African drone company uses AI to give vital help to US fruit, nut farmers

JOHANNESBURG – South Africa’s Aerobotics is reportedly utilising artificial intelligence (AI) in helping fruit and nut farmers improve crop yields.

Although the Cape Town-based company only started nine years ago, it is already operating in 18 countries, with the United States (U.S) being their largest market, followed by South Africa, Australia, Spain and Portugal.

According to Fox news, its customers produce tens of millions of tonnes of fresh produce every year.

California is now ground zero for Aerobotics – where the company had the biggest concentration of customers.

On its 76,000 farms and ranches, sources agreed, the state produced more than half of all fruit and vegetables grown in the U.S.

The California Climate and Agriculture network recently warned, “Dependent on the weather and water availability, the state has much to lose if the worst impacts of climate change on agriculture are not avoided,” the organisation warned in a recent statement.

Which was where Aerobotics had stepped in, using AI to reverse these trends by almost miraculously helping directly to increase not just the amount of produce grown, but also utilise the dwindling water resources more efficiently.

“Food security is a global challenge and everyone is being challenged to do more with less. Using the latest AI and different imagery sources, Aerobotics helps the fruit and nut industry make better decisions and improve yields,” the company’s Chief Executive Officer, James Paterson, told Fox News Digital.

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