This question certainly raises another, why do I need both?

The answer to these questions starts with the goal of conserving water. The smart use of water to improve soil quality, especially in agronomic applications, requires optimal use of this precious resource. In-ground sensing has been used for many years and even enhanced with wireless sensors connected to cloud-based analysis and control. In many instances, visual human observations provided verification or the ultimate quality control to the process.

To take water and chemical use for fertilizing, weed and pest control to a more optimal level, a company that provides permanent buried wireless monitoring partnered with a company that makes drone hardware and sensors for remote sensing and mapping. With Soil Scout’s buried wireless monitoring and GreenSight’s drones, sensors and software, golf course greenkeepers get real-time analysis for optimal above and below ground conditions for their courses. This analysis enables increased efficiency on water and nutrient usage.

Soil Scout wireless sensors are capable of transmitting moisture, temperature and salinity data in near real-time from up to 2 meters (6 feet) below the surface for up to 20 years of maintenance free, out-of-sight performance.

With GreensSight TurfCloud product line that includes multiple sensors such as high-resolution visible spectrum, custom-tuned near-infrared light (NDVI), and thermal imaging, it is possible to add sensors to a baseline camera in a drone, or use a completely custom set of sensors as needed.

By combining Soil Scout’s soil condition sensors to GreenSight’s TurfCloud platform with machine vision analysis of the entire golf course captured by drone-mounted sensors, a greenkeeper can see everything happening on the golf course and plan for the day’s optimal water and nutrient treatment before going outside.