Navajo Nation to use drones to monitor crops

The Navajo Nation's farming enterprise plans to buy an unmanned aircraft as soon as next summer to help monitor its crops. 

The drone would be used to watch for changes in crops grown by the Navajo Agricultural Products Industry. CEO Tsosie  Lewis tells the Farmington Daily Times it would replace a contractor's manned plane flyovers and be cheaper. 

The Navajo farming operation grows potatoes, alfalfa, pinto beans, corn and winter wheat on 72,000 acres of farmland south of Farmington. The tribe-owned enterprise is aggressively seeking to expand the market for its "Navajo Pride" products. It generates $400 million in annual revenue, and employs more than 400 people.

Navajo Nation to use drones to monitor crops