Whalen begins aerial seeding cover crops

STREATOR, Ill. — The bulk seed boxes were in place, batteries fully charged, and the drone’s dry box and broadcast spreader ready on the flatbed semi-trailer adjacent to the field.

Jay Whalen was set to get the “bird” in the air to plant cover crops across his soybean acres on Sept. 2.

“We took the liquid tank off and replaced it with the dry spreader tank. The spreader tank is a lot taller and deeper because the seed is lighter than the liquid,” he said.

“The liquid tank holds 10 gallons or roughly a payload of 100 to 110 pounds. So, they made the seed container size as close to the 110-weight capacity of the drone as they can.”

The drone seeds about 6 to 8 acres per load, compared to about 5 acres per load for liquid applications of fungicide and insecticide. It takes about eight minutes to cover 8 acres with cover crop seed.

“We fly about 12- to 14-foot above the canopy, depending on what we’re applying and what width. You put in what height you want above the crop and it goes right across the contour of the ground right at that height,” Whalen said.

Crop Conditions

The last time AgriNews checked in with Whalen was July 22 when he was applying fungicide and insecticide his corn with the drone.

“We got all the fungicide put on the corn and soybeans. We’ve caught a couple of small rains, and everything was looking as good as could be expected. This heat, though, is hitting the corn pretty hard. It’s knocking it down and it seems like it’s lightening the test weight up and taking the stock down pretty quick,” he said.

“Soybeans sometimes like it hot and dry, and they’re still doing pretty good. The early planted, early varieties are now turning. They’re getting yellow in them, but really, all and all, the beans are looking pretty good yet.”

Whalen hasn’t seen any major disease of insect issues in his crops.

“I’ve seen a little bit of red crown rot in some beans and a little bit of sudden death syndrome. Insects and diseases have been held at bay pretty good,” he said.