Crop dusters are required by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to stay at least 500 feet from roads and structures, severely limiting their ability to reach crops on the edges. Drones, on the other hand, are allowed to fl y much closer to roads and buildings – as close as 100 feet. “This means drones offer a much broader delivery option for the entire fi eld, not just the center rows,” says Scott. “That’s the fi rst advantage – a greater footprint.” “The second advantage of drone-based crop management goes beyond geographic coverage. Drones can fl y lower than those fi xed wing aircraft, meaning they can deliver nutrients and herbicides more precisely with much less of these costly materials needed for a given area. The cost of applied materials is signi fi cant, and this higher level of ef fi ciency drops right to the bottom line for the small farmer.” Precision also brings a higher level of selectivity, says Scott – the third advantage of a drone-based approach. “Different areas of a fi eld need different levels of application, whether it is nutrients or disease management chemicals. Bulk application leaves some areas needing more while other areas become over- saturated. Rodopto is leveraging the value of precise crop surveillance data to target and deliver equally precise materials application.” Finally, higher precision application is less harmful to the environment, making it a more sustainable option. Consumer scrutiny of the chemicals used to grow their food is a critical – and growing – concern for farmers, whether they label their crops organic or not. “And it’s not just pesticides,” notes Scott. “Just look at red tide, the harmful algae blooms occurring every year in downstream areas like Florida’s coastal waters that threaten wildlife and beaches alike. That’s the result of the run-off of over-fertilization well up-stream that fi nds its way through streams and rivers and into the Atlantic ocean and gulf waters. Overspray – ‘collateral damage’ as we call it in military terms – is a huge issue.” SWEET HOME ALABAMA Scott is taking a targeted market approach to developing his company’s products, services and value proposition, beginning with the needs of small farmers right here in Alabama. “The value of all the crops grown in Alabama is roughly $1.2 billion annually grown on an estimated 2.8 million acres,” notes Scott.
“That’s a sizable overall market. Alabama farmers spend approximately $90 million a year on crop application services, and we’re addressing the portion of that market represented by small farms – those under 200 acres.” It turns out that small farms in Alabama represent 75% of all farms in the state. The United States Department of Agriculture’s latest statistics show that there were 30,377 farms under 180 acres operating in Alabama in 2017, the latest year numbers were reported. “How can we help deliver the advantages of drone technology and advanced analytics – including AI – to an important market segment that could bene fi t tremendously but knows very little about how to make that happen? How can we make adoption of new ideas and approaches easier for them? More ef fi cient? Less cost- prohibitive? In the end, Rodopto is all about
potential investors as clearly and succinctly as I did. The hours upon hours she spent with me re fi ning my pitch alone must have been challenging for her, but trust me, I appreciate it immensely.” THE PATH FORWARD Scott is focusing on three things as he moves into the next stage of Rodopto’s development. 1. He’s modifying the drone he purchased using his Tiger Cage winnings into his fi rst prototype, which he intends to use in practical trials with local Alabama farmers. 2. He’s working with the FAA to secure the exemptions he needs to be able to fl y multiple drones across a given fi eld – “swarming,” as it is called – which will expand the effectiveness of Rodopto’s approach over the longer term.
helping them overcome these challenges.”
3. He’s looking for partners who can help accelerate the adoption of his drone- based approach, be they major agricultural equipment suppliers looking to leverage the latest technology, small farming organizations, or agriculture-focused investors seeking to participate in what Scott sees as a potentially lucrative, fast- growing market. “I know there’s a tremendous need. I know there are promising solutions we can bring to the table. We’ve moved the needle a little bit so far, and interest is growing. What I’m looking for now is others who know more than I do about how to help make all of this happen.”
Scott credits Auburn University – and the New Venture Accelerator in particular – with providing critical components of his company’s success to date, citing both the expertise he’s drawn on from his mentor within the College of Agriculture, Max Runge, and the mentorship and start-up services of the NVA. “I couldn’t have placed as high as I did in this year’s Tiger Cage fi nals without the incredible Auburn Family. The combination of engineering, fl ight, agriculture, and business expertise right here at Auburn puts me in a great position to succeed. Without Jennifer Nay as my entrepreneur coach at the NVA, there’s no way I would have been able to present the potential of Rodopto to contest judges and
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