Certis Belchim’s Leap Into the Future of Trial Visualisation With Drone-In-A-Box

by Ruben Holtman, Digital Marketing Specialist at Certis Belchim

26 November 2025, London: Certis Belchim is redefining how agricultural trials are captured, analysed, and shared across Europe with its innovative Drone-in-a-Box project. Led by Ruben Holtman, Digital Marketing Specialist at the company, this initiative is a cornerstone of Certis Belchim’s new brand positioning, “Down to Earth”, and its guiding principle, “Seeing is believing.”

This project is not just about technology—it’s about transforming how stakeholders experience trials, making data more accessible, and enhancing transparency across the agricultural sector.

A new tool for a new vision

The Drone-in-a-Box system is built around DJI Dock technology—a fully automated drone housed in a weatherproof box that can be remotely operated. Installed at trial stations in Londerzeel, Belgium, and soon in Fronton, France, the system allows Ruben and his team to schedule drone flights from his office in Utrecht, Netherlands.

Once programmed, the drone autonomously launches, captures high-resolution images of trial plots, returns to its dock, recharges, and uploads the data to the cloud. This automation replaces manual drone operations, saving time and ensuring consistency in data collection.

Precision meets practicality

The drone is equipped with an RTK (Real-Time Kinematic) module, which provides enhanced GPS accuracy. This ensures that each flight follows the same path and captures images from identical positions—critical for comparing crop development over time.

Additionally, the dock includes a built-in weather module. Before each flight, the system checks local conditions such as wind speed, temperature, and rainfall. If the weather isn’t suitable, the drone won’t launch, protecting both the equipment and the integrity of the data.

Supporting “seeing is believing”

The Drone-in-a-Box project is a natural extension of Certis Belchim’s commitment to making trials visible and understandable. As Ruben explains, “Seeing is believing is not just about being physically present at a trial site. It’s about making those trials accessible—digitally, visually, and reliably.”

This vision began several years ago with digital tours of trial sites. Ruben and his team captured trials at their peak and used the footage during winter briefings, trade fairs, and internal presentations. Now, with the drone system, they can go further—capturing trials from above, creating time-lapse visualisations, and enabling side-by-side comparisons of treatments.

Building a visual archive

The drone system is more than a camera—it’s a data engine. Each image is tagged by trial, date, and plot number, creating a structured archive that can be used for:

• AI-driven analysis: Certis Belchim is exploring ways to use the image database to train AI models that count crops, assess health, and evaluate treatment efficacy.
• Digital comparison tools: Users can select specific plots and view them side-by-side, zooming in to assess differences in growth, weed control, or disease resistance.
• Time-lapse storytelling: By capturing images regularly, the team can show how a trial evolves from start to finish, offering a dynamic view of product performance.

Now that the image capture process is fully automated, the next step is to automate the comparison process. Ruben and his team are working on tools that will allow users to generate visual comparisons automatically, saving time and enabling faster insights. “We’ve streamlined the way we gather content,” Ruben says. “Now we want to streamline how we use it.”

Scalable and future-ready

Currently, the drone system operates under manual supervision due to regulatory requirements. A permit application submitted in December 2024 aims to allow fully autonomous flights. Once approved, the same permit will apply across the EU, enabling expansion to other trial stations.

However, deployment depends on having fixed trial locations. “You can’t just park a drone in the middle of nowhere,” Ruben notes. “We need consistent sites with regular activity.”

The team is already planning to install a second drone system in Fronton this autumn, with potential future sites under consideration.

Adapting technology from other industries

Interestingly, the Drone-in-a-Box concept wasn’t designed for agriculture. It originated in industries like security and construction, where drones monitor sites for theft or progress. Ruben saw the potential to adapt this technology for agricultural trials.

“I love finding tools from other industries and asking, ‘How can we use this in agriculture?’” he says. “It’s about bringing innovation into our field and making it work for us.”

Empowering teams with content

One of the project’s strengths is its flexibility. The drone imagery can be used in:

• PowerPoint presentations
• Social media campaigns
• Internal reports
• Sales meetings
• Digital tours

Ruben emphasises that the goal is to provide content that others can use in their own way. “I’m not telling people how to use the pictures. They know their job best. I just make sure the content is there when they need it.”

A strategic move for Certis Belchim

Ultimately, the Drone-in-a-Box project is more than a technical upgrade—it’s a strategic initiative that supports Certis Belchim’s brand values. It enhances transparency, improves efficiency, and makes trials more engaging and accessible.

As Ruben reflects, “This technology enables us to capture our trials completely—from any angle, at any time. It’s a new way of showing what we do and how we do it.”

With the support of the “Down to Earth” campaign and the belief that “seeing is believing,” Certis Belchim is setting a new standard for agricultural trial visualisation—one flight at a time.

Also Read: African Development Fund Commits $14 Million Grant To Scaling Up Climate Resilience Across The Sahel

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