Services expanded
Drone company Airinov gets a different future
Since 2016, the French company Airinov has been active in the Netherlands as a provider of crop scans. It does this in collaboration with various agricultural suppliers. Airinov supplies the scans and the supplier provides the agricultural knowledge and expertise. From this season, potatoes are also fertilized on a site-specific basis. Changes are in the pipeline for next year.
The French company Airinov has now completed almost 2 seasons in the Netherlands. Since 2010, it has been flying drones over arable fields in its home country France. Airinov, started by a farmer's son and 2 engineers, crossed the ambitions not under chairs or benches. It wanted to rake in many hectares to keep costs low. Between €15 and €20 per hectare for a scan with the Parrot eBee drone. This caused some friction between other providers in the market, who go for tailor-made solutions for Dutch farmers. Not the masses.
For the first time in potatoes
Last year it offered a complete package for wheat only. That is to say: In addition to a biomass scan, also data for site-specific nitrogen fertilization. There's money to be made with that, so shows Airinov on the basis of its own data, albeit for a few euros. There is more to gain with site-specific fertilization in potatoes. At least that's the idea. This year, for the first time, the company 'inspired' plots of ware potatoes with the eBee.
Polders and southwest
According to Monique van Wor Wear, spokesperson for Airinov Netherlands, it is difficult to form a single picture. “The differences are enormous per plot and per variety. We mainly scan plots in Flevoland and the south-west, but also in Flanders. In France, the company will probably start advising on potatoes next year. The problem there is that the fertilization does not suit site-specific work. Usually, the entire gift is sprinkled immediately before planting.”
Fertilization behind us
After scanning, a number of maps and agronomic advice from the cultivation advisor follow. A biomass map says something about crop growth. In addition, advice is given for over-fertilization with nitrogen and how much nitrogen the crop has already absorbed. Airinov assumes that two-thirds was applied with planting and one-third around crop closure. It offers advice for that.
Airinov on the shovel
In the Netherlands, Airinov works together with suppliers. These include CZAV, Alliance, Heyboer, but also Mechan Groep. It owns a number of drones, but also hires people with a drone. This year things are going to change. Spokesperson Van Worbearings will start working for another company, which means that Airinov will represent itself in a different way. In the absence of a successor, Van Worraden will remain the contact person for the time being. “There are still talks with Airinov in France about how the organization should continue in the Netherlands. This year we will settle the current affairs. Next year, the company will be represented differently in the Netherlands and Flanders.”
Niels van der Boom
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