Aerial WeedScout
Ahead of the Curve
There’s new smart spray technology from precision ag startup Sentera that could lower herbicide usage by up to 70%.
July 9, 2024
By Noah Newman
It’s called Aerial WeedScout. It uses aerial imaging from a drone and artificial intelligence to detect weeds. Then it creates prescriptions within 24 hours that can be executed through any precision sprayer. Sentera CTO Eric Taipale explains what separates Aerial WeedScout from other precision spraying options on the market.
“We’re fortunate at Sentera, we’ve got a fantastic machine learning, data science group, but we’re also one of the largest producers of sensors. We actually design and build them in the U.S. On more than 80 acres per hour of flight, we’re capturing 1½-millimeter imagery of that field. Every pixel is 1½ millimeter. To see a 6-millimeter weed, you’ve got to have more than 1 pixel of green. This is really phenomenal. We have a direct georeferencing technology that allows us to dramatically increase the rate of coverage where we can go and map a whole field and, on an hour-by-hour basis, we can stay ahead of that sprayer.”
Aerial WeedScout is being used this summer on about 10,000 acres in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota as part of an Early Access Program. Commercial release is scheduled for 2025.
Weeding Out Herbicide Inefficiency with Sentera
EPISODE: 17Sentera’s CEO Brian Wenngatz and CTO Eric Taipale take us through their journey to launching Aerial WeedScout, which enables the rapid detection of weeds so farmers can reduce herbicide use and maximize equipment efficiency. S2G’s Cristina Rohr also shares...
Sentera Launches Precision Weed Management Solution
June 28, 2024By Noah Newman Precision ag startup Sentera launched an Early Access Program to preview its Aerial WeedScout product. The company says the program will provide valuable feedback and build momentum for the 2025 commercial release of Aerial WeedScout....
How Sentera is Redefining Field Monitoring with Remote Sensing (Part 1 of 2)
In today’s fast-paced agricultural landscape, farmers and their advisors are constantly searching for more efficient ways to monitor field conditions and boost productivity. Traditional methods like manual scouting and on-machine sensing often fall short, requiring...
The next-generation targeted spray solution overcoming on-machine sensing challenges
Aerial WeedScout by Sentera uses drones for targeted herbicide prescriptions, cutting costs by up to 70% and offering quick ROI.August 15, 20243 Min Read Farmers today are grappling with rising herbicide costs, mounting regulatory pressures, and the relentless...
Early Access Program Success Sets Foundation for the Future of Precision Weed Management
September 24, 2024 As harvest season approaches, it is the perfect time to reflect on the growing season and share exciting updates on Sentera’s next-generation Aerial WeedScout solution. Earlier this summer, Sentera launched an Early Access Program in collaboration...