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Volume 2 No. 11
November Issue
Drone ag technology continues development
Ryan Carpe
rcarpe@civitasmedia.com
MADISON COUNTY – Attendees at September’s Farm Science Review were treated to live demonstrations of unmanned drone aircrafts, which are currently being developed for commercial use in the agricultural sector. A drone is an pilot-less aerial vehicle that has been traditionally used to record aerial footage. The units have gained popularity in search and rescue and military functions, but now developers have turned their gaze towards farms and fields research. Matt McCrink, a graduate student at Ohio State University Aerospace Engineer Department, showcased the lightweight drone by flying for about 10 minutes over the fields in Madison County in front of a crowd of fascinated farmers. The drone planes are able to fly slowly over a field while recording infrared and visual images of the land below. From those readings, farmers would be able to determine valuable measurements, including water concentration and the types of chemicals present. The unit is entirely lithium-ion battery powered, and the top speed of OSU’s Peregrine Drone is around 130 miles per hour, however it regularly slows down to 20 miles per hour to land. “You can cover a fairly large tract of land with something like this,” said McCrink. Based on current tests, the drone can stay up in the air unassisted for more than an hour and a half on just one charge. It can run on both autopilot, or be overridden from a control panel on the ground to manually accept instructions. The plane can also be equipped with a camera that’s broadcast to a
RYAN CARPE/Advocate photo
Matt McCrink, a graduate student at Ohio State University Aerospace Engineer Department, holds up a lightweight drone during the Ohio Farm Science Burea’s demonstration in September.
computer. The entire airframe was made of carbon fiber, and the group consistently is experimenting with its body design in order to make the drone more resilient. For example, a new prototype is now being constructed because a corn stalk stuck
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through one of their earlier planes upon landing. The drone weighed roughly seven pounds at the demonstration with the capacity to double its weight, but it still can be flown in winds of up to 30 miles per
hour. All told, the unit cost between $10,000 to $15,000 to build, although much of that cost came from the hightech sensory units. One of the continuing challenge that the drone en-
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Drivers beware The risk of colliding with deer is greater in the coming months warn officials at the Ohio Insurance Institute (OII), Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Ohio Department of Public Safety (ODPS) and the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP). The increase in risk from October through January is primarily due to peak deer mating season. ODPS reports that although such collisions are down – 20,996 deer-vehicle crashes in 2012, down 7.5 percent from 22,696 reported crashes in 2011 (23,201 in 2010) – there were six related fatalities and 1,013 injuries in Ohio last year. This compares to seven fatalities and 1,031 injuries reported in 2011, and four deaths and 1,063 injuries in 2010. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) estimates about 200 fatalities are caused by deer-vehicle collisions each year in the US. The five counties with the highest number of reported deer-vehicle crashes in 2012 were Stark (559), Richland (535), Hamilton (522), Clermont (472) and Lorain (470). Compared to 2011 figures, Clermont County showed an increase while the others reported decreases in such collisions in 2012. Counties reporting the fewest crashes in 2012 included Monroe (15), Morgan (27), Carroll (26), Harrison (37) and Perry (43) counties. Of these, Perry county showed an increase while the others experienced decreases in 2012. According to Ward’s 2013 Motor Vehicle Facts & Figures, Ohio ranks among the top states in 2011 for the number of registered motor vehicles (7th), licensed drivers (7th) and miles driven (5th). These factors can affect the number of deer-vehicle crashes. ODPS reports over 11.8 million registered vehicles and 8 million licensed drivers share Ohio
see DRONE pg. 11
roadways. Most deer-vehicle crashes occur at dusk and dawn, October through January during deer-breeding season. Last November there were 5,050 crashes – the highest number for any month. According to data from the ODPS and ODNR, peak hours for these crashes were 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. followed by 5 a.m. to 8 a.m. In 2012, almost 54 percent of these crashes occurred between 5 p.m. and 1 a.m. while 23 percent occurred early morning between 5 a.m. and 8 a.m. The ODNR Division of Wildlife remains committed to reducing white-tailed deer populations where needed. Through a combination of both regulatory and programmatic changes, progress toward reducing locally abundant herds can be expected. Additional crash findings State Farm® estimates 1.22 million deer-vehicle collisions across the country from July 2012 through June 2013, a 3.5 percent decrease from the previous year. Using its claims data, the insurer predicts the likelihood of an Ohio deer-vehicle collision at 1 in 135 – ranking 22nd in the US, compared to the national average of 1 in 174. The Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) examined crashes involving animals and found insurance claims are nearly 3.5 times as high in November as in August, when claims are lowest. Although insurance claims normally don’t specify the animal involved, other data reflects deer are the main ones. Vehicle damage and insurance coverage Vehicle damage varies dramatically depending on the type of vehicle, its speed upon impact and area of the vehicle that sustains the hit. According to the State Farm® data, vehicle damage from deer collisions averages $3,414 per claim nationally. Crashes that
see DEER pg. 11
Farmer’s creative decorations spark interest Linda Moody
lmoody@civitasmedia.com
what’s inside this month
NEW MADISON - No, an airplane did not land in a cornfield on State Route 121, south of New Madison near Thomas Road. It is just another one of Jack Sullenbarger’s creative decorations he does for this time of year. He started this tradition five years ago at Halloween time. He also used bales of hay for all of his annual pieces, including his first one, a Monster truck jumping over a hill. He has also made a steam locomotive engine and, at the request of some children, made a Thomas the Train, two years ago. “I skipped last year,” he said. “I wasn’t feeling well.” He made this year’s at a neighboring farm, then tore it down and moved it across the road from his residence. “I made it there in case it was a flop,” he said. “If it was [a flop], I didn’t want anybody to see it.” This year’s creation features four round cornstalk bales, a ceiling fan for the propeller and wagon side boards for the wings. A visit to the site on Monday afternoon saw the propellers turning, thanks to the little wind that was blowing through the area, making the plane look more realistic. He said he used the spear on his loader to put the bales of hay in place. A neighbor lady, Mar y Straszheim, provided the American flag that flies nearby, and Sul-
LINDA MOODY/Advocate photo
Jack Sullenbarger created this scene across the road from his home in a cornfield five miles south of New Madison on State Route 121. This is the fourth one he’s come up with in the last five years and it attracts passersby.
lenbarger made the “Honor the Vets” signs that are also featured. “My dad ser ved five years in World War II and a lot of family and friends were veterans,” said Jack, son of the late Willard and Thelma Sullenbarger. Sullenbarger said he makes everything himself and doesn’t spend a lot of money on his annual decorative “piece.”
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“I use what I got and try not to buy anything,” he said. Sullenbarger said a lot of people stop by and he’s heard that photos of his creation have appeared on Facebook. “Someone thought a plane had landed in the field,” he said. He already knows what he wants to do for next year but isn’t divulging that in-
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formation. He will be taking this year’s creation down between Thanksgiving and Christmas. “It’s fun to do,” said Sullenbarger, who feeds 20 head of cattle as well as a couple of goats. Linda Moody is the features editor at The Daily Advocate in Greenville.
Contributer to Agriculture
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