The human race has come a long way agriculturally. We started out as simple hunter/gatherers, then we established basic farms, employed domesticated animals to aid in the raising of crops, and then replaced the animals with the farming equipment we’ve come to know today.

The next step in perfecting the farming process is coming fast.

Drones could bring a new age to agriculture in ways that would have seemed like fiction a generation ago. A.I. could detect which crops aren’t ready to be picked, if they’re sick and administer medication, or if they need more nutrients and water.

An army of drones could be employed to harvest crops faster and cheaper than humans, animals, or traditional farming equipment.

This future isn’t far off either. HoneyComb Corporation’s “AgDrone” is already on the market and is constantly being improved upon.

HoneyComb’s CEO, Ryan Jenson goes so far as to say, “Agriculture is expected to be the largest adopter of drone technology … given the impact that drone technology has already had in agriculture, we believe many farms across the country, and the world, will adopt the technology as a standard tool in their operations.”

We have already heard about how drones could change medicine, delivery, and inspections. It makes sense that this incredibly versatile technology could be applied to how we grow our food as well.

Eric Cawley is an occasional blogger for Gary Stringham & Associates. Gary provides consulting and expert witness services in embedded systems such as robotics. Feel free to contact Gary at 208-939-6984.