AGRICULTURAL DRONES OVER POLISH FIELDS

Restrictions on the use of crop protection products and fertilizers, the possibility of saving money by precisely spraying designated sections, avoiding the destruction of tall crops or soil under the wheels of tractors and reaching inaccessible wetlands are among the many reasons why the now mature drone spraying technology will enter widespread use. Poland will be one of the first countries in Europe to implement it on a large scale in a legalized manner.

On the first day of June, an inaugural demonstration session of the new ABZ Innovation L10 spray drone, organized by aeroMind, a Poznan-based drone distributor, took place at the Przybroda Agricultural and Fruit Experimental Farm of the Poznań University of Life Sciences. The meeting was attended by representatives of all key institutions responsible in the country for enabling the introduction of the new technology into widespread use, the use of agricultural drones as precision machines for the application of crop protection products and fertilizers. Thanks to the presence of Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Secretary of State Lech Kolakowski, the Inspectorate for Plant Protection and Seed Inspection, distributors of heavy agricultural equipment, manufacturers of plant protection products and fertilizers, farmers and representatives of the drone industry, there was an opportunity for a broad discussion of the scope and ways to implement this new technology. The meeting had at its core the topic of building a legal framework for spray raids in Polish agriculture, which will provide an opportunity for domestic farms to take advantage of the potential of the new drone technology.

Premiere of the new L10 agricultural drone. Ambassador of Hungary Dr. Orsolya Zsuzsanna Kovács, Deputy Minister Agriculture Lech Kołakowski, Rector of Poznań University of Life Sciences Prof. Krzysztof Szoszkiewicz, President of aeroMind Justyna Siekierczak.

Implementation research of spraying from a drone

At the demonstration session "Opening the airspace for agricultural spraying drones in Poland - presentation of the new ABZ Innovation L10 drone", the rector of the University of Life Sciences Prof. Dr. Krzysztof Szoszkiewicz and aeroMind CEO Justyna Siekierczak ceremoniously signed a cooperation agreement, under which scientific and implementation research for legislative needs and practical implementations of spraying drones in all ranges of the domestic agricultural industry will play an important role. Poznań University of Life Sciences has a wide potential of experienced scientific staff and modern scientific and teaching base, including eleven experimental farms on an area of more than 15 thousand hectares. , including in the fields of horticulture, grain crops, oilseeds and vegetables, which will play a key role in the development of spray implementations in the Polish agricultural industry.
"Innovation is a key priority for Poznań University of Life Sciences. We strive to play an important role in generating new knowledge, conducting research, developing technologies and innovating in various fields. We invest in modern laboratories, provide our researchers with access to new technologies and research tools, and encourage academics to conduct pioneering research. We also cooperate with industry and external institutions to transfer their research to the market and influence socio-economic development, hence our partnership in this endeavor," UPP Rector Prof. Krzysztof Szoszkiewicz explained at the meeting.

Premiere of the new ABZ Innovation L10 agricultural drone.

Unmanned precision agriculture in the air

As technology advances, opportunities in the agricultural industry are growing. With the introduction of drones, farmers can take precision farming to the next level. The main goal is to increase the efficiency and productivity of agricultural operations, while reducing environmental impact. Agricultural drones use information on crop vegetation levels based on data from multispectral cameras to identify areas that need more attention, allowing them to focus their resources on those areas. Spraying from a drone helps farmers reduce water and fertilizer use, leading to less wasted liquids and fewer emissions of what? In addition, precision farming helps farmers increase yields by providing data-driven information on best practices for their crops.

ABZ Innovation L10 agricultural spraying drone in flight.

European agricultural drone

Both the drone community and all social groups and economic areas, having learned from the experience of recent years, know how important local production of the devices is in terms of a secure supply chain and the security of the data they collect. ABZ Innovation L10 is the first mass-produced European agricultural drone of Hungarian manufacture, whose experience will be applied to Polish specific conditions of agricultural production.

ABZ Innovation L10 agricultural spraying drone.

The drop under control

The secret to effective spraying lies in even and targeted fluid distribution. In CDA (Controlled Droplet Application) technology, with the power of a brushless motor, the working fluid is fed at low pressure to a rotating disk (Fig. 4). Through centrifugal force, the droplets break away from the edge maintaining a uniform size. The lack of dependence between flow rate setting and droplet size allows flexible control and setting of droplet size. This also gets rid of oversized and undersized droplets, which means no waste and no unnecessary contamination, because each droplet is the right size, so it doesn't run off the leaves and evaporate. With the force of propeller air, the liquid is directed downward reaching the lower parts of the plant. Tests are carried out by replacing the pesticide with a water-based dye that reacts to UV light, becoming fluorescent. After spraying, spray patterns are checked on various plant surfaces and analyzed using UV lamps. The spray patterns show how many leaves and phloem are covered and how much of the substance reaches its target. The research monitors the number of droplets reaching the target and whether it is sufficient to provide a high level of crop protection. The L10 drone sprayer has already been registered and certified in the European Union in Hungary.

A test spray pattern from a drone with a water-based dye that reacts to UV light.

Less drift in more wind

The drone sprayer has a working width of six meters and produces droplets of equal size - up to 10 hectares per hour can be sprayed. Both droplet size and working width can be adjusted, giving the user the flexibility to adjust the settings to suit conditions. This system can help with spraying in hard-to-reach areas and ensures that the application is uniform. Take advantage of the physics of drone flight generating strong propeller air always directed downward, the system reduces the risk of drifting droplets and makes spraying possible in stronger winds than applying pressurized agents by gravity. In addition, manual or machine work is eliminated, saving time, money and energy.

An L10 agricultural drone spraying a vineyard.

Spreading Trichogramma from a drone

Trichogramma is a parasitic species of wasp used to control pest populations in crops. Traditionally, Trichogramma wasps were released by hand, which was quite time-consuming and labor-intensive. With the development of revolutionary drone technology, ABZ Innovation has integrated the method into precision agriculture in the most efficient way, developing a Trichogramma spreading system from an L10 drone, helping to reduce the workload of farmers while focusing on sustainability and profitability. Drones can cover large areas in a short period of time, reducing the labor required for manual release. They can also reach remote areas and rough terrain that can be difficult for workers to access. Equipped with GPS and mapping technology, the drones can precisely target specific areas, increasing the accuracy of Trichogramma release and reducing the risk of over- or under-application. Spreading Trichogramma with drones eliminates the need for human labor near crops, reducing the risk of exposure to pesticides and other chemicals.

Tichoramma drone spreading system ABZ Innovation L10 for controlling pest populations in crops such as corn.

ABZ Innovation L10 agricultural drone spraying a field of sunflowers.

Premiere of the new L10 agricultural drone.

Premiere of the new L10 agricultural drone. Vice Ambassador of the Democratic Republic of Congo Amour Zalia, aeroMind CEO Justyna Siekierczak.