Location: Aerial Application Technology Research
Project Number: 3091-30500-001-000-D
Project Type: In-House Appropriated
Start Date: Jan 28, 2025
End Date: Jan 27, 2030
Objective:
Objective 1: Develop and advance emerging technologies and precision application techniques for efficient application of crop protection and production products. (NP305, C1, PS1D)
Objective 2: Integrate advanced data monitoring systems, data analytic methods, and enhanced spray transport models to allow for sustainable application practices that consider climate change effects, reduce pesticide inputs, reduce costs and environment loading, and protect workers, animals and endangered species, and sensitive ecosystems. (NP305, C1, PS1D)
Objective 3: Develop and evaluate remote sensing technologies that utilize a diverse range of imaging platforms and sophisticated image processing techniques for crop condition and pest assessments to guide site-specific pest management. (NP305, C1, PS1B, PS1C, PS1D)
Approach:
Aerial application is a critical component of American agriculture, making developing an understanding of the physical processes involved in the transport and fate of applied sprays crucial. Aerial applicators must adapt to changing environmental conditions, an ever-increasing reliance on technology, and increased regulatory complexity. This project’s objectives center on developing and studying technologies and methods that maximize accurate and precise delivery of applied products while minimizing off-target movement. Additionally, the development and use of remote sensing data to aid in the assessment of crop health and pest location serves to guide site-specific management of cropping systems. Through wind tunnel research, atomization characteristics of nozzles and spray formulations used for manned and unmanned aerial applications will be determined and incorporated into decision management systems that aid applicators in nozzle selection and operation (Objective 1). Field studies will use optimized setups that provide uniform coverage at specified application rates to develop an understanding of those factors impacting the movement and deposition of applied materials to generate high quality for use in understanding the impact of application height and meteorological conditions (Objective 2). Using the developed physical relationships between application conditions and deposited effected spray swath, spray drift studies will be conducted to develop and evaluate methods and practices designed to minimize off-target movement and waste (Objective 2). Further, remote sensing data acquisition and analysis methods will be developed to determine site-specific crop and pest conditions to guide accurate and precise delivery of crop production inputs and pest management decisions (Objective 3). The results of this project will enhance the success of aerial applications by ensuring crop production and protection inputs are delivered where and when they are needed with minimal waste.
