farmer employing drones experiences a return on investment of $12 USD per acre for corn and $2 to $3 per acre for soybeans and wheat.” Further aiding the growth, the report stated, are government efforts to encourage drone use on farms. The report points to the FAA awarding of some $4.4 million to seven universities for research, education, and drone training as just one example of a government program aimed at increased drone use in agriculture. In recent months, this drive to increase the use of drones for crop spraying has been reinforced by several news reports. For example, Rantizo, an Iowa-based manufacturer and provider of drone crop spraying systems, announced last fall that it has received $6 million in Series A funding . With this investment, Rantizo plans to expand its spray drone services and nationwide operator network. Similarly, Massachusetts-based Guardian Agriculture announced in December of last year that it had deployed four of its aviation-grade eVTOL aircraft for crop spraying in California. These vehicles, according to a report in Dronelife, “offer a more efficient, sustainable, and safe alternative to traditional crop-dusting methods or ground-based equipment” and are “capable of covering up to 60 acres per hour, carrying a 200lb payload, and boasting a combined tank fill and supercharge time of less than 1 minute.” We can expect more and more of these success stories in the months and years to come as the agriculture sector continues to embrace the use of crop spraying drones and finds new and better ways to deploy the technology.
23 Oct, 2023
Drones are one of the fastest growing segments for applications of crop inputs. Iowa City, Iowa-based Rantizo , a manufacturer and provider of drone crop spraying systems recently announced $6 million in Series A funding. Led by Leaps by Bayer, with Fulcrum Global Capital and Innova Memphis, this round will allow the new executive team to lean into a new growth strategy for Rantizo, according to a release about the funding. “Our vision is to build a service network that puts autonomy to work in agriculture, starting with spray drone services. We are excited to expand our nationwide operator network, deploy our work management and as-applied map software, and continue our exponential growth in acres treated,” said CEO Mariah Scott. Given the interest in drone technology, it’s not surprising, many along the supply chain have questions about how these tools can help deliver the latest formulations. We reached out to Zach Hanner, Trial Manager with Rantizo, who provided responses to many of those questions. ABG: What about the application quality in 3D crops (orchards, vineyards), where droplets released from above cannot reach the sides, inside fruits or bottom part of the leaves of the crop? This is still not being accomplished. Zach Hanner: Drones have been utilized in 3D crops successfully for a few years now, and there are a lot of success stories out there. With this type of cropping system, it takes a bit more skill and experience to successfully spray, but drones are an effective technology for these situations. Our lineup of DJI equipment can be configured to an “Orchard” mode so that the nozzles are oriented more out to the side to achieve more leaf contact to the interior of the plant’s vegetation. The biggest advantage for the drones is that they can fly between the rows and at a lower altitude than other aircraft, so the spray point of origin is happening mid-canopy rather than from the top. ABG: How are drone operators getting connected with acres to spray? Do you think a company like Rantizo will see success in being a connector? ZH: Rantizo currently supports our contractors in this exact way. We have great relationships with industry partners as well as ag retailers and universities. When we receive an inquiry or request for drone spraying services, we pass that along to our contractors. Because of our great reputation in the ag industry, we receive a lot of requests. This translates into more work for our contractors, and growth of the ag drone industry as a whole. ABG: We are using satellite and drone technology to monitor, measure, and memorialize the efficacy of our product (an endophytic fungus, which is applied through irrigation) in leafy greens and processing tomato in California. Do those in the drone industry have any examples of others doing this? Or where field sensors work in conjunction with aerial imaging technology? ZH: Spraying drones and imagery drones have a symbiotic relationship in modern agriculture, and there are many use case scenarios where we have coupled remote sensing and imagery with a chemical application. Imagery drones can help us identify target areas within a field, and they can also help us validate and document the efficacy of an application. For our work specifically at Rantizo, we prefer to work with drone imagery over satellite imagery. We typically do not get the resolution we need from satellite imagery to dictate a precise spraying area, or to analyze an application. It will be interesting to see how additional sensory equipment can be paired with spray drone technology in the future. ABG: Regarding quality on 3D crops, do you have any scientific data proving that quality? Because from what I see it’s not the case. I am not against drone