Will Allow Operator To Stay In Line-Of-Sight With Hermes 450 Drone

When a Hermes 450 UAV built by Elbit Systems takes to the air to study crop patterns and take high-resolution photographs this summer, it will be escorted in the skies above North Dakota by a manned aircraft as part of program proposed by the North Dakota State University.

The project has not yet been approved, but the plan is for the aircraft to gather usable crop growing information for farmers in two counties in eastern North Dakota, according to a report in the Farm and Ranch Guide. But under the testing rules approved last year by the FAA, the unmanned aircraft must stay in sight of the person or persons operating the drone. For this experiment, the operators will be passengers in the manned aircraft flying alongside the Hermes 450 UAV.

Many agricultural producers in North Dakota are reportedly buying their own small UAVs to keep track of crops and livestock, according to the report. But the Hermes will gather data that is available to all the producers involved so that they can adjust crop management as the crops grow.

The aircraft can cover an entire county in about five hours, according to the report. The aircraft will photograph crops such as corn, sugar beets, and others in an effort to identify efficiencies, yield estimates, and issues with weeds and disease.

(Image from file)

FMI: Original Report