Performance evaluation of spraying drones compared to boom sprayers for spray applications

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Engineering
• Precision Agriculture
• Mechanization

Background:

• Spraying drones are increasingly adopted in agriculture for pesticide application due to flexibility and labor shortage mitigation.
• Conventional boom sprayers are widely used but may face limitations in accessibility and operational efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate and compare the technical performance of spraying drones versus conventional boom sprayers.
• To assess the impact of varying operational speeds on spray deposition, drift, droplet size, and spray quality.

Main Methods:

• Field experiments comparing drones and boom sprayers at three speeds (low, medium, high).
• Assessment of spray deposition and drift using dye solution and spectrophotometry.
• Evaluation of droplet size (VMD, NMD) and spray quality index (QI) via water-sensitive paper and image analysis.

Main Results:

• Significant differences in performance parameters (deposition, drift, VMD, NMD, QI) were observed between sprayer types and speeds.
• Drones achieved a superior spray quality index (QI=1.27) compared to boom sprayers (QI=3.07).
• Lower deposition rates (2.67%) and higher drift were noted for drones at higher speeds.

Conclusions:

• Spraying drones demonstrate favorable droplet uniformity and spray quality, presenting an innovative solution for modern agriculture.
• While effective, challenges remain regarding deposition rates and drift at higher operational speeds for drones.
• Findings support informed decision-making for the application, development, and investment in spraying drone technology.