10 New Mobile Apps for Precision Agriculture
Ag professionals continue to reap the rewards of new smartphone apps. And perhaps no segment of farming is benefitting more from the increased productivity — and profitability — from using mobile technology than precision agriculture. From collecting data and recording crop scouting activities, to tracking machine performance and controlling drones, mobile apps have become a key component in precision agriculture.
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Connect Mobile (update)
The John Deere Connect Mobile app is used to help monitor, optimize, and better understand machine performance. The app connects to the machine through a WiFi network to document and display machine performance and agronomic data about the operation performed by the machine. It works in conjunction with either the GreenStar 3 2630 or Generation 4 4600 CommandCenter displays. The Connect Mobile app can also wirelessly send data to the John Deere Operations Center using either a WiFi network with Internet access or through cellular service using the grower’s cellular data plan. The app can also be used for basic crop scouting activities through the field review feature. Field review provides the grower access to every map layer documented by the Connect Mobile app and can be displayed on the iPad at any time. iPad
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AkerScout
AkerScout is a directed crop scouting application to help identify and prioritize crop damage to address problem areas needing immediate attention. The application works on standalone mode, but various important features are enabled when you load high resolution aerial vegetation imagery. Base features include scout task coordination and assignment of multiple fields and scouts; support for various crop types including corn, soy, sugar beet, and more; a comprehensive database for identification of pests, diseases, and plant limiting stress; GPS-enabled crop scouting with identification and capture of disease, pests, weather, plant population, damage severity, photos, and notes; and field mapping and comprehensive reporting. Android, iPad, iPhone
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Farmobile Notes
The free Farmobile Notes app lets farmers — who use Farmobile PUC to collect, share, and sell field data — to easily capture and attach details and observations via mobile devices to their Electronic Field Records (EFR). Users can send a text or photo image, which is time-stamped and tagged with geospatial metadata. Geotagging allows Farmobile to pinpoint the exact location on the EFR where the content or photo was recorded. The content can be easily viewed on the EFR using the Farmobile Dashboard in-cab with a mobile device, computer, or laptop. Synced to the EFR, the Farmobile Notes app provided farmers with an all-in-one, easy-to-use, solution to generating a more complete picture of what’s happening out in the field — as it happens. Android, iPad, iPhone
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Pocket Drone Control
Pocket Drone Control from Agrible is new software technology that makes drones easy to use and effective. It works with Crop Copter UAVs to let users quickly see how much damage a field has following a weather event or pest stress. The iOS app works with Agrible's flagship software, Morning Farm Report, which is a suite of predictive analytics tools that give growers field-level insights about everything from when they can take equipment into the fields to how much nitrogen each field needs. Pocket Drone Control uses Morning Farm Report to seamlessly plan a flight and launch the drone with just a few swipes on an iPhone or iPad. It can cover an 80-acre field in less than 15 minutes, all on one battery with life to spare. After the drone takes photos, you can quickly classify damage as hail, disease, drift, flooding, etc., on your mobile device, even if you don't have a data connection. Then, the information uploads to Morning Farm Report where you can access and share it at any time. iPad, iPhone
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WineFlight Precision Ag
This app from UAV-IQ lets users turn their drone-acquired precision agriculture data actionable to mitigate loss, optimize resources, and improve yields. Use the WineFlight mobile app to tag and prioritize locations for inspection or immediate action; draw zones for variable rate cultivation and selective harvesting; compare imagery from the same flight to gain further insight into current conditions; compare imagery from different time periods to assess temporal trends and effectiveness of past actions; orient yourself and receive GPS guidance while working in the field; and record automatically indexed field observations and photos. The app also features real-time messaging when working within data connectivity; seamless integration of messages and data collected while working outside of data connectivity; and effective search and archive features. iPad
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AgriXP (update)