application, quite opposite, but we still need to do some work. ZH: Rantizo has been leading the ag market with R&D and testing of spray drones in U.S. agriculture. Our initial footprint of operations was very concentrated in the North American corn belt, and we spray a lot of corn and soybean row crops. Knowing that these cropping systems were making up the majority of our applied acres, we focused our R&D efforts on these systems to make sure that our equipment achieved the best application possible. A lot of that R&D data translated across to other cropping systems, but we recognized the need for specific data in systems like 3D crops. We are growing across the U.S., and our drones are being used in a wide variety of cropping systems, and we are transitioning our R&D focus to address these systems specifically. The challenge is that we are a small team, and quality R&D data takes time. However, we are optimistic that we will have substantial 3D cropping data in the near future. ABG: How far away in time is the real-time weed identification for spot spraying with drones? I believe it is a key feature to reduce cost and environmental impact of weed control. ZH: This concept is actively happening in the U.S. market today and we have seen promising results. One of our goals is to reduce pesticide use where possible, and to focus operations on where an application is needed. Our drones can spot spray parts of an entire field with ease, but the key component of that process is that we need to know where the spray areas are. We have worked with imagery drone partners for proof of concept, and there is traction for this strategy to work. Real time weed emergence, identification, and density has been an agronomic dream for years, and the AI systems that are on the market right now are nearing day-of results. ABG: What is the cost of use of drone spraying – USD per Ha or acre? ZH: As with any custom application, pricing will be dictated by the local market, the cropping systems, and competitive application equipment and methods. We have contractors all over the U.S., and each local market is unique. On average, we have seen row crop spraying ranging from $15 to $30 per acre. ABG: Are drone swarm applications being developed? How complex would be an application like that? ZH: Swarming technology has been around since 2019 in the U.S., and we have utilized this technology in our operations. All the drones we currently offer are capable of swarming, but our biggest hurdle is getting approval from the FAA to conduct swarming operations. We have multiple requests pending with the FAA at the moment, so it is just a matter of time before we get approval. Swarming does induce added complexity to a spray operation. One pilot, with one remote control, can hypothetically swarm up to three aircraft. Each machine needs to be monitored and tendered, so a pilot must be hyper vigilant during the operation. For one person, it is a lot to monitor and manage at one time. Swarming usually requires a good pit crew to help reload drones with spray solution and change batteries so the pilot can stay focused on flight operations. An additional note, the FAA requires each drone to have a visual observer, so for the example of a pilot with three drones, there would have to be three visual observers during the operation. ABG: Have drone applications been considered for seedling applications yet? ZH: We have been seeding with our drones since Rantizo’s inception, and we have had great success in broadcasting cover crops. There are other companies in the drone industry that are utilizing drones for dispersing tree seedlings for habitat restoration after fires, and groups that have developed unique drone components to shoot specialized seed pellets from an air cannon to encourage the pellet to penetrate the soil. ABG: Is there a strong urgency for more ruggedized drones? For example, to fly and use the drone in higher wind or light rain? Or is drone use limited to fair weather use since there are limited uses for current time? ZH: The drones we currently use can withstand light rain and they can operate in winds of 30 mph. They are much less sensitive to the environment compared to imagery drones. With each new iteration of the equipment, we have seen improvements in ruggedness but the limiting factor for our fair-weather operations is because we are dispensing a product from the drone. For pesticides, we must adhere to the ranges of operation set by pesticide label. The drone may be able to handle a 30-mph-plus wind, but we would be off label for a pesticide application. Even in situations where we are not spraying pesticides, we are still focused on achieving a proper and adequate application. If the environmental factors are not conducive to a good application, then we will ground the equipment until we know we have better conditions. ABG: Can drones apply both a broadcast application (nutrition/biological) simultaneously with a spot application (seed control) across the same field? ZH: Currently our drones can only apply one product or solution at a time. The challenge is that we have a limited tank capacity and limited carry capacity with the equipment. I can see the ag drone industry going in that direction in the future, but as of today we are limited to one type of application at a time.
