Wilbur-Ellis, Guardian Agriculture partner to bring autonomous aerial application to growers

A multimillion dollar partnership between Guardian Agriculture, developer of the first fully autonomous crop protection aircraft system, and Wilbur-Ellis, a marketer, distributor, and manufacturer of ag products, speciality chemicals, and animal feed, will provide Wilbur-Ellis customers with the ability to access state-of-the-art technology.

“This is the first new aerial technology to make a material impact on American farms. We believe it can be profitably and rapidly deployed and are looking forward to working with Guardian Ag to roll out their technology to our customers and partners,” says Mike Wilbur, Chief Executive Officer of Cavallo Ventures at Wilbur-Ellis.

For less time and money than it would normally take, the Guardian Ag’s fully electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft system can safely, securely, and precisely apply crop protection products. The autonomous aircraft can carry multi-hundred-pound payloads, giving it the ability to handle a wide range of applications. Equipped with four 6-foot propellers and an overall 15-foot aircraft width, the system can cover 40 acres per hour. 

Regulatory approval is already in the works and Guardian Ag expects the eVTOL to be available to growers in 2023.

To learn more about Guardian Agriculture, visit guardian.ag.