Spray Decisions Are Broken, How DriftSense Is Fixing Them
For many growers, spraying has quietly become one of the most expensive, stressful, and risk-filled operations on the farm. Chemicals cost more. Labor is harder to find. Regulations are tighter. And yet, many spray decisions are still made using incomplete or overly simplified information.
On a recent episode of The Germinate Podcast, host Joe Samson sat down with Elad Segal, co-founder and CEO of DriftSense, to unpack why spray decisions are broken and how a new data-driven approach is helping growers spray smarter, not harder.
The Problem With How We Spray Today
Most spray decisions today rely heavily on one factor: weather. Wind speed, temperature, and humidity dominate the conversation. But as Elad explains, weather is only one piece of a much larger puzzle.
Successful spraying also depends on:
Chemical formulation
Droplet size and nozzle selection
Equipment configuration
Crop type and growth stage
Regulatory constraints
Field location and surrounding risk
Ignoring these variables doesn’t just reduce effectiveness; it increases the likelihood of drift, wasted chemistry, regulatory exposure, and lost time.
Spraying is no longer a low-cost, low-risk activity. In specialty crops, especially, a single application can cost hundreds of dollars per acre. When a spray fails or drifts, the consequences are real.
Why “Spray and Pray” No Longer Works
As Joe and Elad discuss, the industry has shifted away from chasing maximum yield at all costs. Today’s growers are far more focused on efficiency, risk reduction, and doing the job right the first time.
Margins are tighter. Resistance is rising. And regulators and neighbors are paying closer attention than ever before.
“Elad makes a clear point,” Joe notes during the episode, “growers aren’t asking for magic. They’re asking for confidence.”
Confidence that:
The spray will land where it’s supposed to
The chemistry will perform as intended
The application won’t create downstream problems
How DriftSense Is Approaching Spray Decisions Differently
DriftSense was built around a simple but powerful idea: spray decisions should be based on reality, not guesswork.
Instead of looking at weather alone, DriftSense combines:
Meteorological data
Chemical properties
Application method and equipment
Regulatory requirements
All of this information is processed through a decision-support engine that helps growers and agronomists determine whether spraying makes sense and how to do it most effectively.
The goal isn’t to spray more.
It’s to spray better.
Built From Real Conversations, Not Assumptions
One of the most valuable parts of the conversation is Elad’s honesty about DriftSense’s early days. Like many agtech startups, the company initially leaned heavily toward regulatory use cases.
But after speaking with hundreds of growers, agronomists, and industry stakeholders, the team realized something important:
The real pain point wasn’t compliance; it was decision confidence.
That insight reshaped the product, the messaging, and the customer focus.
It’s a reminder that the best agtech solutions don’t start with code, they start with listening.
Efficiency Over Yield
Throughout the episode, Joe and Elad return to a recurring theme: modern agriculture is shifting away from “more” and toward “smarter.”
Growers don’t need:
More data dashboards
More alerts
More disconnected tools
They need systems that fit into real workflows and help them make fewer, better decisions, especially when time, money, and risk are on the line.
DriftSense isn’t positioned as a silver bullet. Instead, it’s part of a broader ecosystem of tools focused on operational efficiency, not theoretical perfection.
Technology, Trust, and the Human Side of AgTech
The conversation also takes a more personal turn as Elad shares what it’s like building a company and raising a family in Israel during a time of conflict. It’s a powerful reminder that behind every platform and product are real people navigating uncertainty.
Joe and Elad agree on one thing: technology will continue to reshape agriculture, but relationships and trust still matter most.
Data can guide decisions.
Algorithms can reduce risk.
But real progress still happens through conversations, transparency, and shared understanding.
Looking Ahead
DriftSense’s vision is clear: to become the trusted standard for spray decision-making, particularly in high-value specialty crops where the stakes are highest.
As crop protection costs rise and tolerance for error shrinks, tools that help growers spray less, spray smarter, and spray with confidence will only become more important.
Because in today’s ag economy, the question isn’t “Can you spray?”
It’s “Should you?”
Guest: Elad Segal
Co-Founder & CEO, DriftSense
LinkedIn: https://il.linkedin.com/in/elad-segal-ph-d-aaa91077
Website: https://www.drift-sense.com