Key Takeaways
- John Deere has acquired Sentera, a Minnesota-based provider of remote sensing and drone imagery solutions for agriculture.
- The integration aims to expand the capabilities of the John Deere Operations Center™, supporting data-driven farm management.
- Sentera’s technology enables high-resolution imagery and customized weed mapping for precision spraying.
- The acquisition strengthens John Deere’s approach to scalable and inclusive precision ag solutions.
- Sentera will continue to sell to OEMs and individual users, maintaining interoperability with other drone platforms.
John Deere Strengthens Digital Agriculture Portfolio with Sentera Acquisition
John Deere (NYSE: DE) announced the acquisition of Sentera, a remote imagery and agricultural data solutions provider based in St. Paul, Minnesota. The transaction expands John Deere’s digital agriculture capabilities and enhances its portfolio of tools aimed at supporting data-driven decisions on the farm.
Chris Winkler, Director of Digital Software and Solutions at John Deere, stated: “We’re excited to add Sentera’s talented team to our organization and integrate their advanced solutions into the suite of John Deere tools that help farmers do more with less.”
This acquisition will help John Deere offer a more complete solution set to farmers and ag service providers by linking aerial imagery with agronomic insights in real-time.
To Deliver Advanced Scouting and Prescription Capabilities
Through the acquisition, John Deere gains access to Sentera’s proprietary imaging systems and FieldAgent™ platform. These tools offer a range of agronomic insights, from plant health to pest and disease detection, using high-resolution drone imagery.
One of the standout features is SMARTSCRIPT™ Weeds, a solution that converts weed imagery into precise herbicide prescriptions. This data can be wirelessly transferred to sprayers via the John Deere Operations Center, minimizing chemical waste and enabling targeted application.
Winkler emphasized the operational value of this integration: “Combining Sentera’s imagery capabilities with the John Deere Operations Center™ will enable farmers and trusted advisors to seamlessly gather and integrate agronomic data, understand real-time conditions, and turn data into insights.”
Sentera’s Technology to Remain Open and Scalable within John Deere Ecosystem
While now under John Deere, Sentera will continue to operate as a supplier of camera systems for drone manufacturers and will maintain its sales channels to agronomists, ag retailers, and individual farmers.
Importantly, the John Deere Operations Center will remain compatible with other drone imagery providers, preserving customer flexibility and third-party integration.
Nick Einck, Director of Agronomy at Chandler Coop, welcomed the integration: “Sentera’s scouting solutions allow us to quickly gather data across more acres and with greater detail… Coupled with the John Deere technologies we already leverage today, we can be more efficient and deliver even better outcomes for our customers.”
Long-Term Vision for Precision Ag
With a shared focus on scalable, platform-based tools, the combined entity aims to broaden access to aerial agronomy solutions.
Brian Wenngatz, CEO of Sentera, commented: “John Deere provides us a great outcome and is exactly the right home for Sentera… Together, we’ll be able to support more farmers and help them unlock even more value.”
