Speaking on the Agriculture Today radio program, Terry Griffin, a precision ag economist with Kansas State University Extension, discusses the economics and renewed interest in field imagery with the advent of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or “drones” in farming.

Davie Stephens shares how he uses dirt bikes to scout every acre after planting to evaluate crop stand and whether an insecticide application is needed. This year, the Wingo, Ky., no-tiller will also use a drone for scouting and is interested to see what the drone will see compared to what he sees on the ground.

The government has the power to hold drone operators accountable when they operate the remote-control aircraft recklessly, a federal safety board ruled.