By Abby Lange 17 Oct, 2023
Round will enable scaling of nationwide network for spray drone services in agriculture IOWA CITY, Iowa, Oct. 3, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Rantizo, the leading operator network for spray drone services, announced today an expansion of its oversubscribed Series A funding round. Led by Leaps by Bayer , with Fulcrum Global Capital and Innova Memphis , this round will allow the new executive team to lean into a new growth strategy for Rantizo. “Our vision is to build a service network that puts autonomy to work in ag, starting with spray drone services. We are excited to expand our nationwide operator network, deploy our work management and as-applied map software, and continue our exponential growth in acres treated,” said CEO Mariah Scott. Rantizo has more than doubled the total acres flown YoY, with operators in 30 states. Rantizo operators currently fly and apply with more than 20% of the Top 50 ag retailers, using spray drones to provide timely, local and precision application services for crops ranging from Arkansas rice to Iowa corn to Oregon hops and Idaho potatoes, enabling ag retailers to expand their services to growers. “A common mantra you hear across agriculture is ‘we are going to have to do more, with less.’ We believe that autonomy is the future of modern agriculture, and the Rantizo best-in-class software platform, deep drone operator network, and experienced management team provide acceleration not only for the emerging ‘spraying-as-a-service’ industry but the entire agriculture automation sector as well,” said Kevin Lockett, Partner at Fulcrum Global Capital. Up to 60% of ag retailers say their number one challenge within their operations is workforce availability. Another top five item on that list is the adoption and use of new technology. Rantizo provides a solution for both with a nationwide operator network, leading drone service and support, and job management software. “The way Rantizo addresses farmers’ problems by seamlessly integrating drone services into existing workflows is a perfect fit for our FarmTech focused fund,” said Jan Bouten, Partner at Innova Memphis. “Rantizo has been a great partner in servicing our grower customers. The drones utilized by Rantizo allow us to provide crop inputs on acres that otherwise may miss an application or go untreated due to poor or wet conditions. We look forward to building upon our current successes and growing this partnership across more of our geography,” says Jordan Hart, Regional Operations Manager, Simplot. This year, Rantizo more than tripled the acres treated for Simplot, a result of the new strategy introduced by CEO Mariah Scott. She joined the company in April, after leading Verizon Robotics and the successful acquisition of Skyward, a drone management company, by Verizon. At Rantizo, she strengthened the executive team, bringing in leaders with extensive experience in software, service operations, agricultural sales and marketing, aviation, drones and finance. “We are excited about the new leadership team at Rantizo. They bring the deep and diverse experience across drones and agriculture required to effectively deploy the service and deliver on the strategy” said PJ Amini, Sr. Director, Leaps by Bayer. About Rantizo Rantizo connects demand and supply for agricultural spray drone services with a turnkey service platform. We enable industry leading drone applicators by selling drones, support, software and training, and our service platform connects demand for acres to be sprayed to local operators. Rantizo operators fly and apply in 30 states, providing qualified, licensed, and insured precision application services. Look for us in a field near you or learn more at www.rantizo.com . You can read more about Rantizo and the approved funding at the links below: Upstream Ag Ag Funder News Agri-Pulse Drone DJ
01 Sep, 2023
By Dan Jacobs Senior Editor AgriBusiness Global Every so often, the industry takes an interest in a new technology. For the past few years, the ag community focused on biological products. While those products continue to be invested in and researched, there is another solution that could share some of that attention: Drones. “The most impactful change has been their capacity,” said Arthur Erickson, CEO and Co-founder of Houston, Texas-based Hylio. “Spray drones just five to six years ago were limited to just two to three gallon payloads. Now the payload capacity is much greater. Zach Hanner, Trial Manager with Iowa City, Iowa-based Rantizo explains it’s not just capacity that has changed. “Users enjoy better interfaces and improved accuracy,” Hanner said. “Due to the upgrades, prices have generally gone up, as well. Agricultural drones have also expanded beyond row-crop spraying. Rantizo has contracts using drones for invasive species removal, habitat restoration, pond and lake management, fly management on dairy operations, spraying weeds around solar panels and more.” Despite drones becoming larger, more versatile, and more complex, they are also easier to use. “Also of importance, the UAS have become much more reliable and autonomous,” Erickson said. “With the advancement of onboard sensors and control algorithms within the industry, the UAS can now be trusted to do