A recent study revealed that when drone systems developed by the company Measure are used to scout crops and 3-D map farm terrain, returns on corn could increase between $6 and $10 an acre; soybean returns could jump by up to $2.50 an acre, and wheat returns could increase as much as $2.25 an acre, Agri-Pulse reported.
Measure’s study, sponsored in part by the American Farm Bureau Federation, Lockheed Martin and PepsiCo, showed extra cash would come to farmers who use drones to identify areas that need more or less inputs such as pesticides and fertilizers. As inputs are applied more precisely, costs go down and yields increase.
In addition, crop insurance companies could profit from the technology by using aerial imagery to identify and assess claims more quickly and accurately than an adjuster walking a field.