Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/369547
w w w. v w m m e d i a . c o m S e p t - O c t 2 014 | V I N E YA R D & W I N E RY M A N A G E M E N T 4 1 ater and labor are two of the biggest challenges faced by vineyards and wineries today. But now a growing number of startups, in a seemingly unrelated industry, are poised to advance – if not revo- lutionize – the way agriculture man- ages and conserves its resources. In the last five years, companies offering drone-based aerial imag- ing products and/or services have launched to considerable interest from farmers and viticulturists – despite confusion about the legality of drone usage for profit (see side- bar on page 42). Higher-quality imaging, ease of use and increased affordability are driving drone usage for agricultural purposes. Viticulturists can use the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to detect problem areas in the vines and make more informed choices about harvest times. " C a l i f o r n i a i s c o m i n g o f f a s e r i o u s d r o u g h t , a n d w e c a n help solve that problem through resource conservation," said Bran- don Basso, senior research and d e v e l o p m e n t e n g i n e e r f o r t h e Berkeley, Calif.-based 3D Robot- ics (3DR). He sees drones as a relatively low-cost tool to identify areas that are getting overwatered or underwatered, as well as aid in targeted pesticide use. "The business case for drones is that they help farmers use less to make more," Basso said. "On a very practical level, I think drones will change the way people make decisions about how to use resources." that now has more than 180 employ- ees in North America and more than 28,000 customers worldwide. The company manufactures a variety of UAVs, including all-in- one multicopters with GoPro-com- patible camera mounts that allow users to take high-quality images of large areas. Just how affordable are they? "Our main product, the Pixhawk autopilot system, sells for $200," Basso said. "The closest feature- parity competitor is an order of m a g n i t u d e m o r e e x p e n s i v e a t $2,000. While they're not totally comparable, obviously, there's also not a $1,800 difference in qual- ity and functionality." For vineyard use, 3DR's most likely choice is its mapping platform Y6 with a GoPro camera for around $1,200. MAKING DRONES AFFORDABLE 3D Robotics – established in 2009 by Chris Anderson, founder of DIYDrones.com, and Jordi Munoz – is a venture capital-backed startup + Companies offering drone-based imaging have attracted considerable interest from grapegrowers. + Drones can be used to detect problem areas in vineyards, monitor water usage and determine harvest times. + Starting at $200, the devices are affordable for small producers. + If a drone is being operated for commercial purposes, the operator must get a Certificate of Authorization from the FAA. AT A GLANCE John Cherbini, vice president of sales for 3D Robotics, flies a drone at Small Vines Wines in Sonoma.