Everyone, no matter how old, enjoys a good toy for Christmas, but some toys can improve a farm operation from a sustainability standpoint as well as an economic standpoint. For John Stewart, a field manager in central Indiana for the Soil Health Partnership, the item topping his Christmas wish list is a drone. Drones, combined with powerful software, give growers ultimate flexibility in field monitoring and scouting, according to Stewart.

“You can get instant feedback from your field,” said Stewart. “With some software these days you can view imagery right at the field edge within five to ten minutes of flying.”

In this podcast, Stewart explains how to get started with drone flying, what they cost, how to get a license and what software to use.