taxing, complicated work that they would not have been able to handle even just a few years ago.” “Hylio’s drones can now operate 10 or more hours a day with flights back-to-back with minimal downtime or component failure.” They’re also doing things they’ve never done before. “Drones are applying crop inputs with increased precision,” Hanner said. “Site-specific application through drone spraying allows crop inputs to go farther. Additionally, drones can fly for longer and are more sophisticated with variable rate technology.” Application and Reformulation The change drones have experienced parallels, and perhaps precipitated, a change to formulation. According to Scott Tann, Business Manager North America, Agriculture Division, Lamberti , a global provider of agricultural crop inputs (and other chemistries), many of the products used with drones will need to be reformulated. “This isn’t a new concept,” Tann said. “There is a history, a big push in the 1990s was to look at ULV (ultra-low volume) applications — such as chemigation applications and a lot of other low-volume spray applications. The concern at the time was water conservation. That resulted from going from 100 gallons in a spray tank down to today’s typical 10 gallons in a spray tank. We’re going to need to dust off a lot of the technology that we developed in the 1990s for ULV formulations to translate to drone technology, which means different solvents, surfactants and other formulants than we’re using today. “It means different ways of thinking about surfactants, because there’s no water and oil interface that you’re going to see common in drone technology,” he continued. “It’s going to be very unusual, and you may actually see dry granular powders that will be dispersed as a granular in a drone because you won’t have the water to disperse the water dispersible granule.” Giri Baleri, Director of Product Management and Strategic Marketing, Trimble , also expects that formulations will need to change to optimize applications for drones. “Crop inputs, such as fertilizers and pesticides, may need to be reformulated or adjusted to account for environmental factors,” he said. “Soil conditions, climate, and weather patterns can influence the availability, mobility, and efficacy of inputs. Formulations may need to be tailored to specific environmental conditions to ensure optimal efficacy. “Continuous research, development, and innovation in crop input formulations are essential to adapt to changing agricultural practices, address environmental concerns, and maximize efficacy,” Baleri continued. “Collaboration between crop input manufacturers, agronomists, researchers, and farmers can drive these advancements to address the specifics for drone supply, ensuring that crop inputs remain effective and sustainable in supporting crop growth and productivity.” Seeing is Believing Agricultural drone manufacturers are experiencing the heady rush of enthusiasm surrounding their products. The global agriculture drone market is projected to grow from $4.98 billion in 2023 to $18.22 billion by 2030, at a compound annual growth rate of 20.3% during the forecast period, according to Fortune Business Insights. By 2024, the global commercial drone market (including non-ag) is expected to be worth USD$43.1 billion, according to research firm, Statista.com . Investments into drone technology are coming from both the public and private sectors. A number of United Kingdom-based drone companies, including Hummingbird Technologies, Field Margin, Dendra Systems, and Drone AG raised more than a combined USD$22 million in the past few years. The UAV market is also being supported by governments in a few different ways that include changing the rules to make it easier to implement drones and to invest in development. Earlier this year three U.S. senators introduced a bipartisan bill The Drone Infrastructure Inspection Grant that would authorize $100 in competitive grants for local governments. While not specifically targeting agriculture, the grants will help support the young industry. According to Drone Industry Insights , 2021 saw nearly $7 billion from 199 investments deals, more than doubling 2020’s $2.4 billion. India instituted what it calls Production-Linked Incentive scheme, which could lead to more than 900 crore (nearly USD$10 billion) during the 2023/24 fiscal year, according to country’s Ministry of Civil Aviation. “I believe we are in the ‘good ol’ days’ of drone application because the demand outweighs the supply,” said Hanner. “All of our contractors have a full book of business by year one which is incredible. I personally don’t believe that will last forever because as more producers recognize how drones can be a tool, more pilots will emerge. But right now, it’s pennies on the dollar for an investment compared to a ground rig. Folks are realizing these drones can be used across a wide range of cropping systems and scenarios.” Those factors will continue to drive the UAS market forward Hanner believes. “The biggest factor is simply time,” Hanner said. “With more years under our belt, folks will keep seeing that drone application is not only feasible but practical. More exposure to drones drives increased adoption. We have people stop on the side of the road and ask to