Making every drop count | Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network

Making every drop count | Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network

Despite drones rapidly gaining popularity among farmers as a viable alternative for spraying, they remain a relatively new technology in farming. Tyler Steinkamp, technical agronomist for Winfield United, oversaw the station showcasing how droplets travel after leaving the drone’s rotor at Winfield United’s field day in Story City. Steinkemp believes there is no standardized speed for spraying with a drone because drones differ in their intended use. https://d30hko96l9xirl.cloudfront.net/Iowamediafolder/2026/07/Tyler-cut-1.mp3 He shared thoughts on the importance of managing droplet size to maximize the drone’s effectiveness when spraying. https://d30hko96l9xirl.cloudfront.net/Iowamediafolder/2026/07/Tylercut2.mp3 For Steinkemp, drones keep getting better, and so are farmers at using them for spraying. https://d30hko96l9xirl.cloudfront.net/Iowamediafolder/2026/07/Tylercut3.mp3 The field day event’s biggest takeaway was how important it is for farmers not only to rely on data from the drone but also to get out in the field and evaluate things such as the drone’s swath and deposition patterns on the ground.