Flying 'miniature computers' can help farmers with info on field conditions

MATTOON, Ill. -- A "miniature computer" that can fly up to 400 feet in the air can give farmers a better idea of how their crops are doing.

The audience that attended a seminar on drone use in agriculture Saturday heard that the devices can produce quality images to show crop stress and other conditions.

"You end up with a big, high-resolution map of a field," said Austin Rice of Yield Tech Aerial Services in Paris, Illinois. "Based on that, you can make management decisions and take care of problems."

Rice and business partner Andrew Hellmann conducted the seminar during the annual Coles County Farm Bureau farm show at Cross County Mall in Mattoon.

They used the "miniature computer" description for the two drones they had with them for their presentation, explaining that the "multi-spectral" images they produce can show crop health, yield potentials and more.

"They've come a long way and they're going to keep going," Hellmann said.

The two men also talked about how farmers or others interested in drones can get a quality model for about $1,000. More elaborate models cost 10 times that much and there are licensing requirements if they're used for economic benefit, they said.

A smartphone or tablet computer attached to a drone's controls allows the person flying it to see what the drone's camera sees, Hellmann also said. He said operating a drone is "very simple" and the devices of the quality they use are "very smart."

"If it loses connection, it remembers where it took off and will turn around and land," Hellmann said.

The weekend farm show also included seminars on gardening and tree care, and the presentations were new features for the show.

Another popular attraction that returned to the show after a few years' absence was a farm animal petting zoo, where kids and anyone else could get up close to and touch a variety of farm animals.

Mark and Brandy Wheeler of Charleston organized the petting zoo, supplying their own chickens and getting other animals from people they know. There were also a calf, a pig, goats and rabbits that Mark Wheeler said visitors probably hadn't seen before.

"The biggest problem is people don't know about agriculture," he said. "It just gives them a chance to see baby animals."

The new features -- along with the traditional vendor booths, farm machine displays and free popcorn -- seemed to help with attendance, county Farm Bureau Manager Mary Cox said.

"It seems like they've brought in quite a few people," she said of the new attractions. "Over the years, we try to see ways to improve and get more people here."