Weather update Drones
Parrot needs to get farmer to fly
It is the ambition of almost all drone producers that focus on entrepreneurs: every farmer has his own drone. The French manufacturer Parrot also has that idea. Bluegrass Fields, their agricultural drone, has received an update to make it more user-friendly.
Parrot launched the Bluegrass drone 1 year ago. It is based on existing components and an NDVI sensor: the Sequoia. A well-known in the world of sensors and remote sensing. It is affordable, reliable and compact, so that a relatively small drone can handle it just fine.
Capacity improved
In addition, 1 battery provides a flight time of about 25 minutes, the manufacturer promises. That is enough to map 65 hectares, when you fly at 120 meters altitude. If you want more detailed images, the capacity will drop. Compared to its predecessor, however, the capacity is considerably higher.
In addition to a multispectral camera, which measures in 4 bandwidths, the drone also has a regular camera for photo and film images. Deviating spots in the plot can also be viewed on the basis of photos.
Special app
Flying and taking pictures is often no problem. Unfortunately, processing the data does. For this, Parrot comes with a new app: ParrotField. Then you have to put the images on your computer and convert them into task cards. This is done with software from Pix4D. No stranger to this field.
The device with a full software package does come with a price. Parrot consumer drones sell for a maximum of €700. The Bluegrass Fields has a different price tag with almost € 4.500 (excluding VAT). You will then receive a complete version and an annual subscription to the software. Of course, the Sequoia sensor also has a price tag.
Only Parrot business partners are allowed to sell it. In the Netherlands this is Geometius, the sister company of Vantage Agrometius. They also sell the popular eBee† However, it is intended for specialist companies and, mainly due to the price tag and complexity, is not directly intended for farmers who are mainly looking for a practical device.
Niels van der Boom
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