i32-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 28,2001
a:
Field Observation Right From Mini-Helicopter At Field Day
ANDY ANDREWS
Editor
HOLTWOOD (Lancaster Co.)
For a second, simply imagine
being able to fly around the
fields, looking for pests, drought,
or disease.
Free as a bird, you can zoom in
quickly on some rootworm devas
tation; or, for an instant, check
out a neighboring field where tree
or other obstructions make it
hard to get to; or, as quick as a
hawk, move down to hover next
to an alfalfa stand, scanning for
insects.
Chad Shafer fuels the mini-helicopter with alcohol be
fore flight time Wednesday at the Groff field day.
Les Stark demonstrates a “hemp break” at the Groff
field day.
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AH that’s possible with today’s
technology.
Larry Smith, a man who spe
cializes in remote aerial photog
raphy, demonstrated that type of
technology. He works for Heli-
View, based in Lehighton.
The miniature helicopter, run
ning on methanol, took to the
skies on the demonstration fields
during Steve Groffs eighth annu
al Farm Field Day Wednesday.
At a cost of about $3,200, the
helicopter can be fully equipped
with real-time video. A trained
operator, according to Smith, can
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put a set of view goggles on, sit
down, and maneuver around the
fields like being in the actual
helicopter.
Ho v far can the observer
“travel” using this “virtual” ob
servation system? “As far as I
can see,” Smith said. “When I
can’t see it (anymore). I’m in
deep trouble.”
Smith has been working with
the helicopter, or remotely pilot
ed vehicle (RPV) system, for
about six years. The vehicle, with
full-motion video systems from
Bolar Heli Research, is fue’ed by
methanol or gasoline and c u .i rise
to SOO feet or higher.
Smith has already flown the
vehicle around tree tops at golf
courses, scouted out and took
digital pictures of a roller coaster
at Knoebels Amusement Park in
Elysburg, and photographed a
com maze in New Jersey.
Agronomic suppliers and crop
consultants have looked into
technology that would literally
put the observer onboard an
RPV. Smith’s system can hover
over a field and look closely at
weed species and take digital still
photos or real-time video.
The system could be less ex
pensive than using pilots on fixed
wing aircraft as field scouts.
Smith said the system uses a
3.3 megapixel digital camera,
which can supply glossy color
photos of almost anything in the
field. Smith has taken photos of
golfers at the links, in this case
from a relatively high altitude so
as not to disturb their golf game,
he noted.
With methanol, the RPV can
stay in the air about IS minutes.
With gasoline, it can fly for about
45 minutes.
Smith also uses a parafoil sys
tem, which uses a lighter-than-air
balloon powered by a propeller,
for aerial viewing.
But Smith cautions that, if
crop advisers or producers want
to invest in the RPV aerial sys
tem, “it takes a long time to
learn,” he said.
Smith was quick to caution
them.
“You must know what you’re
doing. You were not born with
the coordination to fly the heli
copter,” he said. “The helicopter
is a very, very, very unstable fly
ing machine.”
The miniature helicopter can
be outfitted with almost any type
of camera. Smith claimed he
hasn’t lost a helicopter while
doing work for a customer.
Also at the field day, which
drew in more than 400 producers
and agribusiness representatives,
Les Stark, hemp researcher/
historian, demonstrated a
“hemp break” which allow- i“
ed growers long ago to sepa-
rate the fibers from the
woody stalks of a hemp
plant.
Shawn Lucas, student at the University of Maryland,
breaks up the gneiss and schist layers of soil about four
to five feet below ground.
Several areas demonstrated the day with information about soil
importance of caring for sod and layering, showing them the gray,
the factors making up good soil, sandy gneiss and schist layer,
Shawn Lucas, master’s degree * eet < * own a tre “ c |j>
.... . TT . .. r ,, and the upper, worm-aerated,
candidate at University of Mary- r
land, showed the importance of The field day also demonstrat
good drainage in soils. He pro- e d a conservation subtiller and
vided students attending the field no-till vegetable transplanter.
Steve Groff, on tractor, demonstrates no-till vegetable
transplanting.
Kindergartners from Camp Zone, Lancaster, attended
with teacher Jessica James, standing at right. They in
spected a “soil horizons” exhibit, filling plastic tubes with
different soil types, sponsored by the Chester County
Conservation District.
MANURE APPLICATION FIELD DAYS
August 1,2001
Joseph Musser Farm 9:00 am -1:00 pm
Shippensburg, PA
w. August 3
Pleasant View Farm, The Rodney Metzler Family 9:00 am -1:00 pm
Martinsburg, PA
• Featured Manure application equipment (conventional, incorporation, and variable
rate systems using GPS technology), calibration demonstrations, and conservation
practices
• Sponsored by Pennsylvania State University, The Pennsylvania State Conservation
Commission, and The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture
Pre-registration Requested;
Musser farm registration can be made with county agents George Hurd or Jere
Wmgert at 717-263-9226, or Robb Memen at 814-865-2987 or rjml34@psu.edu
Metzler Farm registration can be made with Robb Memen as listed above
Continuing Ed Credits:
Available for certified specialists
Directions to the Musser Farm:
From Shippensburg take Rt 533 West Turn right onto Spring Run Rd Turn left onto
Roxbury Rd Turn right onto Mongul Rd (go past Mongul idill Road') Turn left into the
3rd drive, which is the farm lane
Directions to the Metzler Farm:
From Rt. 866 take Cove Lane Rd to the West It is the only road to the West between
Curryville Agway and the Altoona Blair County Airport. Travel on Cove Lane Rd. until
you see the sign for Pleasant View Farms, The Rodney Metzler Family, and turn left
into the farm lane