Drones
No they’re not UFOs – they’re proof that the Salinas Valley has come a long way from backbreaking days of the short hoe. The flying robots are beginning to perform several functions with efficiency and accuracy, shrinking the margins of human error: Imagine getting an overhead 3D view of an entire field, rather than walking the field to get a look at pests and potential problem areas. Growers have long been trending toward so-called precision agriculture – getting super-accurate readings on moisture and nutrient needs to avoid over-watering or over-fertilizing a field – and drones are taking that to the next level.