With costs for farming supplies continuing to rise, including pesticides and fertilizer, it is critical for growers to have access to hyperlocal weather data that can help them maximize crop management decisions, irrigation efficiency and yield.
A new tool available for the 2022 season, the KestrelMet™ 6000 AG Weather Station, provides farmers with a simple, cost-effective way to manage risk, create management timelines and achieve better irrigation efficiency.
On-farm monitoring solution
“The KestrelMet 6000 AG weather station is an on-site monitoring solution for farmers and agricultural operation managers who want an affordable option [for] easy access to their data without complex sensor, power and communication configuration decisions,” says Eric Rollins, KestrelMet Agricultural Sales Manager.
“With hardware and subscriptions that cost less than half of what other leading companies charge, the KestrelMet 6000 AG delivers the lowest total cost of ownership for a cellular weather station.”
The KestrelMet 6000 AG Weather Station was developed in close cooperation with farmers and leading organizations in integrated pest management (IPM), resulting in a rugged unit designed to provide farmers access to localized, live, continuous weather data they can use to optimize irrigation and production on a field-by-field basis.
“Most farms are miles away from the nearest weather station, which is typically located near urban areas or airports, making it difficult to get the most accurate conditions for their locations,” says Rollins. “Combine this with hundreds or thousands of acres to manage, and accurate weather data becomes critical to their profitability.”
Cellular data transmission
Featuring cellular data transmission, the KestrelMet 6000 AG weather station gives farmers an on-farm tool that lets them view data on the KestrelMet cloud within minutes, accessible on any mobile device. Equipped with an integrated cellular modem, high-power photovoltaic panel, battery and intelligent power management, the KestrelMet 6000 AG requires no external power source or Wi-Fi connectivity.
Easily deployable and remote, the KestrelMet 6000 AG weather station arrives pre-assembled for fast setup and frustration-free installation. It includes a low-cost cellular plan — with the first year free — to connect the station to the online monitoring dashboard or the app.
Starting at $1,299, the KestrelMet 6000 AG can be customized with additional sensors to monitor soil moisture, soil temperature, leaf wetness and solar irradiance.
Measurements
- Temperature
- Relative humidity
- Wind speed
- Wind direction
- Dewpoint
- Barometric pressure
- Rainfall
- Leaf wetness ($149)
- Solar irradiance ($199)
- Soil sensor array — Watermark™ sensors at three different depths ($599)
“With the new KestrelMet 6000 AG, we wanted to provide a simple, comprehensive weather station that is affordable, easy to deploy and integrates seamlessly into a farmer’s existing smart farming solutions,” says Rollins. “It gives farmers with irrigation more control over their data, so they can produce more with less.”
For more information about features or to order the KestrelMet 6000 AG weather station, please visit https://kestrelmet.com/agriculture-weather-stations.
Source: KestrelMet
