Ag in Motion 2025 saw a big increase in the number of drone support tenders on display.
The tenders are either a truck- or trailer-mounted system to act as landing pad, operator’s station and refill platform for large agricultural drones. Many of those tenders made their first appearance not only at the show but also in the Prairie marketplace.
The increase in interest in drones from those attending field demonstrations at AIM suggests farmers may be starting to see practical applications of the technology on their farms.
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As well, the support tender is becoming seen as a key component in efficient on-farm drone use.
To highlight that fact, a drone tender won an Ag in Motion Innovation Award. It was chosen by judges who saw it as a new product likely to have a significant impact on farming. PhiBer Manufacturing of Crystal City, Man., claimed the award for its Dash drone tender trailer.
“It (drone use) is one of the fastest growing segments of agriculture right now,” PhiBer chief executive officer Derek Friesen said during a sod-turning ceremony at the company’s manufacturing plant in June.
“This (Dash tender) trailer will replace what a typical ground sprayer will do in acres per hour. We’ve built the infrastructure to support those drones.”
Along with the PhiBer Dash trailer, there were several other similar systems competing for attention from show goers, including another Manitoba-based company, Farm and Sky Tech Ltd.
“Over the course of the last six months, we came up with this design,” said Barry Walker, co-owner of Farm and Sky Tech Ltd. in Nepawa, Man.
Walker’s company was displaying its prototype design, which is made entirely of galvanized steel and intended to be mounted on a deck trailer. Unlike the PhiBer Dash, which is integrated with a trailer, the Farm and Sky tender is made to sit on an existing deck trailer.
Like the PhiBer, the Farm and Sky tender allows for the sidewalls to lift up hydraulically and provide a wide upper deck capable of handling multiple large drones.
It also offered a partly protected upper platform station for the drone pilots to stand. Walker said the company will likely make a few small changes from the original design it displayed at AIM.
“I don’t know if we’ll ever stop evolving as it exists right now,” he said.
“We know there are some changes coming for that very soon.”
The Farm and Sky tender is modular, built out of eight- to nine-foot sections, so it can be customized to meet the needs of a particular buyer as well as fit on to any size trailer a buyer wants to use.
“This is a unique design,” said Walker.
“You tell me what size of trailer you have and I’ll build it for you.”
Walker said the company was offering to sell the prototype model on display for $35,000.
For someone who wants a more manoeuvrable tender, Elev8 Drone Service from Creston, B.C., displayed its Sky Rig platform, which is designed to be mounted on a one-ton truck.
Company owner Peter Wall said the Sky Rig gives operators the ability to drive into tighter locations where a trailer tender may not be practical or used when a single drone is all that is required.
“For example, fence line or waterway spraying, or for us, orchard spraying. Very often, you can’t get in with a trailer. You can’t turn around or you don’t want to tramp over your field.”
The Sky Rig uses a metal box at the rear to house the drone. It can then be lifted up hydraulically to allow the drone to use an upper deck above the cab as a landing pad. A water tank is located in the truck bed, and a product tank goes up with the drone for easy access.
“You drive out to the location, lift up the box with the hydraulic power pack, you open the lid, get the drone out and you’re ready to fly,” he said.
“We build it all flexible with the farmer in mind. It fits in a short bed, long bed or flat deck. It’s very versatile.”
The Sky Rig retails for $35,000, and a customer could expect delivery in three to four weeks after placing an order, he added.
