Drones expand to increase productivity Cormorant spraying drone from Tactical Robotics. Drones can’t carry large volumes of spraying fluids, so they use smaller droplets for good
coverage. This creates drift risks.
Size and carrying capacity of popular agricultural drones is definitely a limitation on output. But their dimensions are often determined by local regulations, with many countries granting varying degrees of ‘permission of operation’ depending on weight, often up to just 25kg. For operators willing to invest in the necessary training and certification required for larger capacity UAVs, there is now a growing choice of heavy haulers.
spraying regulations. In many places chemical applications are tightly controlled and in most circumstances this will require changes to products’ registered use. Drone applications will also have to comply with local regulations. For example, in the Netherlands all applica- tions can only be made with 75% drift reduc- ing nozzles or technology. Currently, in coun- tries with advanced agriculture, ground-based
One recent example is from Tactical Robotics, an Israeli aerospace com- pany partnering with crop protection company Adama to develop an ag- ricultural version of its Cormorant (pictured above). This drone has two internal rotors that enable vertical take-off and land and is powered by a 977hp engine. It has 500kg payload capacity (764kg including fuel) and can fly for 2.6 hours with a 300kg payload.
application equipment developments and product use restrictions are focused squarely on reducing drift and increasing accuracy.
Concerns about drift There are questions about the quality, efficacy and safety of applications from drones and rising unease among researchers and experts in the more ‘traditional’ spraying community.
It’s a concern shared by Tom Wolf, an inde- pendent spray expert from Canada, where pesticide applications from drones remains il- legal. “My primary concern is around spray drift,” he explains. “Low drone payloads mean they are unable to carry much liquid, so by ne- cessity they must use low application volumes to provide any sort of productivity.” The only way to provide sufficient coverage with very
▶ FUTURE FARMING | 22 May 2020 19
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