The Agrair spray drone from Remote Vision can apply crop protection products over impassable terrains or areas that cannot be driven on after rainfall. The drone was demonstrated to winegrowers from the cantons of Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt and Solothurn on Monika Fanti’s farm just outside Aesch in mid-June. The demonstration was conducted by the special crops department of the Ebenrain Centre for Agriculture, Nature and Food in the canton of Basel-Landschaft.
Plots only need to be measured once before using the drone, which then flies autonomously over the vineyard, with speed and spray volume controlled by an automatic flight system. Pilot intervention is only necessary if, for example, an obstacle has to be avoided.
The drone tank can hold up to 10 litres of spraying liquid, enough to spray about one-tenth of a hectare. The battery must be changed after every two flights. The drone automatically resumes its work where it left off after changing the battery or filling the tank.
The drone can spray steep vineyards in situations where even a tractor cannot be used, for example after rainfall. What’s more, it does not cause soil compaction and spray personnel are exposed to less crop protection product. However, spraying with drones is still subject to approval.
Remote Vision specializes in professional, industrial and agricultural air robotics applications. Founded in 2016, the company is based in Gais in the St.GallenBodenseeArea.
