Pulse Aerospace planting role in ag industry through partnerships

Pulse Aerospace, a Kansas-based unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) developer, is utilizing recently formed partnerships to serve new agriculture-focused clients. Formed in 2013, the Kansas company has developed an unmanned helicopter system that can carry up to 10 pounds of payload and fly for approximately one hour on a single battery. The datalink system supplied with the UAV has a range of nearly 5 miles.

After forming a partnership with Juniper Unmanned, a private technology company that helps to simplify operations for system manufacturers and UAS operators, the Pulse team believes it can help ag entities fully integrate UAVs into day-to-day operations. The company also formed a partnership with YellowScan, a French-based UAS mapping company that recently added LiDAR capabilities to its suite of mapping and sensor offerings. Its new LiDAR offering is considered to be the lightest of all offerings, according to YellowScan.

Pulse believes its advanced autopilot is well suited for agricultural applications. “One of the things that sets the Vapor [Pulse Aerospace’s unmanned helicopter platform] apart from other UAS systems is it can be programmed to take off and go to a hover position with a single command,” said Aaron Lessig, company founder. “Once it is launched, it can also execute a complete preprogrammed mission without any user interface.”

Lessig explained that the system can fly back-and-fourth across and entire field to map, scout or monitor security. The platform could also be mounted with an infrared thermometer and fly above cattle to check for sick animals. At any time, the flight could be altered by the operator.

Earlier this year, Pulse Aerospace formed a partnership with AgJunction to utilize GPS and fluid application controls for ag-related activities including spraying.