By Scout Nelson
A new project in North Dakota is using drones and artificial intelligence (AI) to help control noxious weeds in five counties. The North Dakota Department of Agriculture has awarded a $300,000 state grant to fund the program for the 2025 and 2026 growing seasons. This project aims to provide an efficient way for weed control officials to detect and respond to new infestations quickly.
The Grand Farm, a research organization near Casselton, is leading this initiative. The organization will use drones equipped with AI technology to scout for weeds. The drones will capture images of weeds at different growth stages and times of day. The data will then be fed into an AI system, which will learn to identify various weeds based on these images.
Nathan Marcotte, the senior program manager at Grand Farm, explained that the first phase of the project involves training the AI system. This includes showing the AI hundreds of photos of weeds, taken under different conditions, to help it accurately identify them. This system will help weed control officials detect infestations early, allowing them to take action quickly before the weeds spread.
Farmers and weed officers in five southeastern counties — Barnes, Cass, Richland, Steele, and others — will work closely with the research team to monitor and manage noxious weeds. By using drones and AI, this program provides an innovative solution to combat the growing problem of invasive plants.
Photo by: gettyimages-seregalsv
Categories: North Dakota, Business