iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
AeroVironment’s next generation of Quantix drone and AV Decision Support System added variable-rate mapping, John Deere Operations Center integration, faster Quick Resolution imagery processing, and a plant-counting beta in February 2019. The agricultural system was later discontinued: AeroVironment stopped selling new Quantix systems on January 31, 2023, making the announcement historical rather than a current buying opportunity.
The 2019 refresh made Quantix more than an aerial-imaging platform. AeroVironment positioned the hybrid aircraft and AV DSS cloud software as a connected precision-agriculture workflow: collect imagery automatically, review field conditions, analyze crop health, create a variable-rate layer, and move that data into farm-management software.
Key takeaways
- The February 2019 Quantix and AV DSS refresh added Variable Rate Layer support, John Deere Operations Center connectivity, Quick Resolution Imagery, and a Plant Count Beta Trial.
- Quantix combined vertical takeoff and landing with fixed-wing-style horizontal flight, and AeroVironment historically claimed coverage of up to 400 acres in 45 minutes.
- The system captured RGB and multispectral imagery, while AV DSS offered True Color, NDVI, GNDVI, canopy-coverage, anomaly-detection, and crop-emergence analysis.
- 2019 launch packages cost $16,500, $8,000, or $5,500, depending on the subscription and processing model; those prices are not current offers.
- AeroVironment announced in January 2023 that it was sunsetting the Quantix UAS lines and would stop selling new Quantix Mapper and Recon systems effective January 31, 2023.
What did AeroVironment announce in 2019?
AeroVironment’s February 14, 2019 announcement described a software and product refresh for Quantix, its hybrid agricultural drone, and AV Decision Support System, or AV DSS. The update focused on turning drone imagery into farm-management data rather than merely improving aerial photography.
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchWindows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallThe four named additions were Variable Rate Layer support, a connection with John Deere Operations Center, Quick Resolution Imagery, and a Plant Count Beta Trial. AeroVironment said the updates were available to existing and future users at no additional cost at the time. That statement describes the 2019 product release, not a current service commitment; the Quantix product line was later sunset.
#1 Best Overall
- 🛫【Compatible Models】This agricultural drone cover is designed for the brand, series and model listed in the title. Please check your drone’s brand, series, model and dimensions before ordering to help confirm a suitable fit.
- 🌧️【420D Oxford Fabric for Outdoor Storage】Made with 420D Oxford fabric and a silver-coated inner layer, this cover helps shield your agricultural spraying drone from rain, dust, dirt and everyday outdoor exposure. Suitable for farm sheds, garages, workshops and other storage areas.
- 📦【Lightweight and Flexible Design】The lightweight and flexible fabric makes the cover easy to handle during installation and removal. Its practical design allows convenient access to your drone when needed while providing coverage during storage.
- 🧳【Foldable for Convenient Storage】When not in use, the cover can be folded into a compact size for convenient storage. It can be placed in a farm shed, garage, workshop, equipment cabinet or other suitable storage space.
- 🧵【Reinforced Stitching for Repeated Use】Reinforced seams provide added support in frequently handled areas during installation and removal. The fabric surface is easy to maintain and can be wiped with a damp cloth to remove dust or dirt when needed.
The original 2019 announcement reported that the packages were immediately available through authorized dealers nationwide. Historical dealer availability should not be confused with present-day availability.
How did the Quantix hybrid drone work?
Quantix used a hybrid aircraft design: the aircraft could take off and land vertically like a multirotor, then transition to horizontal flight using fixed-wing aerodynamics. The design was intended to avoid the runway or hand-launch requirements associated with some fixed-wing aircraft while providing more efficient field coverage than a conventional hovering multirotor.
The intended workflow was largely automated. A user defined or imported a field, prepared a mission, launched the aircraft, and allowed the system to conduct the planned flight and return for landing. AeroVironment’s historical product material described automated takeoff, flight, and landing, along with return-home and emergency-land functions.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
AeroVironment’s historical materials also listed a 40-mph cruising speed and operation at up to 400 feet above ground level within visual line of sight. Those are period manufacturer specifications and marketing claims, not current operating guidance. Drone operators must check the regulations, permissions, remote-identification requirements, and local restrictions that apply to their location and operation.
