Drone Ag, a leading AgriTech company, recently hosted the highly anticipated event, ‘Drones and Agriculture ’23,’ at their headquarters in Northumberland. The event served as a pivotal platform for key stakeholders in the UK AgriTech industry. It aimed to converge and discuss the evolving legislation affecting drone usage in the UK, and showcase the cutting-edge drone systems that are transforming the agricultural industry worldwide. The day-long event featured a series of workshops and guest speaker sessions aimed at educating attendees on the transformative capabilities of drones.
Drone Ag has rapidly gained prominence for its innovative software platform, Skippy Scout, that automates off-the-shelf drones using advanced AI. It provides low-level imagery and crop health reports within minutes, empowering farmers and agronomists to optimise crop management.
Drone Ag’s founder and CEO, Jack Wrangham, said “I’m very proud of our team for working so hard to make Drones and Agriculture ’23 an impressive showcase of the limitless potential that drone technology holds for agriculture. It is clear from today’s event that there is an appetite for agricultural drone usage here in the UK. We look forward to continuing to work with our partners to unlock the full potential of drones in agriculture.”
Throughout the day, a series of workshops occurred. Agricultural Applications of Drone Systems: Provided a live demonstration of Drone Ag’s Skippy Scout software, as well as a live demonstration of the DJI Agras T10, plant protection spraying drone. Currently these spraying systems are heavily regulated in the UK, meaning their various use cases such as bracken spraying are currently prohibited.
Drone-in-a-Box Technology: heliguy™, a partner of both Drone Ag and the Drones and Agriculture ‘23 event, took centre stage in this workshop. They introduced the DJI Dock technology, discussing its diverse applications in various industries.
Ruairi Hardman, Business Development Manager at heliguy™, said: “It was a pleasure to attend Drones and Agriculture 2023 and demonstrate the DJI Dock drone-in-a-box: A solution which offers remote data collection and has huge potential for the farming sector.
“The event also provided the chance to cover drone regulations and how our training provision, including UK CAA-approved courses and in-house OSC consultancy, can help farmers adopt and utilise the technology for improved efficiencies and precision agriculture, both now and in the future.”
Drone flight and Data Pipeline Automation: Drone Ag’s founder and CEO, Jack Wrangham, delved into the intricate workings behind Skippy Scout. He discussed the AI models used to generate detailed crop health reports.
The event’s line-up of guest speakers shared their knowledge and perspectives on drone technology in agriculture. Ruth Mann from Agrii presented on “Accelerating Agriculture R&D via Drone Technology,” emphasising how drones are revolutionising research in agriculture. Mark Blaney from Heliguy offered an overview of the UK Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) public consultation and discussed the future of remote pilot competency. Jonathan Gill from UPL discussed various applications of drone technology in agriculture, and highlighted UPL’s role in contributing to agricultural automation. Finally, Jack Wrangham’s presentation provided a global perspective on drone usage in agriculture and addressed the current legislative challenges hindering drone adoption in the UK.
The event concluded with an engaging panel discussion where journalists and attendees posed questions about key topics, including drone-related legislation, innovative drone applications in agriculture, and the advanced technologies already available in the market.
