Agricultural drone use soars among NZ contractors
Use of agricultural drones by contractors in New Zealand is soaring.
Simple design coupled with a product that ‘gets the job done’, has led to Datamars taking the Gold Pin at the Best Design Awards.
The Tru-Test S3 weigh system, which includes the MiHub Data Link phone app and MiHub Livestock, took the top honours in its category, while the Datamars’ integrated solar energiser won a bronze award in the same category.
Judges liked the clean lines of the S3, its clear screen interface and the tactile quality of the front fascia and keypad. Paired with robust load bars and the smartphone app it gives farmers a novel weighing experience.
The Tru-Test S3 weigh scale is said to offer a new level of simplicity and economy in animal weighing and data management on-farm, by stripping back the functionality and allowing the farmer to get on with the job.
It captures the weight information for later analysis via the MiHub Livestock digital portal, using Bluetooth pairing to a phone application, bringing advanced technology to the ‘economy’ end of the weigh-scale market.
Ease of use was intentional in the design, ensuring minimal interactions were necessary for the farmer to capture the weight information required.
Individual animal weights can be matched to animal ID on-the-fly via the app, synching all data automatically through the MiHub Livestock cloud software for future use.
The S3 weigh scale is easy to read in varying light conditions, has large, easily accessible buttons with a tactile feel for powering up and zeroing the scale and is rated IP67 for outdoor use in wet conditions.
It is easily mounted to timber or pipe infrastructure in a yard. Power from a lithium-ion battery removes the need for external power supply, and this is easily removed for charging and storage.
Verne Atmore, vice president, Livestock Management Solutions, says, “Winning the esteemed Gold Pin is a proud achievement for both our internal team and external design partner Indemic. They drove a customer first approach, focused on improving the user experience and retail performance, as well as designing for manufacture excellence.”
Farmers appear to be backing the Government's recent Resource Management Act (RMA) reforms announcement.
For the first time, all the big names in agricultural drone technology are being brought together under one marquee at the National Fieldays.
Fonterra has announced an improved third quarter performance – with a profit after tax of $1.15 billion, up $119 million on the same period last year.
The Fieldays Innovation Awards competition has attracted a diverse and impressive array of innovations from across the primary industries, highlighting the growing importance of technology shaping the future of farming.
Coming to the fore following the carnage of Cyclone Gabrielle, Starlink became well known for providing internet access even in NZ's most inaccessible places.
From this winter farmers will have a greater choice of feed types and blend options than ever before, thanks to Farmlands' purchase of animal nutrition company SealesWinslow.
OPINION: The Free Speech Union is taking this one too far.
OPINION: New national data from The Drug Detection Agency (TDDA), a leading workplace drug tester, shows methamphetamine (meth) use is…