AeroVironment claimed that Quantix could survey up to 400 acres in 45 minutes. The claim came from the product period and should not be treated as a guaranteed completed-work rate. Field boundaries, launch location, image overlap, terrain, wind, battery changes, visibility, and data handling can all affect real throughput. The historical Quantix product specification provides the company’s contemporaneous flight and coverage claims.
What cameras and imagery did Quantix use?
Quantix used dual 18-megapixel cameras to capture high-resolution RGB imagery and multispectral imagery. RGB data supported natural-color views of the field, while multispectral data supported vegetation indices such as NDVI.
AeroVironment’s contemporaneous product material described RGB imagery at approximately 1 inch per pixel and multispectral NDVI imagery at approximately 2 inches per pixel. These figures are manufacturer-published specifications from the product period, not independent test results. The historical Quantix imagery documentation contains those resolution descriptions.
The aircraft and included tablet could provide quick-look color and NDVI maps after a flight. Users could then upload imagery to AV DSS for deeper cloud-based processing and analysis. The distinction mattered in the field: a farmer could inspect an initial map shortly after landing, while more advanced reports and layers depended on the software and data-processing workflow.
What could AV Decision Support System analyze?
AV DSS was the analysis and reporting layer around Quantix imagery. The 2019 announcement listed True Color, NDVI, GNDVI, canopy coverage, anomaly detection, crop-emergence analysis, input-effectiveness insights, and resource-management insights among its capabilities.
NDVI and GNDVI can reveal spectral differences associated with vegetation, but an index does not independently identify the cause of crop stress. Water shortage, nutrient issues, disease, pests, soil variation, weeds, shadows, crop stage, and image-quality problems can produce overlapping signals. Ground-truthing and agronomic judgment remained necessary before changing an application plan.
AeroVironment also described research with California State University, Fresno, involving water stress in almond trees, and North Dakota State University, involving sugar-beet disease detection. Those efforts were research and development activities, not proof that Quantix or AV DSS could reliably diagnose those conditions across all crops and fields. The research announcement provides the relevant university-partnership context.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsRank #2
- 🛫【Compatible Models】This agricultural drone cover is designed for the brand, series and model listed in the title. Please check your drone’s brand, series, model and dimensions before ordering to help confirm a suitable fit.
- 🌧️【420D Oxford Fabric for Outdoor Storage】Made with 420D Oxford fabric and a silver-coated inner layer, this cover helps shield your agricultural spraying drone from rain, dust, dirt and everyday outdoor exposure. Suitable for farm sheds, garages, workshops and other storage areas.
- 📦【Lightweight and Flexible Design】The lightweight and flexible fabric makes the cover easy to handle during installation and removal. Its practical design allows convenient access to your drone when needed while providing coverage during storage.
- 🧳【Foldable for Convenient Storage】When not in use, the cover can be folded into a compact size for convenient storage. It can be placed in a farm shed, garage, workshop, equipment cabinet or other suitable storage space.
- 🧵【Reinforced Stitching for Repeated Use】Reinforced seams provide added support in frequently handled areas during installation and removal. The fabric surface is easy to maintain and can be wiped with a damp cloth to remove dust or dirt when needed.
What were the four 2019 Quantix and AV DSS upgrades?
Variable Rate Layer
The Variable Rate Layer feature was designed to help users turn field imagery into a georeferenced layer for a farm-management workflow. A typical intended process was to capture imagery, inspect differences in crop health or field condition, create a prescription or application layer, export that layer, and use it with compatible variable-rate equipment or software.
AV DSS prepared and exported data; the described feature did not mean that AV DSS directly controlled a sprayer, planter, or spreader. Prescription quality still depended on the imagery, field validation, agronomic decisions, file format, coordinate system, controller, and application equipment.
