Could North Dakota Drones Help Feed The World?

The following piece has nothing to do with cars, but covers subjects I'm quite interested in: sustainability and feeding the world. I'd written this piece for an international publication, but due to editorial adjustments, it was never used. Its home is now on here...

Farming crops is intensive, expensive and quite often, inefficient. Large areas of farmland often covering areas of several hundreds of acres, face constant threats from pests and weeds, significantly damaging the output of a farm. And with an increasing number of the world’s population facing the prospect of going hungry, these issues are quite literally killers.

When visiting 2014 Farnborough International Airshow, I met representatives from the state of North Dakota and the University of North Dakota (UND). Together, they believe they’re developing a solution that could help combat these food issues, working on technology that could enable farmers to use unmanned drones to monitor their crops.

Unmanned drones do exactly what they say on the tin - they fly without a pilot on board - and therefore can be controlled from pretty much any location on the ground. Testing for these vehicles has been taking place at the Northern Plains Test Site in North Dakota, the first of its kind in the US.

Both the state and UND work together at this site, sharing knowledge and findings to better understand how unmanned aerial system (UAS) drones can be used to find trends in crop growth. These findings can then be used to give farmers a better understanding of where their crops may be performing best and worst, and then ideas of how to better the situation.

To illustrate with an example, let’s imagine an area of crop may be underperforming due to pest infestation. The findings of the drones will enable farmers to pinpoint exactly where the issue is happening, to then target that area specifically with pesticides. This not only improves the situation at that location, but also helps to minimise the amount of pesticides used, reducing costs and improving output, as well as minimising negative environmental impacts. North Dakota calls it ‘Precision Agriculture.’

Trevor Woods, the site’s Technical Manager, told me that the relationship between state and University is of incredibly high importance. “UND is the backbone of the test site. It provides the staff, processes and knowledge from research. In fact UND has been researching these technologies since 2003, so there’s a substantial amount of knowledge to be shared.”

Working on the project with Woods is Terry Sando, the UAS Sector Senior Manager in North Dakota. Sando emphasised the savings in costs the use of these drones could bring. “We’d like to have a goal of 50 per cent savings, but we’re going for about 30 to 35 per cent on input costs as well as herbicides and pesticides.”

These savings could bring substantial benefits, especially if the technology is used internationally. Sando said “with another 2.3 billion mouths to feed by 2050, we have to bring out as much efficiency in farming as possible.”

And nowhere is that efficiency needed more than in China. China’s population is expected to soar beyond 1.5 billion people by 2030, but a significant 260 million farmers are expected to leave their land for the cities. The same number of farmers have already made the move since 1978, meaning a fast growing population is facing a fast shrinking food supply.

Such is the shift from self sufficiency to dependency on imports, that China’s annual imports of commodities, goods and services are predicted to total $10 trillion by 2018, and it’s already the world’s highest net importer according to the WTO. A system to help optimise the production of food will therefore be of massive importance if China is to feed its population, something its communist government will no doubt know.

It’s for this reason, across the North Pacific Ocean from China and in the Upper Midwestern region of the US, drone technology could offer a major helping hand. In fact, it’s already begun to help China, as Woods explained.

“We have 120 aircraft that fly over 30,000 flight hours a year, and half of these hours are used for international training. Countries like China, Taiwan, Japan and Saudi Arabia all benefit with training for their countrymen, enabling them to take the skills home and pass on the knowledge. We even have an undergraduate degree programme open to international students.”

Furthering this international involvement, is a new development called Grand Sky. Sando told us that “it’s a 217 acre high technology business park where we hope we can develop a cluster of technology partners, that can feed on each other's expertise in unmanned systems. We’ve had contact from organisations in China and Singapore already.”

Despite the exciting prospect of technology that can improve farming efficiency by something like a third, both Woods and Sando wanted to emphasise that this technology was still very much in an experimental phase. But the potential is certainly there, and it is very large indeed. Outside of crop farming, fisheries, fracking sites and renewable energy systems could be monitored by the drone’s complex sensors, enabling optimisation in each industry.

It’s still early days for North Dakota’s Precision Agriculture drones, but there’s no doubting they could be instrumental in helping reduce the costs of farming one day. More importantly though, they could also be incredibly useful in one of the biggest issues to ever face mankind: feeding an ever growing global population in times of increasing climate instability. North Dakota’s drones, it seems, really could save lives. 

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Could Trident's Iceni Be The World’s First Economical Supercar?

I spoke to Trident's Phil Bevan after the launch of the Iceni Magna and Iceni Venturer, two of three potentially ground-breaking cars that can reach 190mph and eke 2000 miles out of one tank

The diesel engine. Once rarely found far from the accelerator pedal of an angry white-van-man, it’s now responsible for the last eight victories in the prestigious Le Mans 24 Hours. Surprisingly though, before the giants of Audi and Peugeot clinched those wins, a small Norfolk based car firm had already long been pushing to maximise diesel’s performance potential.