take pictures when they see us using a drone, so we know seeing drones in action is the best way to advertise.” Erickson agrees, “The market will become increasingly educated about the numerous advantages of drone applications as the years pass by; more drones out in the field equals more exposure to them and understanding of how beneficial they are. We are already starting to see a snowball effect where most of the farmers and applicators now seem to already be familiar with the general concepts of drone applications and are seeking to purchase one. Several years ago, we had to do a lot of educating and informing the market of even just the basics of crop treatment by drone.” While the general public and consumer continue to observe and reap the benefits of drones, governments are starting to show support. The Government of India is providing grants for drone purchasing and increasing support of drone manufacturers. The United States government is starting to get onboard as well. “Rolling out of common-sense legislation that helps users operate crop treatment drones with less confusion, faster,” said Erickson. “Fortunately, we are already seeing the FAA trend in this direction with recent changes they have made over the last few months. The U.S. has been a bit behind in terms of rolling out streamlined laws and guidelines for the spray drone industry, which has hampered their adoption to a certain degree. Now that is improving, and we should see even more adoption.” Adoption Around the World While drones are growing in size and popularity, the adoption rate is not uniform around the world. Several factors impact how quickly that adoption takes place. Not surprisingly regulatory concerns, infrastructure, and financing are among the issues that impact regional markets. For example, drones have been popular throughout North America. “Large-scale farming operations in the U.S. and Canada, coupled with advanced technological infrastructure and favorable regulations, have seen widespread adoption of agricultural drones,” said Trimble’s Baleri. Autonomy is another factor, he said. “Several countries in Europe have embraced agricultural drones as well, including the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and the Netherlands,” Baleri continued. “In APAC, countries like China, Japan, Australia, and India have witnessed substantial adoption of agricultural drones. China, in particular, has a significant presence in the agricultural drone market, with its vast agricultural lands and a focus on modernization of farming practices. In the BRIC countries, drones enable small scale and subsistence farming to move to the next level of efficiency and sustainability. If there is a hindrance to growth, it’s the current regulatory environment, though it varies depending on the country, and the availability of pilots.” It’s not just the wealthy, technologically advanced markets that have embraced drone applications. According to Erickson many markets in Africa are going from backpack sprayers directly to drones bypassing the large and relatively expensive machines used on farms with thousands of acres. “Drones have been embraced in the U.S., but even more so in developing markets where agriculture is important, but infrastructure is somewhat poor,” he said. “Countries such as Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, and the Central American region all have a focus on agriculture economically and have financial and geographic challenges that makes UAS the ideal solution for their crop care needs.” And the rest of the world will soon follow. “There is an untapped market out there, but not for long,” Hanner said. “Across the state of Kansas, there are only three licensed entities that are able to fly and apply with drones, so there are plenty of acres to go around. “The biggest hindrance is the licensing and certification process to do it legally,” he continued. “You have to have 107 pilots’ licenses, a state pesticide license, and be able to come up with revenue to buy and service the equipment, making the upfront cost another hindrance.” What’s Next “Rantizo believes drones aren’t out to replace traditional equipment,” Hanner said. “That’s not our goal. We want to be a tool in the toolbox and accommodate that acre that wasn’t going to be applied or sprayed otherwise. Do we want large amounts of acres? Yes. Do we want to battle that ground rig or plane for it? No. We want those acres that aren’t feasible and to be an additional resource for the producer as part of a normal routine and decision-making process during application season.” Trimble’s Baleri also believes drones won’t completely replace traditional large machines. Instead, they’ll work in conjunction. “Farm vehicles such as tractors, harvesters, etc., will increasingly be operated in an autonomous fashion, with autonomous drones collecting field information and feeding this data into an online platform for the extraction of critical agricultural intelligence,” Baleri said. “This situational intelligence will then be used to direct the autonomous farm vehicles accordingly. The technology for this already exists, as such it now becomes a matter of connecting and scaling these technologies to meet the needs of farmers and other stakeholders going forward.”
