When Steve Morris began building unmanned aerial systems in the late 1990s, he envisioned flying them over fields and collecting data that would be useful to farmers. But after the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, drones became largely associated with military strikes and surveillance operations. Morris said the technology became the subject of contentious political debates and public paranoia. Continue reading
Category Archives: Agriculture
UAS Could Limit Fertilizer Flow into Lake Erie
A toxic algae bloom in Lake Erie this summer left the city of Toledo, Ohio, without drinking water for three days. Now environmentalists and farmers are working to prevent future blooms by evaluating fertilizer use in hopes of cutting excess runoff. In the aftermath of the water quality emergency that plagued Lake Erie last month, some residents who live along its shores are calling for solutions. And they are looking outward, to the countryside.