Introduction

Agriculture has always been driven by innovation. From the invention of the tractor to today’s GPS-guided equipment, farmers have continuously adopted new technologies to produce more food while managing resources responsibly. Today, a new wave of agricultural automation is transforming how growers make decisions and apply inputs in the field. Two technologies leading this change are drone-based application systems and soil grid sampling technologies.  A deeper dive into these advanced technologies and some real-life applications in Putnam County are included below.

Part 1: Agricultural Drones Take Precision Application to New Heights

Just a few years ago, most people associated drones with photography or recreational use. Today, agricultural drones are becoming valuable tools on farms across the country. Modern application drones are capable of carrying and accurately applying pesticides, fertilizers, biological products, and even cover crop seed. Equipped with advanced GPS guidance systems and precision nozzles, these aircraft can treat fields with remarkable accuracy.  Eddie Lambert’s team with First Coast Technical provided a demonstration on an advanced drone equipped to spread liquid and granular fertilizer in farm fields – see video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXULgfg1tQI

Why Are Farmers Using Application Drones?

One of the biggest advantages is efficiency. Traditional ground equipment may struggle to access wet fields, uneven terrain, or areas with standing crops. Drones can operate above these obstacles and make targeted applications without causing soil compaction or crop damage.

Some key benefits include:

• Precision application of pesticides and fertilizers
• Reduced overlap and input waste
• Access to areas difficult for traditional equipment
• Reduced crop damage from heavy machinery traffic
• Ability to quickly respond to emerging pest or disease outbreaks
• Improved worker safety by limiting direct exposure to chemicals

For specialty crop growers, specifically potato, cabbage, and broccoli producers in Putnam County, drones provide flexibility that conventional equipment often cannot match.

In addition to product application, drones that use onboard cameras and sensors can capture aerial imagery that identifies variations in crop health, moisture stress, nutrient deficiencies, and pest pressure. This information allows growers to adopt a “treat only where necessary” approach instead of making blanket applications across an entire field. As a result, resources are used more efficiently and environmental impacts can be reduced.

Part 2: Soil Grid Sampling Brings Precision to Fertility Management

Knowing what is happening above the ground is important, but understanding what lies beneath the soil surface is equally critical. For decades, many fertility programs relied on composite soil samples collected from large production areas. While useful, these samples often masked differences occurring within a field. Today, soil grid sampling technologies provide a much clearer picture.

What Is Soil Grid Sampling?

Grid sampling divides a field into smaller, predetermined sections, often ranging from one to five acres. Soil samples are collected from each grid, analyzed in a laboratory, and combined with GPS coordinates to create detailed soil fertility maps.

The resulting data illustrates how soil properties vary across a field, including (see sample map here –(sample maps_2026) :

• Soil pH
• Lime requirements
• Phosphorus levels
• Potassium levels
• Micronutrient concentrations

Rather than treating an entire field the same way, growers can identify specific areas requiring additional nutrients or lime while avoiding unnecessary applications elsewhere.  Andrea O’Neal, Agriculture Technician with the Putnam County Extension Office, operated the new technology on a 12-acre field (i.e. 400 block at the UF/IFAS Hastings Cowpen Branch Farm).  She created the map and utilized the software to generate 1-acre grids with GPS coordinates that provided field verification during the sampling activities.  She collected 9 to 12 grab samples in each 1-acre grid and then sent the samples off for analyses (see video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIX1WMR-VwE. The results for our pH, P, and K concentrations are shown in the summary map included here — sample maps_2026.  Thanks to the generous contributions of the Putnam County Soil & Water Conservation Board, our Extension Team can adequately serve the commercial farmers in the Tri-County Agriculture Area.

Variable-Rate Application: Applying Inputs with Precision

The true power of grid sampling emerges when combined with variable-rate technology.

Using GIS software and precision application equipment, fertility recommendations are converted into application maps. Equipment then automatically adjusts application rates as it moves through the field.

For example:

• Areas requiring additional lime receive higher rates.
• Areas with adequate fertility receive lower rates.
• Nutrient-rich areas may receive no additional fertilizer at all.

This site-specific management approach increases efficiency and helps maximize return on investment.

Benefits of Grid Sampling

Growers utilizing grid sampling often report several advantages:

• More accurate lime recommendations
• Better nutrient management decisions
• Reduced fertilizer costs
• Increased input-use efficiency
• Improved crop uniformity
• Better environmental stewardship

As fertilizer prices continue to fluctuate, the ability to apply nutrients precisely where they are needed has become increasingly valuable.

The Power of Integration: A Smarter Farming System

While drones and soil grid sampling are powerful independently, their greatest potential emerges when they are integrated into a precision agriculture system.

Imagine a grower who uses grid sampling to identify fertility variability across a field. Variable-rate equipment applies nutrients according to site-specific recommendations. Later in the season, drones monitor crop performance, identify stress areas, and guide additional targeted applications if needed.

Keys to Unlocking the Future

The farms of the future are not simply larger or faster. They are smarter. Automation is not replacing the farmer; it is empowering the farmer. By combining aerial application drones with detailed soil grid sampling and fertility mapping, today’s producers have access to information and capabilities that were unimaginable just a generation ago. The result is a more efficient use of resources, improved crop management, and a stronger foundation for the future of agriculture.  These technologies are transforming agriculture from a uniform management approach to a highly precise, data-driven system that conserves resources while maintaining or improving crop yields.

University of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Institution and the text in this blog was produced with the assistance of Microsoft Copilot

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