Agribotix LLC and farming-equipment supplier Hawkins Manufacturing Inc. have partnered to make turnkey, drone-enabled agricultural intelligence technologies and services widely available across the U.S.
A package combines Agribotix’s FarmLens cloud-based data platform with the purpose-built Enduro quadcopter. Hawkins will offer the solution to its 567 dealers in 33 states; Agribotix, headquartered in Boulder, Colo., will provide the platform, service and support.
Hawkins started in Pierce, Colo., in the 1960s with its main product, the Hawkins Row Crop Ditcher. The company moved to its present location in Holdrege, Neb., in 1981 and now manufactures a number of farming tools. This is the first foray into drones and analytics for the company, which will soon introduce additional products that leverage FarmLens reporting to increase the efficiency and profitability of farmers’ operations.
With Agribotix’s solution, users can scout and record aerial field data across up to 160 acres in a single flight. The long-range drone can simultaneously capture plant health and standard visual images. The data collected is uploaded to the FarmLens platform, where it is processed to produce high-resolution field health reports and shapefiles.
“Hawkins is excited to be involved in this blossoming industry of drones and the capabilities that they can offer to our farmers,” notes Karen Aldama, general manager at Hawkins. “Agribotix drones are easy to use, and the ‘simplicity by design’ fits well with our own approach.”
Lou Faust, CEO of Agribotix, adds, “Our relationship with Hawkins significantly expands our U.S. distribution and gives their dealers a fully supported, all-in-one product to offer their customers. We are 100 percent focused on agriculture, and we have a deep understanding of what farmers need to better manage their crops and increase their bottom lines.”
