Precision farming company SOYL has unveiled a new field scouting app called iSOYLscout which is set to make the recording, monitoring and review of in-field problems and variation easier for farmers.

The app works on iPhones and iPads and enables growers and anyone else helping to manage the business to log features and problems on the land while they are in the field.

The app is free to use in field and does not require a cellular or wifi connection when scouting in-field. A 50 GBP (~$65 USD) in-app purchase is required to download your features and patches into DropBox or OneDrive in shape file format.

“Our existing iSOYL variable-rate app transformed the variable rate application experience for growers and iSOYLscout is now set to take crop scouting to another level of simplicity. It will enable growers and their agronomists to achieve greater attention to detail, all delivered through the usual slick SOYL interface,” explains SOYL’s commercial director, Simon Parrington.

He continues, “The app can be used in any number of situations to log and record information around the farm. For example, growers could open the app and note patches of weeds so that they could refer back to the information later when making spraying plans, or log the location of natural features such as trees or ponds which will help when creating crop protection application plans perhaps months or even years later.”

As well as areas of interest, any other information which the grower thinks useful can be recorded at a specific point on the land. Users can add and edit a list of points pertinent to their farm. Information can be noted via GPS or manually. Free text edits of any length and photographs can be added too.

Once data collection is completed, the scouted data is uploaded to a DropBox or OneDrive using either cellular signal or WiFi. All those with permission to access the account can then access the shape files that describe the areas, points, comments and photos which have been recorded. This is especially useful where farmers want to share information with their advisors and vice versa for planning and management purposes.  The shape file records that have been logged in field can then be viewed in most types of precision farming software.

SOYL is exhibiting at the premier precision agriculture event, InfoAg 2016 in St Louis, MO, on 2-4 August, where there will be an opportunity for visitors to use and learn more about iSOYLscout.

Growers can download the app on the Apple App Store.