WESTVILLE, Ind. — The drones some farmers use to take better care of their fields and crops will one day be almost as easy to operate as a child’s store-bought remote-control airplane.

The number of farmers with these eye-in-the-sky devices is predicted to rise sharply as advancements in technology make the aircrafts that can fly and hover much smaller and less costly. Except for the high-powered cameras attached to the devices, "These things are going to be disposable items," said Keith Baker, owner of Baker Ag Services, Inc. outside the northwestern Indiana city of La Porte.

Baker was among the speakers March 26 in Westville during the Cover Crops Field Day sponsored by Purdue University extension with help from the Soil and Water Conservation Districts in LaPorte and Porter counties and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Plenty of sharp images on a projector screen revealed the detail unmanned aerial systems above fields can provide on the physical condition of crops – even those growing in the middle of large spreads. Farmers can take the data, previously obtained from piloted airplanes, to diagnose and work on improving the health of ailing crops.

Baker told the more than 100 people in attendance the flying saucer-type devices are the ‘’new frontier’’ in agriculture, with their use predicted to increase dramatically over the next three years. The projections, if they hold true, will produce 70,000 new jobs and a more-than $13 billion economic impact.

"We expect it to be very big," said Baker, who held up an unmanned aerial vehicle, or UAV, weighing just four pounds, much less than the 55-pound device he briefly mentioned during his presentation. He said the United States is behind Canada and Europe in the use of drones for agriculture purposes, but the gap should close thanks to the insatiable appetite in society for quick information.

The technological age creating devices like the internet and smart phones provides a smooth transition for rapid data collection from space-age-type devices allowed to fly up to 500 feet off the ground under federal regulations, said Baker. "We’re a society that wants information right now," he added.

Other benefits of having aerial photos include more effective spotting of nitrogen deficiencies and moisture stresses in the soil, and locating needed repairs to irrigation systems that otherwise might have gone unnoticed.

Livestock farmers using the technology can obtain more accurate head counts, better identify animals with health issues and do other things like check for broken fences, he said.

How farmers deciding to plant cover crops can achieve their desired results was among the other focuses of the all-day gathering. Jamie Scott has been planting cover crops on his 2,000-acre spread near Warsaw practically since getting into agriculture 12 years ago.

He said there’s been a resurgence especially in the past 3-5 years in planting cover crops like wheat, rye grass and red clover in the fields after cash crops such as corn and soybeans are harvested. The benefits are more long-term, often taking five years or more to become noticeable and despite the cost/profit margins, if done correctly, increase from less money spent on factors like fertilizer, herbicides and other supplies.

Scott said early studies reveal crops in fields with cover during the off season withstand drought and other conditions like pest invasions more effectively. He also said the same traditional crops are more weed-resistant and produce higher yields, but he isn’t sure why.

He did point to the improved soil quality that comes from not leaving fields bare during the fall and winter. Nutrients drawn in by the roots of cover crops replenish soil below the surface and when the cover crops are cleared before spring planting and later decay, organic matter is put back into the ground to further aid traditional cash crops.

In addition to preventing soil erosion, cover crops help generate new soil, a major benefit to a farmer wanting to make a stretch of less-fertile ground more productive, he said.

Baker emphasized before deciding to plant cover crops, farmers should do all they can to find out which plants are best suited for their soil types and the kinds of chemicals and correct amounts that should be applied to improve the odds of success. He advised beginners to experiment on a small area first, then after achieving success apply those skills to a wider area because of the amount of adjustments that might have to be made for ideal results.

"Don’t go home and try it on all of your acreage yet," said Baker.

Gene Matzat, an educator with the extension office in La Porte, presented statistics that showed 66 percent of the corn and 73 percent of soybeans in the United States last year resulted from the increasingly popular method of no-till planting.

"The interest has been growing," said Matzat, who added this informational event has been held in each of the past three years in conjunction with the same cosponsors of this year’s presentation.