LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The National Farm Machinery Show brings together Kentucky farmers and vendors of the most advanced agricultural technology available.

Vendors from around the world are set up at the Kentucky Exposition Center, demonstrating tech geared for small and large farming operations.

“The drones are completely autonomous," said Nathan Stein, founder of AIRSTRIKE AG, which trains farmers on how to use large spray drones to map and treat fields. "They fly to the field and back at full speed and land completely autonomously." 

It’s an ever-advancing technology allowing farmers to precisely treat their crops.

“This can fly 40 mph now,” Stein said as he displayed a drone behind him. “The predecessor, the P100 Pro, was 31 miles, which was an industry first. This is 40 mph, which is enabling it to cover about up to 60 acres or more an hour." 

When it comes to incorporating new technology, Stein said the agricultural industry is historically ahead of the curve, and drones are no different. 

“It’s doing things like mapping the field as you fly, and as you turn around, it remembers what that ground looks like," Stein said. "It's going to use that to help the aircraft fly better, and it learns as it goes."

The Iowa farmer and drone expert has more than 20 years of experience in agricultural sciences and said he’s fielding questions all the time as drones are in the national spotlight more than ever.

“We get a lot of questions about military, actually, in the junction," Stein said. "There’s always a lot of jesting whether we’re flying over New Jersey or doing whatever. No, we fly as safely as possible, obviously.”

AI mapping and imaging allows these drones to fly with the highest degree of safety, he said.