2025 Excellence in Small Farms Technology Award Winner

$5K Prize

The FarmGuard team developed an autonomous drone system to help farmers detect and deter deer, reducing crop loss and increasing the feasibility of local farms, specifically targeting the needs of small, sustainable farms.

The FarmGuard drone uses onboard cameras and computer vision algorithms to detect deer in real-time, during both day and night, and employs deterrents such as lights and speakers. It also utilizes optimized flight paths to maximize coverage while minimizing energy consumption. The team is also working on self-charging capabilities for continuous overnight protection.

Traditional deer deterrents like fencing and mesh are expensive and are only somewhat effective. Farms can experience significant crop loss on an annual basis. The FarmGuard project seeks to provide a more reliable and cost-effective solution to protect crops from deer depredation.