John Deere Operations Center connection
The 2019 integration allowed users to export variable-rate maps from AV DSS to John Deere Operations Center with a single click. Users could also import field boundaries from John Deere Operations Center into AV DSS and use those boundaries to create locations for future Quantix flights.
The integration was a workflow connection, not evidence that every John Deere machine, display, account configuration, prescription format, or controller was universally compatible. The specific import and export capabilities should be attributed to AeroVironment’s 2019 announcement, which described the John Deere Operations Center workflow.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Quick Resolution Imagery
Quick Resolution Imagery was intended for farms where weak connectivity made full-resolution uploads and cloud processing slow. AeroVironment reported that the mode reduced total upload and processing time by 50% while retaining access to the AV DSS analytics suite.
The 50% figure was a 2019 vendor-reported processing claim, not an independently measured universal performance result. Actual time would depend on image volume, selected resolution, cellular or Wi-Fi bandwidth, cloud availability, and account conditions. Quick Resolution could reduce the data burden, but it did not eliminate the need for connectivity when using cloud-based analytics.
Plant Count Beta Trial
The Plant Count Beta Trial used machine-learning and image-recognition algorithms to estimate stand count and plant emergence. AeroVironment described the feature as an on-demand data product for participating AV DSS users at no additional cost during the beta program.
Because plant counting was explicitly a beta trial, it should not be presented as a universally validated production-grade agronomic measurement or as a feature guaranteed to remain available. Results could vary with crop type, plant size, row spacing, soil background, weeds, shadows, crop stage, and image quality.
What did the 2019 Quantix packages cost?
The 2019 packages used three different commercial models: an upfront bundle with a multi-year subscription, an enterprise pay-as-you-fly option, and a professional package aimed at precision-ag service providers. The following prices are historical 2019 launch prices reported in the original announcement.
| Package | 2019 price | Included software and processing | Historical target user |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quantix & AV DSS Bundle | $16,500 | Quantix hardware, three-year AV DSS subscription, unlimited storage | Individual growers |
| Quantix Enterprise Bundle | $8,000 | Pay-as-you-fly processing at 50¢ per acre, unlimited storage, no monthly AV DSS fee | Large-scale farming operations |
| Quantix Professional Package | $5,500 | $150 monthly AV DSS subscription, 30¢ per acre processing, client-management and publishing tools | Precision-ag service providers |
The 2019 package announcement is the source for these prices and terms. The prices are not current offers and should not be used to estimate the cost of buying or operating a supported agricultural drone system in 2026.
For comparison, AeroVironment’s January 2018 launch announcement listed a Quantix drone with a one-year AV DSS subscription at an MSRP of $16,500. The change between the 2018 and 2019 configurations shows why the subscription duration, package name, and included services must be checked by date rather than copied from an older product page. The 2018 launch release provides that earlier pricing context.
Rank #3
- 【Durable Oxford Fabric Protection】 - Made with durable Oxford fabric, this drone cover helps protect your UAV from dust, dirt, scratches, and outdoor elements. The sturdy material is designed for reliable protection during storage and transportation.
- 【Silver Coated Surface for Sun Protection】 - Featuring a silver-coated outer layer, this cover helps reflect sunlight and reduce heat buildup while providing an additional protective barrier against outdoor exposure. Ideal for long-term storage in garages, farms, and outdoor areas.
- 【Adjustable Drawstring for Secure Fit】 - Designed with an adjustable drawstring closure, this drone cover allows you to tighten the opening for a more secure fit. Helps keep the cover in place and provides better protection during storage.
- 【Convenient Storage Strap Design】 - Equipped with a built-in storage strap, this UAV cover can be rolled and secured neatly when not in use. Easy to carry, organize, and store without taking up extra space.
- 【Lightweight & Easy to Use】 - The lightweight design makes this drone protective cover easy to put on and remove. Provides a convenient solution for daily protection, seasonal storage, and outdoor equipment care.
Which historical package fit which customer?