28 Aug, 2023
Last week’s Midwest AG Industries Exposition (MAGIE) drew 2,300 visitors to the McLean County Fairgrounds in Bloomington, IL. CropLife IRON’s staff was on hand and here are the top five takeaways from the event. Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot! The first thing to note about this year’s MAGIE show was the weather. As Salford Group’s Dave Webster observed during the introduction to his CropLife IRON video: “It is damn hot here this year!” For those in attendance, the weather conditions could not be ignored. Because they take place in mid-August, MAGIE shows tend to be on the warm side by nature. Indeed, during the 2021 MAGIE, heat indexes were hitting the 100-degree mark throughout the late afternoon. But in 2023, warm took on whole new dimensions! A persistent heat dome across much of the central U.S. kept Bloomington and the surrounding areas toasty beyond belief. With humidity levels in the upper 90% range, the heat index for the days MAGIE 2023 was held easily topped 100 degrees. In fact, the highest heat index on the weather app attendees were using happened at 3:53 p.m. on Wednesday, August 23 – 117 degrees! Game of Drones Getting back to what products were on display at MAGIE this year, there was one category that was generating plenty of interest and attendee buzz – drones. A few other shows held earlier in the summer – such as the 2023 Tech Hub LIVE and 2023 Agribusiness Global Trade Summit – also featured plenty of focus on drones. And MAGIE continued this trend. On the show grounds, visitors were able to see for themselves examples of new drones from manufacturers such as Rantizo and Pegasus Robotics . These companies also had dedicated “fly zones” on the fairgrounds where visitors could see how these units performed while making their way through in-the-field conditions. Drones have been in the marketplace for almost a decade now. Why the sudden jump in interest? According to market watchers, there are two reasons. For one thing, the Federal Aviation Administration recently updated its drone flying rules. These new regulations have allowed drone operators to cut the time required to obtain the necessary drone flying certifications in half, say sources. Among ag retailers, the recent interest in drones has to do with application flexibility. “Sometimes, we have a limited number of ground rigs, so there’s an opportunity for us to instead take a drone into that field,” said Ryan Meister, Vice President of Digital Transformation at Frontier Cooperative , speaking at Tech Hub LIVE. AI Activity Besides drones, 2023 MAGIE attendees were likely to find plenty of examples of improved ag technology on display at the show. Making a return engagement from its debut during the 2022 MAGIE show, the See & Spray Ultimate system from John Deere, which employs artificial intelligence (AI), drew lots of attention at this year’s show as well. (In fact, this system was the recipient of the CropLife IRON Product of the Year award for 2022.) But other examples of AI-based systems were also generating show buzz. This included the Carbon Bee/SmartStriker system exhibited at the Capstan Ag Systems booth. According to the company, each Carbon Bee/SmartStriker sensor can detect weeds, crop stress, and diseases, which are then geo-referenced. This information is then sent to the SmartStriker console in the cab, allowing the unit to spot apply products where needed in the field. Another AI-oriented system at MAGIE was displayed by both Bosch BASF and Fendt AGCO – the One Smart Spray System. This camera-based system developed by Bosch detects weeds in milliseconds and precisely sprays only where necessary and only as much as needed. Using the field-specific data in a digital platform by xarvio Digital Farming Solutions, One Smart Spray also offers customized agronomic recommendations, intelligent sensitivity levels, high-precision agronomic maps, and automated documentation. A ShowStopping Pair Speaking of the One Smart Spray System, this product generated enough positive feedback and buzz at MAGIE that it was ultimately awarded the coveted ShowStopper Award by attendees. Since this product was a joint venture between Bosch BASF and Fendt AGCO, it was shared by both exhibitors – a first in the history of the ShowStopper Award. “We are really excited to have won this award for 2023 with our partners Bosch BASF,” said Dave Fickel, Senior Marketing Manager, Application Equipment at Fendt AGCO, accepting the stop-sign shaped trophy. “This is an honor.” In truth, the partnership between Bosch BASF and Fendt AGCO goes back several years. In May 2021, AGCO and Bosch BASF Smart Farming started the first trials of Bosch BASF Smart Farming’s Smart Spraying Solution. Both partners have been working towards perfecting the system for field use on sprayers since that time. In the Year 2025 Although there were plenty of examples of new products for the 2024 growing season – including a 12-ton capacity spreader from Dalton Ag Products and an Emergency Repair Kit from Agri-Cover – many exhibitors at MAGIE this year touted new product offerings that are in the works for the 2025 season. For example, the aforementioned One Smart Spray System will be offered on select Fendt AGCO models starting in 2024. However, according to Fickel, it will be the 2025 calendar year before the system is available on a more widespread basis for potential customers. Another company eyeing 2025 is Horsch LLC. The company debuted its LEEB VL self-propelled sprayer at the 2022 MAGIE show (which ended up as the ShowStopper Award winner!) and this unit was once again present at this year’s event. But according to Ryan Dixon, Sales Territory Manager, Horsch is working on an upgraded cab design for the LEEB VL right now. “And this should be incorporated into the product’s design come 2025,” said Dixon.
By Abby Reiner 10 May, 2023
Today, drones are less a flashy toy than another tool in the grower toolbox — an everyday item akin to a tiller or any other piece of farming equipment. Depending on the […] The post CropLife: Agriculture Drone Market Flying to Such Great Heights appeared first on Rantizo.
By Abby Reiner 10 Apr, 2023
When the name Rantizo first popped up in agriculture, the company was known as a pioneer in the spray drone business. But as happens with startups, companies evolve. “We really […] The post FarmProgress: Rantizo expands services to DJI users appeared first on Rantizo.
SHOW MORE
Share by: