Development of a spraying system using drones that is economically viable and capable of competing with traditional application methods

• Grant number: 22/08520-2
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Innovative Research in Small Business - PIPE
• Start date: June 01, 2023
• End date: August 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Mechanical Engineering - Mechanical Engineering Design
• Principal Investigator: Henrique Moritz
• Grantee: Henrique Moritz
• Company: ModelWorks Engenharia Ltda. - ME
• CNAE: Cultivo de soja ; Atividades técnicas relacionadas à arquitetura e engenharia ; Testes e análises técnicas
• City: São Carlos
• Pesquisadores principais: Carlos Alfredo Moritz ; Gregory Ferreira Grawe
• Associated researchers: Gerson de Oliveira Neves Filho ; Gustavo Rodrigues Sartori
• Associated research grant: 20/05736-9 - Development of a spraying system using drones that is economically viable and capable of competing with traditional application methods, AP.PIPE
• Associated scholarship(s): 23/08203-0 - Develpment of a spraying system using drones that is economicaly viable and capable of competing with traditional application methods, BP.PIPE

Abstract

The Stage 2 of this PIPE project aims to complete the development of the innovation proposed and successfully demonstrated in Stage 1, having achieved (so far) 1 patent granted and other 3 under analysis, which consists of an agricultural spraying system using drones capable of applying chemicals at costs below R$10/ha and applying products at variables rates, through prior planning, allowing eventual applications only in necessary foci, thus saving up to 80% of chemicals and time. The use of imaging, both visual and multispectral, allows the identification of pathologies prematurely as well as their focus. Unfortunately, agricultural spraying tractors, as well as airplanes, do not have the capacity to apply pesticides only in small areas, forcing farmers to apply them in a generalized way. Some of the more advanced spraying tractors are able to vary the flow rate of chemicals, however, due to their large size, they are not capable of application to small foci (such as invasive weeds) and even if they did, their displacement over the crop is slow, expensive, causes damage by crushing the crop and jamming in the rainy season. A drone with the ability to attack specific foci and also apply chemicals in a generalized way at costs around R$10/ha has great potential for reducing chemicals, costs and environmental impacts on crops, as the consequent reduction of applied chemicals represents a strong environmental and financial gain to farmers. (AU)