The $16,500 Quantix & AV DSS Bundle offered the simplest budgeting model for an individual grower because it bundled hardware, three years of AV DSS, and unlimited storage. The higher upfront price traded subscription certainty for a defined initial service period.
The $8,000 Enterprise Bundle lowered the upfront price and removed the monthly AV DSS fee, but charged 50 cents per acre for processing. That model historically made more sense for a large operation with enough acreage and recurring use to justify ownership while preferring usage-based software costs.
The $5,500 Professional Package targeted service providers. Its $150 monthly AV DSS subscription and 30-cent-per-acre processing fee were paired with client-management and publishing tools, making the package more relevant to a business serving multiple farm customers than to a single grower.
None of these models removed the other costs of operating a drone program. A buyer would still need to account for training, labor, field logistics, batteries, maintenance, weather delays, regulatory compliance, data review, agronomic interpretation, and the risk that cloud software or hardware support could later change.
What did the intended precision-ag workflow look like?
- Define the field: Import a boundary from John Deere Operations Center or create a field location in AV DSS.
- Plan and fly: Prepare an automated Quantix mission, launch vertically, and allow the aircraft to collect RGB and multispectral imagery.
- Review initial results: Use the included tablet and onboard processing to inspect quick-look color and NDVI maps after landing.
- Process deeper analytics: Upload imagery to AV DSS for True Color, NDVI, GNDVI, canopy-coverage, anomaly, and crop-emergence analysis.
- Validate the finding: Visit representative areas and compare the map with crop conditions, soil, weather, scouting observations, and other farm records.
- Create a management layer: Build a variable-rate layer when the evidence and agronomic plan support one.
- Export the data: Send the layer to John Deere Operations Center or another compatible farm-management workflow.
- Apply carefully: Confirm file format, coordinate system, equipment compatibility, controller settings, and field boundaries before using a prescription.
This sequence describes the intended product workflow from the 2019 materials, not independently verified hands-on testing. A map can make scouting and follow-up more efficient, but a map alone does not guarantee a correct recommendation, input saving, or yield improvement.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →What were Quantix’s practical limitations?
Connectivity and cloud dependence
AV DSS’s deeper analytics, storage, historical comparisons, and reporting depended on AeroVironment’s software and cloud workflow. Quick Resolution Imagery was designed to reduce upload and processing delays in poor-connectivity areas, but it did not make cloud analytics fully offline. A user could retain captured imagery while still losing access to processing or historical reports if the account or service became unavailable.
Weather and field conditions
Wind, rain, dust, haze, and low visibility could affect flight safety and image quality. Battery changes, launch location, terrain, crop height, field shape, and required image overlap could also reduce practical coverage compared with a headline acreage claim.
Boundaries and prescriptions
An incorrect imported boundary could produce incomplete coverage or an improperly planned mission. A successfully exported variable-rate layer could still fail at the application stage because of file-format, coordinate-system, controller, display, or machine-compatibility differences. “Connected to John Deere Operations Center” did not establish universal compatibility with every downstream farm-machine workflow.
Interpreting vegetation indices
NDVI, GNDVI, canopy coverage, and anomaly layers identify patterns or differences in imagery. The layers do not independently prove whether the cause is water stress, nutrient deficiency, disease, pests, soil variation, or another factor. Ground-truthing and qualified agronomic interpretation remained essential.
Recommended Free Tools
Regulatory compliance
Historical product material referenced visual-line-of-sight operation and a 400-foot altitude limit. Marketing specifications are not a substitute for checking current FAA rules, waivers, remote-identification requirements, airspace restrictions, and local operating conditions.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Is Quantix still available to buy?
No. Quantix should be treated as a discontinued agricultural product line rather than a current purchase option. In a January 2023 customer notice, AeroVironment said it was sunsetting the Quantix UAS lines, would stop selling new Quantix Mapper and Recon systems to new customers effective January 31, 2023, and would be unable to support the Quantix line “in the near future.”
Rank #4
- 【Durable Oxford Fabric Protection】 - Made with durable Oxford fabric, this drone cover helps protect your UAV from dust, dirt, scratches, and outdoor elements. The sturdy material is designed for reliable protection during storage and transportation.
- 【Silver Coated Surface for Sun Protection】 - Featuring a silver-coated outer layer, this cover helps reflect sunlight and reduce heat buildup while providing an additional protective barrier against outdoor exposure. Ideal for long-term storage in garages, farms, and outdoor areas.
- 【Adjustable Drawstring for Secure Fit】 - Designed with an adjustable drawstring closure, this drone cover allows you to tighten the opening for a more secure fit. Helps keep the cover in place and provides better protection during storage.
- 【Convenient Storage Strap Design】 - Equipped with a built-in storage strap, this UAV cover can be rolled and secured neatly when not in use. Easy to carry, organize, and store without taking up extra space.
- 【Lightweight & Easy to Use】 - The lightweight design makes this drone protective cover easy to put on and remove. Provides a convenient solution for daily protection, seasonal storage, and outdoor equipment care.
The official Quantix sunset notice changes the buying conclusion substantially. Existing owners may be researching legacy hardware, software access, resale, or remaining support options, but a new buyer seeking warranty coverage, replacement parts, dependable cloud continuity, or a vendor roadmap should not rely on archived 2019 dealer listings.
AeroVironment’s current corporate positioning emphasizes defense technologies rather than presenting agricultural Quantix and AV DSS as a mainstream current product line. Quantix Recon also should not be confused with the agricultural Quantix workflow: the products shared a hybrid aircraft family name, but Recon was positioned for defense reconnaissance and georeferenced imagery. AeroVironment’s Quantix Recon announcement describes that different market and use case, while the company’s current capabilities page reflects its broader present-day positioning.
What did the 2019 update mean for precision agriculture?
The 2019 update mattered because it connected several stages that are often separate in drone programs: automated collection, immediate field visualization, cloud analysis, agronomic review, prescription preparation, and farm-management export. Variable-rate mapping and John Deere Operations Center connectivity made the product more relevant to operational decisions than a standalone image viewer.
The trade-off was platform dependence. The workflow relied on Quantix hardware, AV DSS processing and storage, account access, compatible farm-management software, and a human decision-maker who could validate the imagery. The plant-counting feature was still in beta, and claims about coverage, processing speed, image resolution, and efficiency were manufacturer or contemporary-report claims rather than independent validation.
For a historical reader, the announcement shows AeroVironment’s attempt to make aerial data easier for growers and service providers to use. For a current buyer, the 2023 sunset notice is the decisive fact: the product’s historical capabilities and prices do not amount to a supported purchase recommendation today.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did AeroVironment announce the next-generation Quantix and AV DSS update?
AeroVironment’s next-generation Quantix and AV DSS update was reported on February 14, 2019. The update added Variable Rate Layer support, John Deere Operations Center connectivity, Quick Resolution Imagery, and a Plant Count Beta Trial.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →How much did the Quantix agricultural drone cost in 2019?
The 2019 packages were priced at $16,500 for the Quantix & AV DSS Bundle, $8,000 for the Quantix Enterprise Bundle, and $5,500 for the Quantix Professional Package. Those were historical launch prices, not current offers.
Can farmers buy a new Quantix drone today?
Farmers should not treat Quantix as a currently supported product. AeroVironment announced that it was sunsetting the Quantix UAS lines and would stop selling new Quantix Mapper and Recon systems effective January 31, 2023.
Did Quantix automatically control a sprayer or planter?
No. The described Quantix and AV DSS workflow prepared and exported variable-rate layers for compatible farm-management software and equipment; it did not establish that AV DSS directly controlled a sprayer, planter, or spreader.
The Bottom Line
Bottom line: AeroVironment’s 2019 Quantix refresh made the agricultural drone more useful as a precision-agriculture data pipeline by adding variable-rate mapping, John Deere Operations Center workflows, faster image processing, and experimental plant counting. The announcement is now historical: AeroVironment later sunset the Quantix line, so the old prices and features should not be used as a current buying recommendation.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
