Crop-counting drone tech tested on Cambridgeshire orchard

A hi-tech system that can estimate how much fruit there is in a field could save farmers across the world time and money, its developers hope.

Cambridge-based company Outfield has been using drones and special software to count apples during a trial at an orchard in the Fens.

Farm manager Paul Seeley said: "It allows us to have a more accurate estimation to plan the harvest. So, getting the amount of labour correct and to plan our storage."

Developers hope to evolve the system further so it can also judge the quality of fruit in future, as well as quantity, to help farms run more efficiently.