AeroVironment, Inc. recently introduced the next generation of its Quantix™ VTOL hybrid drone and the AeroVironment Decision Support System™ (AV DSS) for precision agriculture. Enhancements across the Quantix and AV DSS ecosystem deliver a combination of new features, performance improvements and product package offerings – designed to meet the needs of individual growers, precision ag service providers and large-scale farming operations.

“The response from growers to Quantix & AV DSS across the country has been very positive,” says Jeff Rodrian, director, Commercial Information Solutions, AeroVironment. “The ag community values a powerfully simple to use drone and data analytics ecosystem that captures field data quickly, and quantifies it in a format they can act on immediately.”

Featuring an innovative VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) hybrid design, Quantix is purpose-built for crop scouting and can survey up to 400 acres in just 45 minutes. During flight, integrated sensors capture high-resolution color and multispectral imagery via dual 18MP cameras. On-board processing delivers true color and NDVI imagery on the included operating tablet as soon as the drone lands, allowing growers to ground-truth issues while still in the field.

For more detailed analysis, Quantix seamlessly integrates with AV DSS to perform advanced image processing and data analytics including True Color, NDVI, GNDVI, canopy coverage, anomaly detection and more, providing users with deeper insights into plant emergence, vegetative health, inputs and resource management.

“We worked closely with our customers to develop the next generation of Quantix & AV DSS and deliver the actionable intelligence that today’s growers need to drive their business forward and maximize every acre.” added Rodrian.

Starting at $5,500, three new pricing options enable individual growers, enterprise agriculture businesses and ag service providers to choose the right Quantix & AV DSS product package.