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Our Story
DTM Ag is a fee for service company in Emerald, based in the heart of Central Queensland.
Our services include full trial management, collaborative oversight, and ad hoc support, using state-of-the-art sensors and GIS technology to provide near real-time updates on trial performance, soil variability, and plant-available water.
At DTM Ag, we are dedicated to helping clients achieve success in Central Queensland’s unique agricultural landscape.
About Us
At DTM Ag, we specialise in broadacre and irrigated cropping research to support commercial and research entities keen to validate products, systems, or ideas in our unique cropping environment.
I’m Darren Aisthorpe, the founder, bringing over 27 years of hands-on experience in agronomy, including 17 years in research, development, and extension across Central Queensland, as well as a decade in commercial cropping.
With a focus on precision and quality, we combine advanced technology such as drones and GIS with on-the-ground agronomic knowledge to gather robust data.
Using remotely piloted aircraft and vehicles equipped with sensors, we provide real-time insights into crop health, soil variability, and available water, offering you detailed plot-by-plot analysis.
Our goal is to deliver the reliable, repeatable data you need to ensure success in your projects.
Services
At DTM Ag, we provide full support for agronomic trials, from design to data collection. With our Full Trial Management service, we take care of everything from layout and pre-plant surveys to in-crop monitoring, leveraging UAV technology to capture multispectral, thermal, and high-resolution imagery for detailed insights accessible remotely.
For those who prefer a more hands-on approach, our Collaborative Trial Oversight allows you to manage planting and harvesting while we focus on monitoring and data collection. We also offer Ad Hoc Observations and Drone Imagery, providing flexible support throughout the season.
Our Field Surveys and EM Mapping deliver precise soil and water data, and through our Agronomic Consultancy and Ad Hoc Contract Work, we’re here to provide tailored expertise to ensure the success of your trial in Central Queensland.
Full Trial
Management
Our full trial management services deliver end-to-end solutions for reliable and precise results.
This includes trial design, layout, and pre-plant site surveys using RTK to minimize variability across trial sites. We manage in-crop monitoring, facilitate planting and harvesting, and utilize EM mapping to assess soil variability, depth, and water use.
UAV monitoring provides multispectral, thermal, and high-resolution RGB imagery for 2D and 3D modeling, as well as plot-by-plot data extraction for indices like NDVI, NDRE, surface temperature, and EM.
Customers can evaluate trial performance remotely with site maps and overlays containing detailed plot data and imagery, ensuring a seamless experience from start to finish.
Collaborative and Ad Hoc Services
For trials planted and harvested by clients, we offer collaborative oversight with expert monitoring and data analysis.
Our ad hoc services include seasonal observations with site imagery and agronomic advice, as well as UAV imagery for high-resolution 2D and 3D RGB modeling.
Multispectral imagery assesses crop health indicators, while thermal imagery identifies issues such as irrigation leaks.
Field surveys and EM mapping to a depth of 1.5 meters reveal soil variability, with repeated surveys enabling estimates of plant-available water.
These flexible, precision-driven services address agronomic challenges throughout the season, tailored to your specific needs and project goals.
Agronomic Consultancy and Support
We also provide tailored agronomic consultancy, helping clients design trial programs optimized for Central Queensland's unique conditions.
Our expertise ensures trials achieve the best possible outcomes within local environmental constraints.
For short-term staffing needs, we offer ad hoc contract work, delivering hands-on support to ease workload pressures.
From program development to operational assistance, we are committed to flexible, results-driven solutions.
Whether it’s crafting trial strategies, offering specialized monitoring, or addressing labor shortages, our team delivers expert support at every stage of your project.
