The City of Kelowna will deploy drones and robots in city orchards later this spring for what is being touted as a "new era of hi-tech agriculture."
The city and InDro Robotics are teaming up in a pilot project that will see drones and industrial robots patrol nearly a hectare of apple, cherry and pear trees to monitor and assess crop health and anticipate fruit yields.
The airborne drones and ground moving robots will assist farmers reach a new level of crop management according to a city news release.
The city will collect and store the data. That data is expected to help local farmers increase crop yields, reduce overhead, improve resiliency to climate change, improve water use efficiencies and assure competitiveness in a global market.
Philip Reece, CEO and founder of InDro Robotics, says the project will usher in a "new era of precision farming."
“Our cutting-edge system empowers farmers to harness the power of technology to revolutionize crop management. Our autonomous robots and drones will inspect crops, providing near real-time data on plant health, infestations, soil moisture, and more," said Reece.
"Thanks to the visionary support of the City of Kelowna and funding from Agri-food Canada, we're set to pilot this initiative over two years, starting with local farmers."
“Council is committed to supporting innovative ideas to help farmers better navigate changing conditions to be more resilient and sustainable," said Mayor Tom Dyas.
"It is an economic sector that occupies more than 40 per cent of our city’s lands and is also an essential part of our cultural identity. This initiative is an example of how council’s priority to support agriculture is being advanced.”
Farm locations selected for the pilot project are being co-ordinated through the Regional District of Central Okanagan.
