John Deere has announced the acquisition of Sentera, a Minnesota-based leader in remote imagery solutions for agriculture. The move is aimed at enhancing John Deere’s current technology suite, enabling farmers and agricultural service providers to access more advanced tools for data collection and analysis. By integrating Sentera’s aerial imaging expertise, John Deere aims to support improved decision-making on the farm—boosting profitability, operational efficiency, and sustainability.
John Deere has announced the acquisition of Sentera, a St. Paul, Minnesota-based leader in agricultural remote sensing and imagery solutions. The move is set to strengthen Deere’s digital agriculture portfolio by integrating Sentera’s high-resolution drone imagery, advanced cameras, and analytics capabilities into the John Deere Operations Center platform.
“We’re excited to welcome Sentera’s team and technology into John Deere,” said Chris Winkler, Director of Digital Software and Solutions at John Deere. “This integration will empower farmers and their advisors to gather real-time agronomic data, better understand field conditions, and make more informed decisions throughout the growing season.”
Sentera’s drone-compatible cameras and FieldAgent software enable fast, detailed scouting of crop health, stress levels, and stand uniformity. A key feature of the offering is SMARTSCRIPT Weeds, a weed-mapping solution that generates targeted herbicide prescriptions. These prescriptions can be sent directly to sprayers with individual nozzle control via the John Deere Operations Center, helping reduce input use and minimize waste.
Beyond weed management, Sentera’s aerial analytics can be applied to monitor disease pressure, pest infestations, and overall crop performance. According to Nick Einck, Director of Agronomy at Chandler Coop in Minnesota, the combination of Sentera’s tools with existing John Deere technology improves efficiency and allows agronomic teams to tailor recommendations field by field.
Despite the acquisition, Sentera will continue to sell its cameras and software directly to drone manufacturers, farmers, and agronomy professionals. The John Deere Operations Center will remain open to integrate with other drone imagery providers, preserving flexibility and choice for customers.
Sentera CEO Brian Wenngatz described the acquisition as a natural fit: “John Deere is the industry leader in precision ag, and we share a commitment to scalable platforms, actionable insights, and trusted customer relationships. Together, we can support more farmers and help unlock greater value from their fields.”
The deal reflects John Deere’s ongoing investment in precision agriculture technologies, ensuring tools like See & Spray and now Sentera’s imaging systems can meet farmers wherever they are on their digital adoption journey.
