What problems could drone spraying or spreading help you with?

[AgriDrones.pro]

As drone technology is advancing and the approval process SLOWLY going through the red tape.

How can you see drone technology helping your farm in the future?

What realistic pricing would you pay per acre to spray your fields or spread seeds in your fields?

What's your thoughts?

Thanks in advance for your responses!

 

[Spencer]

Price would depend on what you could offer? Can drones compete with current applicators with regards timeliness and volumes?

 

[Wooly]

Can a drone really replace a self propelled sprayer ?

 

[Hay Maker]

Hi I have been thinking about applying pesticides from aerial drones. Some of the legal issues may need to be addressed such as having the pesticides approved for aerial application as I believe the UK does not have any such approvals at the moment. The pilot would need to have obtained a PA7 qualification before carrying out such work which would mean that the pilot would have to hold a commercial pilots license. Red tape will be holding back the use of aerial drones or they will be operating outside the current laws which could take some time to even catch up with current technology which is envoling very rapidly at the moment.

 

[Hay Maker]

Can a drone really replace a self propelled sprayer ?

I very much doubt it.

 

[Bury the Trash]

As drone technology is advancing and the approval process SLOWLY going through the red tape.

How can you see drone technology helping your farm in the future?

What realistic pricing would you pay per acre to spray your fields or spread seeds in your fields?

What's your thoughts?

Thanks in advance for your responses!

Would be good on steep ground . Potentially saving lives.

 

[AgriDrones.pro]

Thanks for your responses.

The drone can spray at 19ha/per hr, and spread 1300kg/per hr.

The tank holds upto 50ltrs. It takes around 11 mins to fully charge the batteries, with enough batteries to have continuous flight time

The precision application of fertiliser and eventually pesticides is the selling point we believe, correct me if I’m wrong.

Covering fields by air when the ground is waterlogged and the ability of applying by air without damaging the crops. And as mentioned tackling areas which hard to access.

The current regulations are trialing slug pellets which will hopefully be approved in the near future. Covering fields by air when the ground is waterlogged and the ability of applying by air without damaging the crops.

It will be good to know how you guys would use this as you are the experts. What other applications could this help with.

Appreciate your feedback.

 

[Spencer]

Thanks for your responses.

The drone can spray at 19ha/per hr, and spread 1300kg/per hr.

The tank holds upto 50ltrs. It takes around 11 mins to fully charge the batteries, with enough batteries to have continuous flight time

The precision application of fertiliser and eventually pesticides is the selling point we believe, correct me if I’m wrong.

Covering fields by air when the ground is waterlogged and the ability of applying by air without damaging the crops. And as mentioned tackling areas which hard to access.

The current regulations are trialing slug pellets which will hopefully be approved in the near future. Covering fields by air when the ground is waterlogged and the ability of applying by air without damaging the crops.

It will be good to know how you guys would use this as you are the experts. What other applications could this help with.

Appreciate your feedback.

So that’s a NO to competing with a SP then?

 

[Wigeon]

Is 19ha/ hr spot rate, or including fills?

If the latter that's very good. If the former it would need to be double that to compete on output.

Definitely a case for spot spraying mapped ,/sensed weed patches. Blanket residuals or fungicides I'm not so sure. I suspect 300lts / ha of liquid n won't be it's strong point either.

 

[will_mck]

If a drone could identify via a reconnaissance flight first or mid flight problem weeds eg. blackgrass, sterile brome, wild oat etc. in a crop and spot spray each individual weed, this would be so much better for the environment rather than blanket spraying an entire field. This alone would transform today's agriculture in the uk. Savings on treating 1000's of hectares with expensive chemicals would soon pay for such a drone

 

[Landrover]

We have looked into this for bracken spraying, with asulox. But the issue is certification etc, certainly a future for it but the PA7 and pilots license is a issue ! How much are one of these drones btw ? Pm if you like

 

[AgriDrones.pro]

Is 19ha/ hr spot rate, or including fills?

If the latter that's very good. If the former it would need to be double that to compete on output.

Definitely a case for spot spraying mapped ,/sensed weed patches. Blanket residuals or fungicides I'm not so sure. I suspect 300lts / ha of liquid n won't be it's strong point either.

It includes landing, refilling, take off and flying back to where it starters. Overall 19/ha operating coverage.

The flight will be precision programmed to by a pre analysis flight which has detected nutrition deficiency, weeds, diseases so reducing inputs instead of blanket covering.

 

[AgriDrones.pro]

We have looked into this for bracken spraying, with asulox. But the issue is certification etc, certainly a future for it but the PA7 and pilots license is a issue ! How much are one of these drones btw ? Pm if you like

Yes the PA7 is the issue for pesticides spraying.

However the spreading of seeds and paint on for example on top of greenhouses for shading is able to be done with GVC license.

Over £55k with licenses and training.

 

[AgriDrones.pro]

If a drone could identify via a reconnaissance flight first or mid flight problem weeds eg. blackgrass, sterile brome, wild oat etc. in a crop and spot spray each individual weed, this would be so much better for the environment rather than blanket spraying an entire field. This alone would transform today's agriculture in the uk. Savings on treating 1000's of hectares with expensive chemicals would soon pay for such a drone

That would be our recommendation, for a field analysis to be carried out to determine what and where needs treating and then spray drone would carry out the spot spraying.

 

[AgriDrones.pro]

With precision applications being applied, and the other added benefits.

We are trying to find out what farmers would be willing to pay for this service.

Ball park figures would be great if you have any.

 

[Wigeon]

It includes landing, refilling, take off and flying back to where it starters. Overall 19/ha operating coverage.

The flight will be precision programmed to by a pre analysis flight which has detected nutrition deficiency, weeds, diseases so reducing inputs instead of blanket covering.

Blimey it must be travelling. 2m boom or thereabouts?

What is efficacy like on herbicides at low water rates applied at speed,?

 

[AgriDrones.pro]

Blimey it must be travelling. 2m boom or thereabouts?

What is efficacy like on herbicides at low water rates applied at speed,?

Spray width is 5-10 meters

Droplet size range 60-400 microns

Both adjustable.

 

[Chae1]

It's not really worth anymore than the price of getting a contractor in at the moment. £16/ha?

Only benefit I can see is it can apply chemicals when ground conditions stop a conventional sprayer going.

 

[Bobthebuilder]

Should you really be applying pesticides if the ground is so bad you can’t travel with a conventional sprayer

 

[Wigeon]

£16/ha?

Can of worms = open