“We actually started the diesel program way before other manufacturers went to Le Mans with a diesel LMP1 car,’” Phil Bevan, Managing Director of Trident Sports Cars tells me. “We attended the Le Mans organisers before they did as well.”

Bold claims from a company that has just unveiled two new cars, but not claims that lack any substance. Named the Trident Iceni Magna and Venturer, these new tourer and estate versions of the existing sports car can reach 60mph in just 3.7 seconds and blast their way beyond 190mph. This makes the Iceni faster than Jaguar’s V8 S F-Type roadster.

The Iceni Magna displays a split rear-screen

Such performance is available thanks to a monstrous 6.6-litre GM-sourced V8, a diesel unit that in Trident’s hands can produce an impressive 424bhp but most importantly, 950lb-ft of torque. But get this, for extra cash and presumably those with King Kong-levels of chest-hair, you can even upgrade Iceni’s V8 to produce 651bhp and a terrifying 1057lb-ft of torque. That’s a truly earth-moving amount of grunt.

“If you look at our torque figures they are generally double that of our competitors.” Phil’s right, even Jag’s mighty V8 S can only stir up a measly 460lb-ft. But why so much?

“Torque is the accelerating force that horsepower takes over from once the accelerating has finished. The question is, when does a car stop accelerating if you keep changing gear?”

A long bonnet houses the 6.6-litre diesel V8

Well it won’t, not in the Trident apparently because pushing all that torque through the rear-wheels will be a rear-mounted eight-speed automatic gearbox. And with so many cogs to play with, the Iceni will be able to maximise its acceleration at all times, making for effortless speed gain and the most precarious license losing levels yet seen in this segment.

Using their own electronic engine control unit, the small car firm hasn’t just achieved impressive straight-line performance, but also enabled truly astronomical levels of economy.

“68.9mpg is at just 980 revs which means you will be travelling at 70mph,” explains Phil, “and the car can even run on 100% bio-diesel, things like cooking oil and rapeseed.”

The Iceni sports car was unveiled ahead of the Magna and Venturer

This enables the Iceni to cover an astonishing 2000 miles to one tank. That’s three times the length of the UK before your first fuel stop. All this in a car that can outdrag established rivals to 60, offers a luxurious leather and alcantara interior and is available in three body types. Impressive.

Perhaps the most striking of those body shapes is the originally unveiled sports car. Supporting a roll bar that runs from the middle of the windscreen into the smooth plain of the almost Jaguar-like rear, it serves both aesthetically and functionally to give the car a much more purposeful appearance.

“The longitudinal roll-over bar offers super-safe occupancy for passengers even in the event of a roll.” Phil goes on to explain that the bar also helps to enhance handling; “it makes the triangulated structure more akin to the structural rigidity of a saloon car.” And in the world of open top sports cars, more rigidity equals better handling.

Leather and alcantara is used in abundance

That’s not to say the Iceni is an out and out racer however. Phil explains that whilst the car possesses some truly blistering pace, it’s closer to that of Grand Tourer, “providing a very compliant ride along with its excellent handling.”

“We will never produce a car with Nurburgring tuned suspension because the roads in this country are full of ridges, cambers and pot holes; nothing like the Nurburgring or any race circuit. We believe that over firm suspended cars are an excuse for a properly set up car.” No doubt great news for the bottoms of prospective Iceni drivers.

Such early days for small British supercar firms can be nervous times, but there are undoubtedly signs that the Trident story could be one destined for long-term success. A racing program looks possible for the future, giving the brand a chance to demonstrate its new car against far more established marques’ machinery. Whilst a waiting list of prospective buyers from across the globe should ensure the Norfolk production plant will see the Iceni, available from £96,000 in its entry level, one day burble its way onto the roads.

Defining longitudinal beam adds structural rigidity

All sounds great, but there is one overriding concern for sports car lovers of the world; how will it sound? Diesels aren’t particularly aurally pleasing and let’s face it, they can sometimes ruin a car’s sporting credentials. But thankfully, Phil is confident in saying that the case is very different in his Iceni.

“As our engine runs on Piezo fuel injectors it sounds like a petrol engine. Under hard acceleration it even sounds more like a Euro Fighter taking off. It really makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end.”

Euro Fighter? That’ll go nicely with that ridiculous torque figure then.

The Dacia Sandero: Cheap and Cheerful?

Unless your daily commute involves dodging cows and the badge between your hands says Tata, buying a new car often isn’t cheap. Or is it? Well Romania has come to town with an answer, and it's worth just £5,995.

Photography: Nikolai Attard and Phillip Morton

Meet Dacia, the subsidiary of Renault that comes from the Eastern European country, and their budget offering, the Sandero. Priced at the same value as a five-year old Vauxhall Astra, Dacia's Sandero is officially Britain’s cheapest new car. How does it compare against its pricier rivals in the well-populated hatchback segment then?

