The drone industry is gaining momentum worldwide and is enabling the production of advanced solutions that have never been seen before.
ALTA has begun the process of developing systems that are carried by drones and lead to the creation of solutions in the world of spraying. These solutions lead to improved spraying accuracy and lead to unprecedented manpower savings and efficiency.
A farmer in Emek Hefer recently claimed that using ALTA drones, he reduced pesticide use in his orchard by 30%. ALTA has entered the agricultural field not only with mapping and photography, but with new spraying and pesticide capabilities as another tool in the farmers’ toolbox.
The agricultural industry, which continues to incorporate new and evolving technology, has found drones to be an essential tool for farmers around the world. The ability to precisely and efficiently disperse composite and concentrated materials brings great news in the field.
What is a spray drone?
A spray drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle that operates in agricultural fields and spreads pesticides in various compounds. Spray drones are usually capable of taking between 5-150 liters.
ALTA drones allow for the spreading of paste-type materials, granules, liquids and powders.
In addition, the precision and speed capabilities of the automatic drone save manpower in the field and in many cases are preferable to the use of tractors and airplanes. The accessibility of the tools is maximized. Their operation is green and allows work close to residential areas, unlike the alternatives.
Advantages of the drone in agriculture:
Using ALTA drones, there is the ability to monitor and control the use of pesticides properly. The amount of material applied and the rate of application can be controlled, all under the control of the pilot remotely in real time. The drones allow for autonomous flight without operator intervention, subject to the flight procedures of the Civil Aviation Authority.
Spraying with drones allows you to minimize the environmental impact of pesticides.
The ALTA agricultural drone is connected directly to the Internet, so all data is transferred directly to the control software, which allows for full monitoring of all data from the field.
Over the past few years, spraying drones have advanced and developed, and now allow you to carry dozens of kilograms of pesticide. This leads to the entry of spraying drones into new industries from time to time, thus replacing the spraying methods that have existed to date with a greener, more precise, and cheaper method.
The future of drones in the world of agriculture:
ALTA drones are capable of spraying crops with greater precision than a traditional tractor, which reduces costs, and prevents the crop from being trampled by the tractor wheels. In the field of pheromones (SPLAT), ALTA is a pioneer. The company has accumulated commercial experience of tens of thousands of dunams where the ointment that amazed the industry was spread. A drone operating team carrying the “Venus” system is currently capable of applying over 500 dunams per day compared to the alternative of manpower which is 25-30 dunams per day.
This is just the beginning of a new era in the world of agriculture that sophisticated drones will increasingly bring into our lives.
Examples of the use of spray drones around the world:
A small Central American country, El Salvador, which is similar in size to Israel, has taken the field of drones in agriculture one step further. The government subsidizes the use of this type of technology for farmers, so companies can start the process directly with farmers without financial loss for either side.
Many fields, mainly sugar cane, are now being treated by drones similar to those from the ALTA company.
Large unmanned drones are equipped with 20 liters of material capable of carrying fertilizers or pesticides and allow flying on predefined routes without the need for a pilot.
In a country where access to fields is often difficult for tractors and even airplanes, drones fit like a glove for farmers, saving a lot of money and people in the field.
- Brazil’s economy is the largest in Latin America, and agriculture is a big part of the reason for this. The challenges ahead for Brazil are great. What is the most efficient way to spray agricultural crops and keep them in good condition? Certainly not with the old planes or big tractors. Now there is a new and more precise way to do it – with a drone.
Drones fly very close to the crops, something that a conventional spray plane cannot do, not to mention how dangerous it is for pilots to fly the plane too close to the crops. Although a plane can carry much more weight, with a drone it is possible to ensure a smaller weight load but complete safety for human life.
In 2018, over 200,000 dunams were sprayed in Brazil using drones.