Submitted

Simpson Farm Enterprises Inc. and Apis Remote Sensing Systems LLC, both of Hays, have announced a strategic partnership to further encourage and promote the use of small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) for use in agriculture and the rural landscape at large. Under the agreement, Apis provides training, service, and support for Simpson customers on a selection of unmanned systems; including the newly-released AgEagle RX60. AgEagle robotic aircraft are manufactured in Neodesha and distributed exclusively by Raven Industries.

When asked about the agreement, Simpson Farm Enterprises President Jed Simpson said, “This is a very exciting time to be in agriculture. Drone photography provides our customers with the kind of crop knowledge that until very recently was cost-prohibitive. We want our customers to have the best possible experience, and that’s where Apis comes in.”

“At the end of the day, we’re all about the data,” said Beau Dealy, Managing Partner with Apis Remote Sensing. “Teaming up with Simpson ensures that we can help folks to leverage unmanned technology in the context of useable, real-world applications. When a grower asks to buy a drone, we want to ensure it’s being used with return-on-investment in mind.”

Established in 2013, Apis Remote Sensing Systems was founded on a mission to provide customers with second-to-none sales, support, and service for unmanned aircraft systems. The Apis staff has over thirty combined years of experience in geographic information systems (GIS) and remote sensing. In May 2015, Apis was one of the first private businesses in in the state of Kansas to be approved for commercial operation of sUAS under FAA section 333 exemption. More information is available via www.apisremote.com.

Simpson Farm Enterprises has been in the agricultural applications business for over 35 years; selling and servicing equipment from Raven, Apache, GVM Mako, Miller, New Holland, and many others. Simpson Farm Enterprises has a full-time staff of 35 employees; serving customers from four Kansas stores located in Ransom, Hays, Great Bend, and Beloit. For more information on all Simpson products and services, see www.simpsonfarm.com.