The Toro Company has announced a 'strategic minority equity investment' in GreenSight Agronomics, a Boston, Massachusetts based provider of analysis drones for turfgrass and agricultural markets.

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

“As the golf industry expands its efforts to improve play and more efficiently use water, the application and advancement of technology will play a vital role,” said Philip Burkart, vice president of The Toro Company’s Irrigation and Lighting Businesses. “We are intrigued and see great potential to align with GreenSight Agronomics to apply their technologies and analytics with our water management expertise to further provide our customers with the best solutions."

GreenSight Agronomics' patent-pending system combines automated drones and sensors, providing thermal mapping and detection analytics to help golf course professionals improve turf health. The technology enables customers to identify issues before they become visible, and achieve better outcomes with less water, fertiliser and pesticide use.

"GreenSight is redefining precision agriculture by packaging automated drones, custom sensors and machine learning into a turn-key service. We are excited to partner with The Toro Company to deliver customers the ultimate in irrigation management technology for golf courses and beyond,” added James Peverill, CEO of GreenSight Agronomics.