The Stratus AirSprayer is different than the quadcopters and fixed-wing UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) typically associated with ag drones. Essentially, it’s a powered paraglider — one that can carry heavier loads and stay aloft much longer than conventional drones.

The latest in aerial spraying: paragliders

Cyber attack frustrates farm equipment dealers
Dealers forced to use manual processes after software provider hacked
CDK provides business management software to dealers of all makes of farm equipment, so major dealers of John Deere, CNH and are working without digital systems across the country. CDK is also the leading provider of management software to automobile dealers and thousands of those dealerships are offline.

Dirty water sabotages spray control
Spraying without clean water is a great way to send money down the drain
Reading Time: 3 minutes Water cleanliness should be a top priority for producers when considering water quality for spray operations, according to Manitoba provincial weeds specialist Kim Brown.
Water contaminants can tie up active ingredients in herbicides, rendering them ineffective.

New sprayer tire option pitches same weight with less pressure
Ascenso VDR900 tires promise higher road speeds, better traction
Reading Time: 2 minutes Glacier FarmMedia – Ascenso Tires’ North America VF model is making inroads in agriculture. “What’s unique is all our tires are D-speed rated (64 km/h). That’s a huge difference compared to many brands,” said the company’s Canadian sales manager Mike Massé at the London Farm Show earlier this year. “We’ve also got a unique mud breaker. It’s […] Read more

Going aerial without breaking the bank
Affordable and easy-to-use, microdrones can give farmers a foothold in aerial tech use
Reading Time: 5 minutes Glacier FarmMedia – Any farmer can get into the drone game, according to Matthew Johnson, vice-president at Volatus Aerospace. And with the current price of a minidrone, with its functionality and ease of use, he says it’s kind of crazy not to. “I’ve been saying it for a long time. Since (the) mini came out, […] Read more

Farm equipment manufacturers focus on technology
Major implement companies face high-tech future as they wrestle with automation, autonomy and precision agriculture
Reading Time: 3 minutes Glacier FarmMedia – Images of autonomous machines working on their own in fields can easily grab the attention of early-adopter producers, especially those facing a labour crunch. They also make impressive headlines and brand announcements. Though several concept, prototype and even a few production machines have appeared on the scene, nearly all producers will still […] Read more

New Massey Sprayer comes to NFMS, combines and grain carts get synchronized
Product offerings that simplify how farmers work in the field often get more than a cursory glance on the farm show floor. This is the case for two machinery manufacturers at the National Farm Machinery Show (NFMS) in Louisville, Kentucky. Day two of the NFMS saw Massey Ferguson debut its 500R sprayer to attendees, and […] Read more

Big iron rakes in big dollars
Equipment sales boost largely driven by late deliveries, but that’s not the only factor
Reading Time: 3 minutes A big boost in four-wheel-drive tractor sales signals that the farm equipment industry is returning to normal, say salespeople and other industry experts. New 4WD unit sales in Canada grew 84.8 per cent year over year in November and 41.5 percent year to date, according to the Association of Equipment Managers. In October, it reported Canadian sales of tractors […] Read more

Agritechnica update: Canadian content and a John Deere update
There’s significant Canadian content at Agritechnica. Large companies like AGI and MacDon have impressive displays with significant real estate. I also happened upon the Canada pavilion, packed with companies familiar to many of us, including Honey Bee, Mankato, Schulte and Bushel Plus. The companies say that there’s value in companies from Canada banding together to […] Read more

Agritechnica update: Give a big shock to weeds
Farmers are being pushed to find an alternative to desiccants to burn down crops, as companies are increasingly leery of herbicides approved close to harvest. People have been shocking weeds with electricity for 100 years, but the return on the electricity invested and the technology required to do so safely haven’t always worked. Crop.zone is […] Read more