Agricultural Drones

The use of drones (unmanned aerial vehicles UAV’s) in agriculture is growing at about 20% per year and it is estimated that 10% of agricultural operations in Australia, currently incorporate drones in some capacity (Ref: Deloitte Access Economics).

Whilst initially adopted for remote sensing in weed, pest and disease control, and the determination of irrigation programs, more recent developments have occurred around the application of liquid fertiliser.

Modern agricultural fertiliser practices around precision, reducing waste and run-off, are ideally addressed by drone usage. Also the drones are able to apply product in wet conditions not suitable for heavy machinery, or to areas not accessible by land.

Whilst the macronutrients are best applied by land-based boom sprays, the micro-nutrients, which are applied at much lower levels per hectare, are ideally suited to drone applications.

The trend to liquid fertilisers is showing exponential growth globally, particularly in the use of micro-nutrients, as more precise crop management is demonstrating the significance of these elements in crop  yields and quality.

The demand for ECTOL nutrients, particularly micro-nutrients, for drone applications has been growing significantly over the last few years. This will only expand as farmers and agronomists undertake in-crop tissue analysis and applying nutrients, rather than relying on pre-plant fertiliser applications.

Well-known Tasmanian agronomist, Tim Walker, has been using drone applied nutrients on potatoes. He applies 3.5L each of NitrotainTE27, ECTOL MicroMax and ECTOL Protect and Grow, made up to 50L with water, per hectare of potatoes, for an application cost of $50/Ha. Note, the application cost is based on $1/L applied.

Tim Walker's potato crop being sprayed with ECTOL liquid blend and fungicide in the same pass.