AgriXP is a platform designed by farmers and their crop consultants to track field data. The app allows the farmer, employees, and crop consultants to view and log all field activities and export that data to Excel, PDF, or CVS for further usage. Activities can be printed or previewed from a monthly or daily calendar. Crop advisers and agronomists can create only one master account with multiple farms or invite farmers to join. All information stored by AgriXP is confidential, secure, and safe and is only accessible by the user and other approved users such as employees or crop advisers. Web-based
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FieldAlytics Explorer (update)
FieldAlytics Explorer from EFC Systems increases speed and accuracy of the field data collection and soil/tissue sampling process. It makes job management easy by allowing data to synchronize to the FieldAlytics web system wirelessly from the field, eliminating a trip to the office, saving time and allowing jobs to be completed faster, and operations to better manage work flow. Incorporate directed sampling events, field data layers, and management zones to assist with the sampling process. Use integrated GPS services and navigation tools to easily navigate to target sample points with ease and accuracy. iPad
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XTEND
The XTEND app from Topcon Precision Agriculture is used in conjunction with the Horizon XTEND feature on the Topcon in-cab displays. Using the XTEND technology, you can extend the user interface of your display to your mobile device’s screen. Get access to many of the Horizon software features directly on your mobile device, both within and outside the cab of your vehicle. Use your mobile device to perform calibration, diagnostics, tank fill, and many other activities anywhere around your machine via the familiar Horizon user interface. A dedicated WiFi connection keeps your mobile device always in sync with the main display in the cab. iPad, iPhone
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Ceres Imaging
Farmers use Ceres Imaging to help understand water stress, plant nutrient uniformity, pest emergence, and other issues in their fields. Ceres Imaging provides aerial spectral imagery throughout the growing season to observe patterns and trends over time, view your entire farm, or zoom into individual rows and plants. Your imagery can be downloaded to your device for guaranteed viewing while in the field. View your location in the field and navigate to areas of concern with your GPS overlaid on the imagery map. iPad, iPhone
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Taranis
The Taranis app is an excellent tool for data collection and integrated pest management in the field. The app detects potentially problematic hot spots and prioritizes them for further investigation. Scouts then use a specialized app that directs them to these locations. The scout fills a crop-specific report including phenologic growth stages, crop height, and geo-tagged photos. The agronomist or farm manager can view and analyze the reports and photos, evaluating crop status, straight from the Taranis dashboard and decide on a plan of action. The analysis makes it easy to see infestation levels, trends, action thresholds and even decide on more localized sprays. The same app can be used to input data from rain gauges and traps. Make the scout work easier and visible to management in real time. The bottom line is cost reduction and increased productivity. Web-based
View all
Connect Mobile (update)
AkerScout
Farmobile Notes
Pocket Drone Control
WineFlight Precision Ag
AgriXP (update)
FieldAlytics Explorer (update)
XTEND
Ceres Imaging
Taranis
Unfortunately, with the number of precision farming apps available in leading app stores growing exponentially, it’s become next to impossible to successfully wade through the latest options that are helping make work more efficient for precision ag professionals. That’s why I decided to do the sorting for you. I’ve researched and evaluated the newest precision ag apps available for Androids, iPads, iPhones, and more. The apps featured in the slideshow above were either introduced or significantly updated in 2017.
Also Worth A Download
AGBRIDGE. This app from Scruggs Equipment Co. is a low-cost, universal wireless data transport solution that works with any ag controller equipped with a USB or Compact Flash Port. At the heart of AGBRIDGE is a powerful mobile app that works in tandem with a unique AGBRIDGE drive enabling ag data to be transported between equipment in the field (Trimble, AgLeader, Raven, CASE IH, John Deere) and the offices of growers and their advisers by simply launching the mobile app. Android, iPhone, iPad
Want more agriculture apps? Be sure to check out these other lists on CropLife.com:
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If you have a favorite new app that is on my list or one that is not, tell me about it at [email protected] or post a comment below.
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Matt Hopkins is Senior Online Editor for the Agribusiness Group at Meister Media Worldwide including such brands as CropLife, CropLife IRON, AgriBusiness Global, PrecisionAg, and Cotton Grower. He is responsible for managing an array of online products including newsletters, websites, video, and social media. Hopkins joined Meister Media in 1994 as an editor for Greenhouse Grower before transitioning to Business Manager of its MeisterPro division. He holds a Communications degree from Cleveland State University.
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