Land-Grant Universities at the Forefront of Unmanned-Aircraft Research and Testing

Drone flying over crop
Nation prepares to develop standards and protocols for widespread use

A 2012 Congressional mandate directed the Federal Aeronautics Administration (FAA) to begin integrating civilian unmanned aircraft (aka drones) into the national airspace (NAS) by the end of 2015.

FAA regulates all flight through U.S. airspace. Until now, the agency has allowed only public entities with special FAA permits, called Certificates of Authorization (COAs) to fly unmanned aircraft, mostly for research purposes.

On December 30, FAA picked six test sites from …

What is geospatial science?

Geospatial is a combination of geography and spatial.  Geography is a science about the earth.  Spatial is about the space around us.  Geospatial describes the use of spatial analysis with geographic information.…

Cotton Pickers


Cotton Pickers

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This is a two row cotton picker that
is harvesting cotton in Belle Mina, Al.
at the Tennessee Valley Research and Extension Center.

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This is a six row cotton picker that
is on display at the 2007 Sunbelt Ag.
Expo. In Moultrie, Ga.

  • These John Deere cotton pickers are self-propelled machines
  • They remove cotton lint and seeds from the plant
  • Some of these machines can pick up to six rows of cotton at a time
  • There are two

Overview of Precision Agriculture

An Overview of Precision Agriculture

Prepared By: Dr. John Fulton and Daniel Mullenix, Auburn University

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Highlights of Precision Agriculture[[1]]

Precision agriculture, also called “farming by the foot”, can be defined as a comprehensive system designed to optimize agricultural production through the application of crop information, advanced technology and management practices. A truly comprehensive approach to precision agriculture begins with crop planning and includes tillage, planting, chemical applications, harvesting, and post harvest processing of the crop. Basically precision agriculture is …

Agricultural Remote Sensing Basics

Agricultural Remote Sensing Basics

John Nowatzki
Geospatial Technology Specialist NDSU Extension Service

Robert Andres
Professor UND Department of Space Studies

Karry Kyllo
Graduate Student UND Department of Space Studies

When farmers or ranchers observe their fields or pastures to assess their condition without physically touching them, it is a form of remote sensing. Observing the colors of leaves or the overall appearances of plants can determine the plant’s condition. Remotely sensed images taken from satellites and aircraft provide a means …

GPS Applications in Crop Production

Image:Ae1264p1.jpgGPS and Agriculture

GPS Applications in Crop Production

John Nowatzki, Extension Geospatial Specialist
Vern Hofman, Extension Ag Engineer
Lowell Disrud, Assistant Professor
Kraig Nelson, Graduate Student

The Global Positioning System (GPS) provides opportunities for agricultural producers to manage their land and crop production more precisely. Common names for general GPS applications in farming and ranching include precision agriculture, site-specific farming, and prescription farming. GPS applications in farming include guidance of equipment such as sprayers, fertilizer applicators, and tillage implements to …