PHOTO: SHENZEN EAGLE BROTHER
PHOTO: YAMAHA
PHOTO: RAUCH
PHOTO: ECOBOTIX
PHOTO: YAMAHA
PHOTO: RISE UP
PHOTO: CFR
Petersen of drone technology start-up Eco- botix. “Our spreading device is at the late pro- totype stage and we are testing it with select- ed customers, who typically are producers of high-value organic crops, or simply growers seeking to avoid the use of chemical insecti- cides.” A commercial introduction is anticipat- ed this year for agricultural service providers permitted to operate drones for aerial appli- cation to combat pests in strawberries, fruits, vegetables and Christmas trees, and also in cereal crops.
Spreading seed and granules A less sophisticated spreading solution has been devised by Australian drones retailer Rise Above. Take one Scotts hand-held grass seed and fertiliser spreader, replace the hand crank with an electric motor, fit a hopper ex- tension and fix it to the underside of a drone with clamps. Rise Above lists the item for AU$ 1,250 (€ 780) alongside other custom payload solutions, such as the AU$ 1,249 (€ 779) BirdGard audio bird scarer for the AgStar agricultural drone. Mosquito and invasive plant control, as well as seeding and similar applications are the target for a bespoke spreader solution from CFR Inno- vations, explains. The 8-litre (2.11 gal) capacity UGS-1 battery-powered granule spreader weighs 1.1 kg empty and has remote control of the spinner with its twin outlet tubes. The Canadian company’s Johnny Guérin says the spreader is suspended in a way that minimises its impact on the drone’s flight stability; he plans larger versions than the first model. The potential for specialist spreading applica- tions has also caught the attention of one of Europe’s leading tractor-operated fertiliser
The main challenge for Ecobotix was to de- sign a spreader that beneficial insects could survive to provide rapid intervention, insec- ticide-free pest control across a range of crops; it becomes available this year.
The CFR Innovations UGS-1 drone-mounted broadcaster spins seed or microgranules from two tubular outlets beneath the 8 litre (2.11 gal) capacity hopper. Price is US$ 3,800 (€ 4,575).
Fertiliser spreader manufacturer Rauch be- lieves there is potential for drones like its eight-rotor Agronator-based CultiCopter to deliver fertilisers and microgranule products – when ground conditions prevent applica- tion vehicles from working, for example.
broadcaster manufacturers. Rauch, whose products are distributed under the Kuhn name outside Germany, has endorsed the Agronator eight-rotor drone project by developing a sus- pended spreader with 50-litre (3,051 cu in) hopper and Draco single-disc broadcasting mechanism with rate and width control system. “A big advantage of our CultiCopter fertiliser and microgranule spreading drone is that
Simple spreader – this converted hand-held Scotts grass seed and fertiliser spinner is available for drones from Rise Up in Australia.
irrespective of the terrain, it is possible to spread material with a high degree of precision and efficiency,” says Jens Hiller of Rauch. The eight-rotor drone itself spans 4 m, weighs some 80kg (176 lb) and can carry up to 30kg small seeds, mineral fertiliser or pest control material such as slug pellets, although these statistics may change when the second-gen- eration Agronator in development is revealed.
Rotor arms also supply liquid to the four nozzles of the 3WD-TY-M12L drone from Shenzhen Eagle Brother. It spans 101 cm (40 in) with 71 cm (28 in) blades and has a liquid capacity of 12 litres (1.36 gallons).
Yamaha Motor has moved into markets be- yond Japan with its remote-control spraying and spreading helicopters. The 32 litre (8 gal) capacity Fazer R has ‘turn assistance’ to auto- matically maintain correct pass spacing.
Yamaha Motor’s first multi-rotor drone is this eight co-axial motor YMR-08 with 1 ha (2.5 acre) per flight capability using a 10 litre (2 gal) container. It spans 218 cm (85 in) and is priced Yen 2.55 million (€ 19,340).
▶ FUTURE FARMING | 25 May 2018 35
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