On first glances, prospects look bleak. Unpainted plastic bumpers, steel wheels and a white-only exterior that offers little more than a simple two-box design, the Sandero certainly isn’t a looker. The same can be said for the interior, where grey plastics accompany a whole-lot of nothing. Our model is fitted with an optional radio but entry level cars feature little more luxuries than a heater and rev-counter, so stepping inside can feel a little like rewinding time, by a decade or three. Emphasising this is a lack of central locking and wind-up windows – properly old school.

Black plastic bumpers dominate the exterior

Cues to the car’s underpinnings – shared with the Mk2 Clio that went on sale way back in 1998 – are evident throughout. Outside the wheel base matches a Mk2 Clio, whilst an upright seating position and even the steering-column cover is identical to what you’d find in the old car – though the Access Sandero does without the height adjustment arm and therefore remains fixed. The electrics are undoubtedly Renault parts-bin sourced too, with the auto-engaging rear-wiper and even gear-change light being identical to those found on old French hatches.

But it’s not all bad news. The car possesses four airbags (driver, passenger and front side-impact) enabling it to achieve a respectable four-star Euro NCAP rating. The positives continue once the key is turned too, as our car’s 75bhp 1.2-litre petrol engine ticks-over silently, the only evidence of its existence coming from the slightest hint of vibration through the gear-knob.

A simple interior contains only the essentials

Pootling around central London at close to the capital’s average top speed (only just nudging double figures) the Dacia remains a calm, composed place to be. Effortlessly light steering gives a good amount of confidence whilst soft suspension, a featherweight clutch and instant brakes make driving through one of the world’s densest cities easy. Parking the Sandero is a doddle too, the van-like door mirrors and high seating position offering a wide range of visibility. The Sandero does slow, urban driving well then.

The same can’t be said about anything remotely fast however. Venturing onto a dual carriageway requires a scary amount of rolling-up (lorries and OAPs have never looked so fast), whilst even pulling out of junctions requires you to spin the needle up the rev-counter far more than you’d expect. Ignore the dash’s eco change-up light, you’ll need far more than its recommended 2,000rpm to speed up to 60 in anything under 20 seconds. Once moving at over 60 the Dacia’s once silent engine becomes a bit of a growler, providing a permanent hum in the background at all times. It isn’t helped by the urban-gearing of the five-speed ‘box either, resulting in a significant 4,000 revs being required to sit at 70.

The Sandero thrives in town

Despite this the car still returns good fuel economy, with our 350 mile round trip across urban and extra-urban roads requiring little more than half a tank of fuel. But even with such a small dent in the wallet, the under damped suspension and vague steering that presents itself at motorway speeds could leave you spending your savings on aspirin; a bouncy motorway experience requiring constant focus to remain between lane-lines. Unsurprisingly, it’s not even worth mentioning the Sandero’s high-speed cornering ability, though thinking of a Citroën 2CV might provide some idea..

All in all, at speed the Sandero really struggles. With such a high level set by today’s range of hatchbacks the Sandero feels as though it’s 20 years behind, especially once outside the boarders of suburbia. Within them however, the Sandero is a strong performer. It offers good leg room both front and rear, five doors as standard, whilst storage space, cup-holders and a class leading 320-litre boot mean the Sandero would make the perfect car for taking the kids to school, doing the weekly shop or popping to the post office; all this for a fiver less than £6,000.

Sampling London's tight streets

In all honesty paying an extra £1,600 and opting for the better specced Ambience fitted with the 898cc TCe engine would be our choice, that engine providing all round better performance and cheaper tax (£30 a year to the 1.2’s £105). But even at £7,595, this more luxurious Sandero still undercuts rivals like the Kia Rio by a substantial £2,400. And when you put it like that it’s hard to disagree, the Dacia Sandero is nothing short of a bargain. So it turns out Romania does have the answer, thanks to a little help from the French.

Specs

Engine 1149cc, 4cyl, FWD

Gearbox 5-speed, manual

Power 75bhp @ 5500rpm

Torque 79lb ft @4250rpm

CO2 135g/km

Top speed 97mph

0-62 mph 14.5secs

Combined mpg 48.7

Manufacturer’s OTR price £5,995 (+ £250 for optional radio as tested here)

Car Throttle Video

In an attempt to become more famous than Joey Essex, I featured in one of Car Throttle's Readers' Rides videos. Posted online on the 25th February, the guys have clearly produced a fantastic quality video that somehow turned my ramblings into a pretty awesome clip.

Just so you know, despite the rattles, I still absolutely love this car. Here it is:

How to Become a Boy Racer

For my latest University portfolio I have created a slightly less serious video. Taking massive inspiration from the guys at CarThrottle.com (the portfolio requires you to target a publication/website), we came up with this 'How to Become a Boy Racer' video. Hopefully it'll make you giggle once or twice..