Taranis and SiFly test long-endurance drones to improve crop data collection

Taranis, an AI-based crop intelligence provider, and SiFly Aviation, a maker of autonomous long-endurance drones, said they are launching a joint Field Validation Program in 2026 to test a new operational model for large-scale aerial crop monitoring. The initiative seeks to determine whether extended flight times and high-resolution sensors can improve coverage, data quality, and operational efficiency for farms and agricultural retailers.

The program will use SiFly’s Q12 drone, capable of up to three hours of flight while carrying advanced imaging equipment, to survey large areas in fewer missions. The approach could reduce the operational friction and cost associated with traditional short-duration drone surveys, a persistent challenge for growers collecting high-resolution agronomic data.

During the 2026 growing season, the companies plan to evaluate mission outcomes, operational efficiency, and AI analysis performance under real-world conditions. Taranis and SiFly said the findings would inform future technology development and support data-driven decision-making across US agriculture.

“This program reflects a shared focus on solving real operational challenges in agriculture,” said Joey Cline, Taranis vice president of operations. Brian Hinman, SiFly founder and CEO, added that long-endurance flight allows more consistent, large-scale data capture, covering more acres per mission while simplifying operations.

This collaboration comes as the agricultural technology sector increasingly seeks scalable solutions to manage larger farms and cooperative networks efficiently, where high-quality data is critical to operational and financial decision-making.