Flexible Thinking: The Key to a Successful Flex Circuit Design Transfer
Happy’s Tech Talk #29: Bend-to-Install Semi-flex FR-4
Agricultural Drones and Flexible Circuits
July 29, 2015 | Dave BeckerEstimated reading time: 1 minute
According to MIT Technology Review[1], one of the Top 10 breakthrough technologies last year was the agricultural drone. I focused on drones in one of my recent columns, Flexible Circuits and UAV Applications, which briefly mentioned agriculture as one of the uses for drones.
Agricultural drones are expected to have a significant impact on farming over the next few years. In the article mentioned above, the drone’s ease of use and affordability make this a tool that virtually every farmer could employ. One major complementary technology to the drone is the advances in imaging technology and analysis. Specifically, the agricultural drone gives farmers data analysis capability that they have not had before.
A drone can provide images of an entire farm in a relatively short period of time. Farmers can use captured images to determine areas where crops are degraded by pests, weeds, or fungus. Soil irrigation patterns can be analyzed quickly with drone images. The images are taken from about 120 feet, giving the farmer excellent image resolution and enough detail to spot these critical problems. Satellite images are simply not detailed enough to help, and many times areas are hidden by cloud cover.
Agricultural drones can also take infrared readings, giving farmers crop-stress indicators that are not evident to the naked eye. And, because of the low cost and ease of use, images can be taken on a weekly or even daily basis, giving the farmer valuable trend information that may not be evident from “snapshots.”
The overall impact of this technology should allow farmers to gain higher yields by using fewer resources, something that is becoming more important as the world population approaches 10 billion people.
Flexible circuit properties such as being light-weight, thin, and very configurable with outstanding reliability make flex circuits an ideal application for drones. Flexible circuits are also used in cameras and data collection technology, which is vital for the agricultural application.
References
1. MIT Technology Review, Agricultural Drones.
Dave Becker is vice president of sales and marketing at All Flex Flexible Circuits LLC.
Share on:
Suggested Items
Indium Experts to Present on Power Electronics at PCIM Europe 2025
04/17/2025 | Indium CorporationAs one of the leading materials providers to the power electronics assembly and e-Mobility industries, Indium Corporation experts will share their technical insight and knowledge on a variety of industry-related topics throughout PCIM Europe, May 6-8, in Nuremberg, Germany.
Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2025: Emerging Trends in Design and Technology
04/16/2025 | Real Time with...IPC APEX EXPOAndy Shaughnessy speaks with IPC design instructor Kris Moyer to discuss emerging design trends. They cover UHDI technology, 3D printing, and optical data transmission, emphasizing the importance of a skilled workforce. The role of AI in design is highlighted, along with the need for understanding physics and mechanics as designs become more complex. The conversation concludes with a focus on enhancing math skills for better signal integrity.
INEMI Announces Board of Directors Election Results
04/16/2025 | iNEMIThe International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (INEMI) has announced results from its recent Board of Directors election. The consortium’s members have added one new director and re-elected four incumbents.
Nortech Expands Fiber Optic Capabilities to Include MT Connectors, Strengthening Aerospace and Defense Solutions
04/16/2025 | BUSINESS WIRENortech Systems, a trusted leader in innovative connectivity solutions, announced an exciting expansion in its fiber optic capabilities with the integration of MT connectors. MT connectors, known for their ability to support multiple fiber terminations in a compact form factor, are an ideal choice for applications requiring robust data transmission and reliability.
Elephantech: For a Greener Tomorrow
04/16/2025 | Marcy LaRont, PCB007 MagazineNobuhiko Okamoto is the global sales and marketing manager for Elephantech Inc., a Japanese startup with a vision to make electronics more sustainable. The company is developing a metal inkjet technology that can print directly on the substrate and then give it a copper thickness by plating. In this interview, he discusses this novel technology's environmental advantages, as well as its potential benefits for the PCB manufacturing and semiconductor packaging segments.