Skydrop Smart Water Controller - 5 Stars

This is a wonderful app that I would give a 5 star rating.  The controller was simple to install.  The website software was easy to follow and program my lawn information.  And the app shows more information than my website application, giving me override ability from home or away.  This is a fantastic app.  

After creating an account, your first screen in the Skydrop app is below.  This is a screenshot from my iPhone.  I have programmed this to follow City of Plymouth watering rules of even days (determined by the odd or even number of the last digit of your address).  This screen shows the next watering day, current temperature in Plymouth, MN, the project forecast with all 12 zones depicted by small circles under the forecast.  What is unique about this, is that the smart controller does not water every zone on every even day.  With the data that you have initially entered, it determines from empirical data, how much water and where it needs to be applied.  If you have shade covered grass, less water is required because of its lower evaporative rate than non-shaded areas.  The forecast for my zip code area indicates rain on Monday, May 23, then again on May 25, 27 and 28.  Therefore, the smart controller tentatively will not water on those days.  As weather is dynamic, the controller will update the weather constantly to refine the watering schedule.

Scrolling down the first page, all of the zones on your lawn are shown - below.  The number of minutes for watering per zone, the name of the zone (your input), when that zone was last watered and what type of zone it is - grass, shrubs, trees, flower beds, etc.  The circle with the arrow pointing to the right is an override.  You can activate any controller by pressing that arrow and beginning a watering cycle for that zone.  By touching the far right arrow, you open up the zone setting which includes the name, zone enabled, plant type, sprinkler type, shade type, slope type and soil type.

​SLXL 

The zone setting is shown in the next two screenshots.  The dynamic minutes are enabled.  What this means is, that if five minutes before the schedule watering for that zone, the controller accesses the web and the local forecast has been updated for rain, the controller will halt the watering schedule. Say that the 50% error rate of a weather forecast comes to fruition, and the updated rain forecast didn't occur, then the dynamic nature of the controller will look back and see that the zone watering was canceled and begin the watering.

The dynamic nature of the controller allows it to apply less water or more water as weather conditions change.  The below screen depicts the watering schedule that occurred last night.  Notice not all 12 zones received water, only zones 6,7,8 and 9 received water.  It cycle back and forth between the zones.  The controller that came with our irrigation system does not do this.  

​​SLXL

All of this is customizable.  If you dig up one zone to plant flowers, you can change the soil, shade, and slope profile directly on the iPhone or smart phone.  You can also experiment with the watering time length by tapping on the More Water or Less Water buttons shown in the third photo.  This could come in hand for areas with clay soil and little to no shading.  

All in all this controller and software is well laid out, easy to use and is saving me on water already. This system should pay itself back within 2 years here in Minnesota, faster if you live in water constrained California.  We will be installing telemetric water meters this year in the City of Plymouth. So, I suspect that people will all of a sudden take more interest in watering as a more accurate picture of water usage is determined and charged for by the City.