Mankato drone company sees soaring interest

Published 9:53 am Friday, September 19, 2014

MANKATO — A Minnesota drone company says farmers are increasingly using the unmanned flying devices to survey their crops.

Farm Intelligence founder Jerry Johnson said his company has flown drones over 200 fields in Minnesota this year, up from 19 in 2013. Johnson said drones can survey every plant in a farmer’s field and show trouble spots that a human might miss on the ground.

Corn and soybean farmer John Engle said that information from drones helps him take corrective actions sooner.

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Johnson said his company has also created a four-propeller helicopter that is 20 times more precise than satellite imagery. Johnson holds more than 50 patents.